Esther 9 13

Esther 9:13 kjv

Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.

Esther 9:13 nkjv

Then Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows."

Esther 9:13 niv

"If it pleases the king," Esther answered, "give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day's edict tomorrow also, and let Haman's ten sons be impaled on poles."

Esther 9:13 esv

And Esther said, "If it please the king, let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day's edict. And let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows."

Esther 9:13 nlt

Esther responded, "If it please the king, give the Jews in Susa permission to do again tomorrow as they have done today, and let the bodies of Haman's ten sons be impaled on a pole."

Esther 9 verses

Esther 9 13 Meaning

Esther 9:13 presents Queen Esther's petition to King Ahasuerus after the first day of Jewish self-defense. Her request consists of two parts: first, that the Jews in Susa be granted a second day to carry out the provisions of the decree, essentially continuing their defense against enemies; second, that Haman's ten sons, who had already been slain, be publicly hanged or impaled on gallows. This served as a potent display of total victory and a public deterrent, signifying the complete reversal of Haman's wicked plot.

Esther 9 13 Context

Esther chapter 9 describes the execution of the royal decree issued by King Ahasuerus (Est 8:11), which allowed Jews to assemble, defend themselves, and destroy those who sought their lives. On the 13th day of Adar, the date originally set for their annihilation, the Jews instead turned the tables on their enemies throughout the Persian Empire. In Susa, the capital, 500 enemies, including Haman's ten sons, were killed (Est 9:6-10). Verse 13 details Esther's additional request after this first day of triumph in Susa. Her request for a second day of action specifically in Susa (which continued the killing of enemies, Est 9:15) and the public hanging of Haman's already-killed sons demonstrates a decisive and visible statement of Jewish dominance and the utter defeat of their enemies. Historically, public display of criminals served as a strong warning and assertion of power, a common practice in the ancient Near East. The hanging of Haman's sons further emphasized the reversal of Haman's fortune and the divine vindication of the Jewish people.

Esther 9 13 Word analysis

• Then Esther: Queen Hadassah (Esther), whose courageous intercession led to the Jews' deliverance, actively asserts her leadership again. She is the agent of this severe decree.
• said to the king: Her petition carries significant weight, demonstrating her established influence and royal authority (Est 8:8, 9:12).
• “If it pleases the king, ('im `al-ham-melech tov - אם על המלך טוב): A formal, respectful deference, typical of addressing Persian monarchs, yet it immediately precedes a strong request, suggesting she is confident it will please him due to their shared interest in stabilizing the kingdom and punishing conspirators.
• let it be granted (yeha`atef - ינתן): To give, grant, or permit. Indicates a formal approval and sanction for her petition.
• to the Jews who are in Susa: Specifies the beneficiaries and location of the request, highlighting a unique and concentrated danger in the capital that required special measures. Susa was the hotbed of the conspiracy (Est 3:15, 8:15).
• to do tomorrow also: (gam machar - גם מחר): The "also" is key. It indicates an extension beyond the single day stipulated in the original decree (Est 8:12, 9:1), revealing the extent of the opposition or the desired depth of their response in the capital city.
• according to this day’s decree,: They continued to operate within the established legal framework provided by the king’s prior edict, which granted them defensive rights (Est 8:11).
• and let Haman’s ten sons: These sons had already been killed earlier in the day (Est 9:10). The number ten might symbolize completeness or be simply their number. They bore guilt for their father's schemes and represented his evil lineage.
• be hanged on the gallows.” (yitlu `al-ha'etz - יתלו על העץ): The Hebrew `al-ha'etz (על העץ) means "upon the tree" or "upon the wood/stake." This phrasing is crucial. In Esther, etz (עץ) specifically refers to the tall gallows Haman prepared for Mordecai and upon which Haman himself was later hanged (Est 5:14, 7:10). While they were already dead (Est 9:10), this was a request for their bodies to be displayed publicly. This act carries several layers of significance:
  • Public Humiliation: A final, crushing indignity upon Haman's legacy, preventing any veneration of his family.
  • Deterrence: A visible, chilling warning to any future anti-Jewish conspirators across the empire, reinforcing the Jewish people's protection and the consequences of opposition.
  • Symbol of Curse: In Deuteronomic law, hanging a body on a tree could be associated with a curse from God (Deut 21:22-23), signaling divine disapproval. By displaying Haman's sons in this way, Esther visually cemented the spiritual judgment against their family.
  • Completeness of Victory: Signaled that Haman's lineage and threat were entirely extinguished (1 Sam 15:33 against Agagites).

Esther 9 13 Bonus section

The significance of Haman's ten sons is tied to the complete destruction of the Amalekite threat, as Haman was an Agagite, a descendant of Amalek's King Agag (Est 3:1). God commanded the obliteration of Amalek (Exo 17:14-16; Deut 25:17-19). This final, public display of Haman's ten sons demonstrates the thoroughness of the judgment executed upon the ultimate foe of the Jewish people, resonating with the Old Testament narratives of Israel's long-standing conflict with Amalek. The hanging of the bodies, while brutal by modern standards, communicated a powerful message of fear to all who might contemplate further persecution of the Jews, securing the Jews' position in the empire through a visible demonstration of their king's favor and their power to defend themselves. This act helped establish the Purim holiday (Est 9:20-22) as a permanent commemoration of divine reversal and the unwavering nature of God's covenant with His people, even when His name is subtly absent from the narrative itself.

Esther 9 13 Commentary

Esther 9:13 is a powerful, albeit severe, verse. It underlines the ruthless reality of ancient Persian judicial practice and the absolute nature of the Jewish victory over Haman's genocidal plot. Esther's request for an extended day of defense in Susa suggests that the threat there was still significant or that the depth of the enemy's intent required a thorough cleansing. The core of her request lies in the public display of Haman's ten dead sons. This was not a re-execution but a dramatic, post-mortem humiliation. Such a display was a standard practice in the ancient Near East for confirming victory, demonstrating power, and instilling fear in potential rebels or enemies (e.g., Josh 8:29, 10:26; Num 25:4). For the Jewish people, it signified the total annihilation of the enemy's lineage and a profound vindication, where the very instrument Haman designed for Mordecai's humiliation became the instrument of his family's ignominy. The hanging on "the tree" serves as a lasting emblem of the complete reversal orchestrated by divine providence, even if God is not directly named in the text. This action confirmed that the Purim decree's provisions were comprehensively fulfilled, bringing peace and security to the Jewish community in Susa and the broader empire.