Esther 9 25

Esther 9:25 kjv

But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

Esther 9:25 nkjv

but when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

Esther 9:25 niv

But when the plot came to the king's attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles.

Esther 9:25 esv

But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

Esther 9:25 nlt

But when Esther came before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman's evil plot to backfire, and Haman and his sons were impaled on a sharpened pole.

Esther 9 verses

Esther 9 25 Meaning

Esther 9:25 encapsulates the definitive triumph of divine justice over wicked counsel, confirming the complete reversal of Haman's genocidal plot. It vividly describes King Ahasuerus's decisive command, ensuring that the evil intended for the Jews meticulously returns upon Haman and his lineage, executed upon the very gallows he prepared for Mordecai. This verse highlights the profound principle that those who scheme evil will ultimately fall victim to their own machinations.

Esther 9 25 Context

Esther chapter 9 details the immediate aftermath of Haman's failed attempt to annihilate the Jewish people and the triumphant self-defense by the Jews. Prior to this verse, Queen Esther, driven by courage and a desperate love for her people, had exposed Haman's insidious plot and his true character to King Ahasuerus in chapter 7. This revelation, along with Haman's audacious assault on Esther herself in the king's presence, resulted in his immediate execution on the very gallows he intended for Mordecai. Esther 9:25 describes the King's subsequent formal decree, issued by written letters, that ratified the judgment on Haman and extended it to his sons. This decisive command ensured the comprehensive downfall of Haman’s household, eradicating the root of the threat and reinforcing the Jews’ victory, laying the legal foundation for the ensuing celebrations of Purim.

Esther 9 25 Word analysis

• "but when it came before the king": Hebrew: וּבְבֹאָהּ לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ (u'vevo'ah lifnei ha'melech). Lit. "and in its coming before the king." This phrase refers to Queen Esther's crucial intercession and her presentation of the case against Haman and his genocidal plot. It signifies the proper, formal process by which the matter reached the highest authority in the Persian Empire, ensuring its legal consideration and definitive resolution. The petition's successful presentation was key to the turning point.
• "he commanded by letters": Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר בַּסֵּפֶר (va'yomer ba'sefer). Lit. "and he said in the document/book/letter." This highlights the official and legally binding nature of the king's decree. Persian decrees, once written, were exceptionally difficult to revoke (Esth 8:8). The command being put into official letters ensures its broad dissemination and lasting enforceability, leaving no room for future challenge to Haman's fate or the Jews' triumph.
• "that the wicked plan": Hebrew: מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ הָרָעָה (machashavto ha'ra'ah). Refers specifically to Haman's malicious design or evil scheme to utterly destroy all the Jews throughout the kingdom. This phrase emphasizes the deliberate and malevolent intent behind Haman's actions, identifying it as inherently evil in nature.
• "that Haman had devised against the Jews": Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר חָשַׁב עַל הַיְּהוּדִים (asher chashav al ha'Yehudim). Directly specifies the target of Haman's hatred: the Jewish people. This clarifies the precise group Haman sought to eradicate, underlining the focused nature of his genocidal ambition and thereby amplifying the significance of their ultimate deliverance.
• "should return on his own head": Hebrew: תָּשׁוּב עַל רֹאשׁוֹ (tashuv al rosho). A potent idiomatic expression pervasive throughout Scripture. It signifies that the evil or harm one intends for another will boomerang or rebound directly back onto the instigator. This concept is central to biblical justice, emphasizing poetic retribution where the punishment mirrors the crime. It encapsulates the profound irony and divine reversal inherent in this story.
• "and that he and his sons should be hanged": Hebrew: וְתָלוּ אֹתוֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָיו (ve'talu oto ve'et banav). This explicitly states the judgment of execution by hanging for Haman and his entire male line (his ten sons are listed later in Esther 9:10 and 9:13). The method of execution is crucial, as hanging was the fate Haman had prepared for Mordecai. This demonstrates the completeness of Haman’s downfall and the removal of any future threat from his lineage, directly countering his attempt to exterminate a lineage.
• "on the gallows": Hebrew: עַל הָעֵץ (al ha'etz). Lit. "on the tree" or "on the wood." This refers to the colossal structure, fifty cubits high (Esth 5:14), Haman specifically constructed for Mordecai. The mention of "the gallows" explicitly closes the loop on the poetic justice; the very instrument of intended malice becomes the means of the evildoer’s own demise. It highlights the direct reversal of Haman's wicked plan.

• Words-group analysis:
  • "should return on his own head": This phrase serves as a powerful theological statement about divine justice. It illustrates the unchanging principle that those who scheme evil against God's people or righteousness will ultimately bear the full consequence of their own malice. It resonates with a fundamental moral law observed across the Bible, emphasizing God's inherent justice.
  • "he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows": This particular judgment emphasizes the totality of the retribution. In ancient contexts, eradicating the male lineage was a common way to ensure the complete cessation of a threat and to prevent blood feuds or future retribution from the family. In Haman's case, it mirrored his comprehensive plot to eradicate an entire people group, resulting in the eradication of his own house. This collective punishment highlights the severe and sweeping nature of Haman's wickedness and God's corresponding comprehensive justice.

Esther 9 25 Bonus section

This verse firmly establishes the theological basis for the celebration of Purim: a day of deliverance marked by the definitive reversal of evil and the triumph of God's hidden but active providence. It demonstrates that God orchestrates events, even through seemingly secular means and non-believing rulers (like Ahasuerus), to accomplish His divine will and protect His people. The King's "command by letters" provides the public, legal validation of Haman's deserved end, serving as an immutable record of divine judgment. This event serves as a historical reminder that while human maliciousness can pose severe threats, God ultimately holds the power to turn every evil intention back upon the head of the instigator, confirming His sovereign control over all circumstances and ensuring the perseverance of His people against all adversaries.

Esther 9 25 Commentary

Esther 9:25 delivers the narrative's climactic declaration of justice, marking the full manifestation of the book's pervasive theme of divine providence and the reversal of fortunes. Despite the absence of God's explicit name, this verse vividly portrays the outworking of His righteous character: Haman's meticulously engineered plot for genocide not only fails but serves as the direct catalyst for his and his sons' execution on the very instrument of death he devised for Mordecai. This is more than mere human retaliation; it is the powerful biblical principle that evil plans recoil upon the planner, demonstrating the unerring justice of the Lord and the ultimate futility of warring against His chosen people. The king's official decree makes this divine justice legally manifest within the human sphere, establishing a lasting testament to God's protective hand over His covenant community.