Ester 8: 1-17
Righting A Wrong
1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 So the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman. 3 Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. 4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king, 5 and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?” 7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews. 8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.” 9 So the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to every province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses bred from swift steeds. 11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives—to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions, 12 on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s command. And the decree was issued in Shushan the citadel. 15 So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16 The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor. 17 And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a program to help people who have struggled with alcohol addictions. A major problem is that many people are what you call ‘dual addicted’. This means that an individual is not only addicted to alcohol but in most cases also addicted to narcotics.
However, if you go to an AA meeting you should only focus on the alcohol addiction. If you also have a drug problem then you should also go to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. There are similar 12 steps to each program. I strongly believe that our Precious Holy Spirit gave the originators of these programs the wisdom to compile 12 simple steps that one should follow in their pursuit of sobriety. These steps are simple yet there is much wisdom in their points. Here are the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous;
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
I want to highlight two of these twelve steps 8 and 9; - made a list of all people we have harmed and became willing to make amends to them all, and, made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
We have so far seen how vicious and evil people can be. This guy named Haman wanted to kill ever Jew on the face of the earth. He thought that it was a done deal but there Is as you know a God Who Is Omnipresent. He Is Everywhere. He Is Omniscient. He Is All Knowing. And He Is Omnipotent. He Is All Powerful. He sees all and controls all.
I like the quote Mordecai said to Ester, “13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Even though it looked like the end nothing and I mean nothing will happen unless God allows it to happen.
You might say well then God might have let all the Jews be eliminated from this earth. My answer is a big ‘No’. In His word He had and has great plans for the Jews so the answer is that it couldn’t happen. Our Mighty God had and would do something about this potential atrocity.
We saw before in chapter 5.1-3 that the golden scepter was held out to Esther as she approached the king with a view to pleading for the lives of her people. Now she pleads for her people again and the golden scepter is held out to her. Here we have a second special event on which the book is based. It is preceded by the granting to Esther by the king the estates of the house of Haman, and of his rewarding Mordecai by making him Grand Vizier.
8.1 ‘On that day the king Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy to Esther the queen.’ ‘And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her.
It was common practice for the estates of a condemned criminal to revert to the government. We see this in regard to Ahab and Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21.15-16). This was so in this case, and the king then granted them to his queen. She thus came into possession of vast riches.
8.2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.’
Having identified herself with her people the Jews Esther now informed the king of Mordecai’s relationship to her, and the king called for him to be brought before him. As we have seen he already owed Mordecai some form of promotion, and once he knew that he was Esther’s guardian he had no doubts of how to fulfill that debt of gratitude. He made him Grand Vizier in place of Haman. That is the significance of the giving of his ring to Mordecai. It gave him authority to act in the king’s name. From now on, like the seven chief princes, he would have had personal access into the king’s presence when the king was not in private. The author no doubt saw it as significant that the ring that had sealed the fate of the Jews had now been set on the hand of a Jew. Esther also set him over her new estates to manage them for her. He was now a man with huge responsibilities.
8.3 ‘And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.’
‘Esther spoke yet again before the king.’ In spite of Mordecai’s advancement it was still left in the hands of Esther to follow up her previous plea on behalf of her people (7.3-4). This makes good sense. The king had made no promises to Mordecai, but he had made promises to his queen that what she wished for would be granted ‘up to half of his kingdom’. Thus the impetus was with her. This therefore gave her an opportunity to again advance her plea on behalf of her people.
So Esther then fell at the king’s feet, and pleaded with him in tears that he would remove from over the heads of the Jews the mischief that Haman had planned for them, and would cancel Haman’s plot against them - For while Haman was now dead, the threat arising from the decree that he had promulgated still existed.
8.4 ‘Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.’
The king demonstrated his willingness to consider her request by again extending to her his golden scepter. A question to ask is why the king would put forth the scepter again? Esther was already in the king’s presence. The extension of the scepter was thus simply an indication that he was pleased to hear her request. Unlike the first time, this time she had not been in danger of her life. As a consequence of the scepter being extended towards her she was able to rise and stand before the king in order to explain what she was asking for in more detail
8.5-6 ‘And she said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seems right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews that are in all the king’s provinces, for how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?”
Please note here Esther’s fourfold plea;
1. ‘if it please the king
2. if I have found favor in your sight
3. and the thing seems right before the king
4. and I be pleasing in your eyes’
How do you feel about this folks? I mean she is his wife and is also the queen and has to pour out all this flattery. This is typical of the way in which powerful monarchs had to be approached. The king’s will and desire must come foremost. There must be no thought of trying to put pressure on the king, or he might react against it. He must be allowed to think that the decision was really his. Esther had probably observed this approach many times as suppliants came before the king.
Approaching on this basis she requested the reversal of ‘Haman’s letters’. There is no mention of the king’s decree as sealed by Haman. No blame must be attached to the king. And she was probably well aware that by precedent no decree of the king could be altered. Thus she wanted her request to be seen as simply setting aside letters of Haman. Note the giving to him of his full title. This was official business.
She then makes clear what she wants of the king. Haman had written a decree under the king’s signature the destruction of all Jews within the provinces of the empire. She is requesting that this be reversed, and she makes the plea personal. She is not requesting it as a matter of justice; she is doing so because of the deep hurt that it will cause her. ‘How can I endure to see the evil that will come on my people, or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?’
Please note the repetition of ‘how can I endure?’ It reveals her deep distress. She feels in her heart the approaching suffering of her people. Such an appeal would be appreciated by the king. Family loyalty was seen as of prime importance. Furthermore distress to Esther was his personal concern. What might have been ignored politically, because inconvenient, became of prime importance when it distressed his queen, and especially when it was related to a promise that he had given, and from which he could not turn back.
So, now in contrast with the first decree which determined the destruction of the Jews and caused them great grief, and perplexed the people of Susa, the second decree is now issued, which causes great joy among the Jews, and causes the people of Susa to rejoice.
8.7 ‘Then the king Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have impaled on the stake, because he laid his hand on the Jews.”
Ahasuerus was as good as his word. He called in, in the presence of Esther the Queen, Mordecai the Jew, who was now his Grand Vizier. It was Mordecai who would be responsible for any official action. And he pointed out to them that he was on their side. Indeed he had already given Haman’s vast estates to Esther, and had allowed his impalement because of what he had purposed for the Jews. (To ‘lay hands on’ is idiomatic for ‘to conspire against’.) Thus he had gone a long way in fulfilling Esther’s request.
8.8 “You also write to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring, for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.’
And he now authorized Mordecai and Esther to think of a way out of the dilemma. What had been sealed with the king’s seal could not be reversed. But what could happen was that some way could be devised to counteract its effect. And this he was leaving in the hands of Mordecai. He could write whatever seemed good to him and seal it with the king’s ring, and that also could not be reversed.
The binding principle that what had been sealed with the king’s ring could not be reversed is not known from external sources, although these are limited. For the king to alter his decree would be to indicate that he had made a mistake. And that would be to cast doubt on his infallibility, something which could not be permitted. But as with modern lawyers dealing with ‘precedent in law’ (which is a similar principle), ways could be found round it.
8.9 ‘Then were the king’s scribes called at that time, in the third month Sivan, on the three and twentieth (day) of it, and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, a hundred twenty and seven provinces, to every province according to their script, and to every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their script, and according to their language.’
If you turn back to chapter 3.12 you find the edict that Haman composed. What had happened there is now being countermanded. The king’s scribes (document compilers) were again called in. In 3.12 it had taken place on the 13th day of the first month, and the writing had been in accordance with the commands of Haman. Now it was taking place on the 23rd day of the third month, and the writing was in accordance with the command of Mordecai. And it was being directed at all the king’s governors, the satraps (over the twenty or so satrapies), the governors (over the provinces within the satrapies), and the native rulers within the provinces. Added in here as compared with 3.12 is the reference to ‘from Indian to Cush (Northern Sudan/Ethiopia), a hundred and twenty seven provinces’ for which see 1.1. The stress is on the fact that the whole empire was involved. Also added in is that it was specifically also sent to the Jews. Mordecai would be aware of how this could be done. Colonies of Jews regularly kept in touch with each other. Note again that it was the practice for all to receive the king’s decree in their own language and script (compare 1.22; 3.12).
8.10 ‘And he wrote the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by post on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king’s service, bred of (literally ‘sons of’) the stud,’
The personal authority of Mordecai is brought out by the positive nature of the description. ‘He wrote -- and he sealed it. Mordecai now had full authority to act in the king’s name. And whereas the previous letters were ‘sent by posts’ these letters were sent ‘by post on horseback, riding on swift steeds which were used in the king’s service. Mordecai naturally wanted the good news to reach the Jews as soon as possible. They had been under virtual sentence of death for two months.
8.11-12 ‘In which the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province who would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, on one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.’
At first sight this appears simply to give the Jews the right to defend themselves. They would no doubt have done it anyway, but it would have been seen then as an attack on the king’s authority, for the decree would largely have been carried into effect by the Persian soldiery. But the king could hardly be seen as authorizing the Jews to fight against the Persian army. So implicit in the second decree is that the Persian army would be at the worst neutral. The authorities would now be aware that the king was favoring the Jews, and would act accordingly. Thus the real difference now was that the Persian soldiery would no longer be involved. There would be no official action against the Jews. Any slaying would be in the hands of any who took advantage of the first decree in order to attack the Jews and seize their wealth. And it would be one thing to do that when they knew that the king was on their side. It would be quite another to do it when it was clear that it was against the king’s present wishes. Thus the number of those who intended to take advantage of the first edict would be greatly reduced. It would be reduced to those who’s greed or whose hatred of the Jews was so great that any excuse for an attack on them would be taken advantage of. And they would be in the minority. The odds had thus been hugely turned in the Jews’ favor.
It should be noted that the Jews were not given authority to kill and slay whoever they wanted. They were given authority to ‘gather together’ to defend themselves (which would thus no longer be the crime and act of rebellion that it previously would have been), and to ‘destroy, slay and cause to perish’ on one day all who actively assaulted either them, or their little ones and wives.
Also here take a look at how the verbs follow exactly the first decree. In 3.13 the authority had been given to ‘destroy and to slay and to cause to perish, all Jews both young and old, children and women’ on one day. Now the Jews were given the authority to do the same to their enemies, which would certainly give their enemies pause to think. Thus this is not a question of revenge killing but of self defense. Indeed it is noteworthy that although authorized ‘to take spoil from them as a prey’, the Jews specifically refrained from doing so which we will see in chapter 9.10.
8.13 ‘A copy of the writing, in order that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.’
It was considered important that the king’s decree should be given out everywhere and understood by all. In chapter 3.14 it was in order that the people might be ready for when the day came so that the Jews might be destroyed. Here it was so that the Jews might be ready to avenge themselves on their enemies. The situation has been reversed. The word ‘avenge’ must not be over-pressed. The Jews were not seeking vengeance, but self-protection. They gained ‘revenge’ (justice) against those who attacked them by triumphing over them.
8.14-15 ‘So the posts which rode on swift steeds which were used in the king’s service went out, being caused to hurry and pressed on by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given out in Shushan the palace. And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple-blue, and the city of Shushan shouted and was glad.’
The first two clauses are virtually the same. However, we see here in there is a greater emphasis on the fact that the posts were royal messengers who acted with utmost speed.
The second two clauses are contrasts. Whereas on sending out the letters for the annihilation of the Jews the king and Haman were unconcerned and simply got drunk (a negative response), on sending out the letters for the self-protection of the Jews Mordecai, himself being a Jew, went out with royal authority in readiness to act on their behalf with royal approval. He was active in the king’s service and for the king’s benefits (a very positive response). And whereas as a result of the first decree the city of Shushan were perplexed, as a result of the second decree they shouted for joy.
8.16-17 ‘The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor. And in every province, and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day.’ And many from among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them.’
As would be expected the Jews especially celebrated what had happened ‘in every province and in every city’. They were no longer under threat of annihilation by the Persian authorities. The king’s hand was no longer raised against them. Any other threats they were confident that they could deal with. Thus they had ‘light and gladness and joy and honor’. This is especially stressed by the fact that they celebrated ‘a feast and a good day’.
The light coming upon His people was specifically a sign of God’s activity (Isaiah 9.2). It was God Who Was their light and salvation (Psalm 27.1; Isaiah 60.20; Micah 7.8).
Let us take another look again at verse 17, And many from among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them.
There are a few possible things that happened here;
. This may simply indicate that they became ‘Jews for a day’ aligning themselves with the Jews against their enemies, and assisting them
. They outwardly represented themselves as Jews and may indicate therefore that they pretended to become’ Jews. They did this as a way to ensure that Jews did not attack them as they passed themselves off as Jews.
. It may, however, also have been true that many who saw the remarkable deliverance of the Jews did convert to Judaism. The Jews clearly had the reputation of having God on their side.
