Esther 9 28

Esther 9:28 kjv

And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.

Esther 9:28 nkjv

that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants.

Esther 9:28 niv

These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews?nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.

Esther 9:28 esv

that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.

Esther 9:28 nlt

These days would be remembered and kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the provinces and cities of the empire. This Festival of Purim would never cease to be celebrated among the Jews, nor would the memory of what happened ever die out among their descendants.

Esther 9 verses

Esther 9 28 Meaning

Esther 9:28 dictates that the days of Purim, celebrating the Jewish people's deliverance from Haman's plot, must be perpetually remembered and observed. This remembrance is to extend through every future generation, every family clan, and across all regions and cities where Jews reside. It emphatically declares that the observance of these days and the memory of their deliverance should never cease or be forgotten by their descendants.

Esther 9 28 Context

Esther 9:28 is situated after the Jews, under the leadership of Mordecai and Esther, successfully defended themselves against their enemies throughout the Persian Empire, on the 13th day of the twelfth month (Adar), and then celebrated on the 14th. In some cities, especially Susa, fighting continued for a second day, with celebration on the 15th. This verse forms part of the decree establishing Purim as an annual festival. It emphasizes the perpetual and universal nature of this newly ordained celebration within the Jewish community, ensuring that the memory of God's remarkable deliverance and the reversal of Haman's decree would never fade. It solidifies the historical event into a religious and cultural tradition for future generations in diaspora.

Esther 9 28 Word analysis

• that these days: Refers specifically to the 14th and 15th days of Adar, which were declared days of feasting and joy, exchange of gifts, and giving to the poor.
• should be remembered (זכר - zakhar): More than a mere recollection or mental recall; it implies an active, intentional, and public observance. It's about bringing the past event into the present through actions and ritual, ensuring it remains vital in collective consciousness. This reflects a Hebrew understanding where memory leads to action.
• and kept (שמר - shamar): To guard, preserve, observe, or watch over. This reinforces the active remembrance, demanding diligence in adhering to the practices and statutes associated with Purim, ensuring its traditions are not lost. It's a command for diligent preservation.
• throughout every generation: This phrase emphasizes the enduring nature of the decree. The celebration is not limited to those who directly experienced the deliverance but is mandated for all future generations. This ensures continuity of Jewish identity and communal memory across time.
• every clan: Referring to individual families or extended family groups (mishpachah). This specifies the observance is not just national or civic, but is to be practiced within the intimate family unit, crucial for intergenerational transmission.
• every province, and every city: These geographical terms underscore the universal scope of the observance within the Jewish diaspora, stretching across the entire Achaemenid Empire where Jews resided. No community was to be exempt.
• and that these days of Purim: A reiteration that underscores the specific festival itself, emphasizing its unique name derived from "pur" (the lot Haman cast). This ensures clarity on which days are to be observed.
• should never fall into disuse (יכלו - yiklu): From the root 'kalah', meaning to cease, fail, or be completed. It forcefully conveys that the observance should never stop being practiced; it must remain active and current. This is a strong negation, emphasizing perpetuity.
• among the Jews: This phrase explicitly limits the observance to the Jewish people, indicating a particularistic and internal community celebration of their unique deliverance.
• nor should the memorial (זכרון - zikaron) of them perish (אבד - avad): The term 'zikaron' (memorial) here speaks of the commemorative aspect, the active remembering, which should never be destroyed or lost. The verb 'avad' means to be lost, vanish, or perish. This reiterates with absolute certainty that the core memory and its related actions must endure, never to be erased from the collective mind of the Jewish people or their descendants.
• from their descendants: Reaffirms the generational transmission, emphasizing the responsibility of parents and the community to ensure that their children and subsequent offspring know, understand, and participate in the Purim celebrations. This secures the legacy and the perpetual acknowledgment of God's unseen hand in their salvation.

Esther 9 28 Bonus section

The book of Esther is unique within the biblical canon for its lack of direct mention of God, His covenant, or Jewish religious practices like prayer or dietary laws. Yet, verses like 9:28 strongly imply divine oversight by commanding the perpetual remembrance of a salvific event that clearly reflects God's intervention. The establishment of Purim is one of only two annual feasts (along with Hanukkah) that were not Mosaic in origin but rather decreed by humans in response to a historical event, subsequently receiving implicit divine endorsement through their inclusion in scripture. This verse serves as a powerful testament to the importance of communal memory and ritual in preserving faith and identity, especially within a diaspora context. It highlights how a community, recognizing God's hand in their deliverance, takes proactive steps to enshrine that memory for future generations, thus avoiding spiritual assimilation and forgetfulness.

Esther 9 28 Commentary

Esther 9:28 provides the definitive mandate for the perpetual observance of Purim, cementing a historical deliverance into an enduring spiritual and cultural practice. It emphasizes active remembrance, not passive recollection, demanding the sustained participation of every Jewish individual, family, and community across all generations and regions. This "bottom-up" initiative by the Jews, ratified by Mordecai and Queen Esther, underscores the profound significance they attached to God's hidden providence. The detailed enumeration of "every generation, every clan, every province, and every city" leaves no room for geographical or temporal exemptions, establishing Purim as a vital part of Jewish identity and heritage. The double negative phrases like "never fall into disuse" and "never perish" convey a powerful commitment to safeguard the memory of God's rescue from Haman, ensuring that the deliverance, even without the explicit mention of God's name in the text, remains perpetually honored through this joyful festival.