Esther 9 15

Esther 9:15 kjv

For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.

Esther 9:15 nkjv

And the Jews who were in Shushan gathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

Esther 9:15 niv

The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

Esther 9:15 esv

The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they killed 300 men in Susa, but they laid no hands on the plunder.

Esther 9:15 nlt

Then the Jews at Susa gathered together on March 8 and killed 300 more men, and again they took no plunder.

Esther 9 verses

Esther 9 15 Meaning

Esther 9:15 describes the continued self-defense by the Jewish community in the capital city of Susa. On the fourteenth day of the month Adar, having already fought on the thirteenth, the Jews in Susa assembled again and killed three hundred more of their enemies. Crucially, and noted for emphasis, they did not take any plunder or spoils from those they defeated. This highlights that their actions were solely for the preservation of their lives and not for material gain, distinguishing their defensive acts from typical ancient warfare driven by conquest and plunder.

Esther 9 15 Context

Esther chapter 9 details the culmination of the events initiated by Haman's decree to annihilate the Jews. Following Esther's courageous intercession and Mordecai's promotion, King Ahasuerus issued a counter-decree, allowing Jews throughout the empire to defend themselves against those who would attack them on the thirteenth day of Adar. Esther 9:1-12 describes the widespread success of the Jews in defending themselves across the provinces and the execution of Haman's ten sons. However, in the capital city of Susa, Esther requests an additional day for the Jews to continue their self-defense and for Haman's ten sons to be hanged publically (Esth 9:13-14). Verse 15 reports the outcome of this extended allowance specifically for Susa. The actions on this second day (the 14th of Adar in Susa) set the stage for the specific observances of Purim, especially differentiating the celebration dates between walled cities like Susa and unwalled towns. The emphasis on "no spoil" consistently noted in Esther 9 (vv. 10, 15, 16) reinforces the nature of their conflict as solely for self-preservation, not personal gain or conquest.

Esther 9 15 Word analysis

• For the Jews (וְהַיְּהוּדִים - v'hay'hudim): "And the Jews." The use of the definite article highlights their collective identity and organized action. This identifies them not merely as a group, but as the distinct people of God in this narrative, unified in their struggle for survival.
• who were in Susa (בְּשׁוּשַׁן - b'shushan): "in Susa." This specifies the location to the imperial capital, underscoring the severity of the threat in the administrative center of the Persian Empire and the symbolic importance of the victory there. It distinguishes this group's actions from those in the provinces mentioned previously.
• gathered themselves together (וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ - vayyiqqahalu): "And they gathered." Implies an intentional, organized assembly. The verb is often used for a holy congregation or an organized military assembly (e.g., Num 16:3; Judg 20:2). This was not a riot but a deliberate, united defensive action authorized by the king's decree.
• on the fourteenth day (בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם - b'arba'ah 'asar yom): "on the fourteenth day." This marks the second day of fighting, as distinct from the first day mentioned in Esther 9:1. It emphasizes the persistence of the threat in Susa and the unique extension of the decree for the capital, requested by Queen Esther.
• of the month Adar (חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר - ḥodesh Adar): "month Adar." Specifies the twelfth month of the Persian calendar, fixed as the time of these critical events, and thus permanently linked to the celebration of Purim.
• and killed (וַיַּהַרְגוּ - vayyahargu): "And they killed." A direct, forceful verb indicating the lethal nature of the defensive combat.
• three hundred men (שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ - sh'losh me'ot ish): "three hundred men." A precise, numerical detail that conveys the scale of the continued opposition and the extent of the Jews' victory in Susa. In biblical numerology, 300 can sometimes symbolize a selected, effective force achieving a God-ordained victory (e.g., Gideon's army).
• in Susa (בְּשׁוּשָׁן - b'shushan): Repetition of the location "in Susa" provides strong emphasis, underlining that these particular killings occurred specifically in the capital, indicating a significant lingering opposition there.
• but they laid no hands on the spoil (וְהַבִּזָּה לֹא שָׁלְחוּ אֶת־יָדָם - v'habizzah lo shalaḥu et-yadam): "and on the spoil, they did not stretch out their hand." This is a crucial phrase, repeated throughout the chapter (Esth 9:10, 15, 16). The "spoil" (bizzah) refers to plunder, booty, or plunder taken from the defeated enemy. The explicit declaration that they "laid no hands on the spoil" signifies their motive was pure self-defense, not personal enrichment. It implicitly suggests reliance on God's provision and avoids the temptation of material gain, distinguishing them morally from typical conquering forces or past failures of Israel (e.g., King Saul's disobedience).

Esther 9 15 Bonus section

• The Unique "Second Day" in Susa: The allowance for a second day of self-defense (the 14th of Adar) specifically in Susa is unique, as the rest of the empire had fought and rested on the 13th. This suggests a heightened and more entrenched opposition within the imperial capital, possibly due to a stronger concentration of Haman's supporters or deeply rooted anti-Jewish sentiment. Queen Esther's explicit request for this extension highlights her discernment that the threat in Susa was not fully neutralized on the first day. This also leads to the differing observation of Purim between walled and unwalled cities.
• Ethical Stand of "No Spoil": The repeated emphasis on "no spoil" in Esther 9 serves a polemical purpose. In ancient warfare, taking spoil was common practice and often a primary objective. By refusing to take plunder, the Jewish community demonstrated their actions were not for selfish gain, nor did they embody the cruelty or opportunism of their enemies. This marked a distinction between justified self-preservation and rapacious aggression. It underscores a message of acting righteously even in defense, maintaining moral integrity, and ultimately, relying on God rather than earthly wealth gained through conflict.

Esther 9 15 Commentary

Esther 9:15 presents a powerful vignette of righteous self-defense. The actions of the Jews in Susa on the 14th of Adar represent the decisive final blow against their persecutors in the capital, marking the eradication of a specific, persistent threat that necessitated an extra day of combat, uniquely granted at Esther's request. The killing of "three hundred men" in the fortified city indicates the formidable nature of the remaining opposition, underscoring that the battle for survival was indeed fierce and warranted the additional permission from the king.

The consistent detail across Esther 9 (vv. 10, 15, 16) that the Jews "laid no hands on the spoil" is not a casual remark but a significant theological and ethical statement. It vividly portrays that their fight was not driven by greed, personal ambition, or a desire for wealth and power, which were common motivations for warfare and conquest in the ancient world. Instead, their sole objective was the preservation of their lives as authorized by the king's counter-decree. This refusal to plunder demonstrates a remarkable moral discipline and purity of motive. It indirectly asserts that their cause was just, not mercenary, reflecting trust in divine provision and a focus on deliverance rather than material gain. This also implicitly contrasts with human failures of greed or incomplete obedience found elsewhere in the Old Testament, such as King Saul's taking of spoil from the Amalekites. This act of abstention solidifies the narrative as a divine deliverance story, where the Jewish people, acting within the bounds of legal decree, fulfilled their necessary defense without transgressing moral or spiritual principles regarding unjust enrichment.