Esther 9 5

Esther 9:5 kjv

Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.

Esther 9:5 nkjv

Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased with those who hated them.

Esther 9:5 niv

The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them.

Esther 9:5 esv

The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them.

Esther 9:5 nlt

So the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. They killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them.

Esther 9 verses

Esther 9 5 Meaning

Esther 9:5 describes the decisive victory of the Jews over their enemies across the Persian Empire. Empowered by the king's decree to defend themselves, the Jewish people responded with strength against those who had sought their destruction. The verse emphasizes the comprehensiveness of their victory, stating they "struck," "killed," and "destroyed" their adversaries, thus carrying out their defensive actions according to their legal right and empowered will against their persecutors.

Esther 9 5 Context

Esther 9:5 sits at the climax of the book of Esther, following the dramatic reversal of Haman’s wicked decree to annihilate the Jews throughout the Persian Empire. King Ahasuerus, influenced by Esther and Mordecai, issued a counter-decree, allowing the Jews to defend themselves and take vengeance on anyone who attacked them on the 13th day of Adar. This verse specifically describes the action taken on that designated day. The Jews, who were previously facing certain death, were now empowered to confront their enemies. This was not an unprovoked assault, but a divinely permitted and governmentally sanctioned act of self-defense and retaliatory justice against those who had organized to kill them (Esth 9:2). It concludes the direct confrontation of the long-standing animosity towards God’s people.

Esther 9 5 Word analysis

• Thus (וַיַּכּוּ): Often rendered as "so" or "and." In this context, it connects directly to the preceding verses (Esth 9:1-4) which describe the turning of the tables and the authorization granted to the Jews. It introduces the decisive action.
• the Jews (הַיְּהוּדִים - hay'yehudiym): Refers specifically to the Jewish people dispersed throughout the 127 provinces of the Persian Empire. This emphasizes their identity as a distinct ethnic and religious group, the target of the original genocidal plot.
• struck (וַיַּכּוּ - vayyakku): From the Hebrew root נָכָה (nakah), meaning "to strike," "smite," "beat," or "wound." It denotes a forceful and decisive blow, often used in a military or judicial context. This word implies an active and effective engagement with their enemies, not just passive defense.
• all their enemies (כָּל-אֹיְבֵיהֶם - kol oyveihem): "All" indicates the comprehensive nature of the counter-attack, targeting every single adversary who rose against them. "Enemies" refers to those who harbored hatred and actively sought their destruction, as empowered by Haman’s initial decree.
• with the sword (לְפִי-חֶרֶב - lefi-cherev): Literally, "by the mouth of the sword." This is a Hebrew idiom for a military defeat or execution by blade. It signifies direct, physical combat and the instrument of lethal force. This emphasizes the serious nature of the conflict and the complete subjugation of their opponents.
• killing (הֶרֶג - hereg): From the root הָרַג (harag), meaning "to kill" or "slay." It speaks to the widespread death inflicted upon their attackers.
• and destroying them (וְאַבְדָן - ve'avdan): From the root אָבַד (avad), meaning "to perish," "destroy," or "annihilate." This indicates a complete and utter routing and obliteration of the hostile forces, ensuring they posed no further threat. It highlights the thoroughness of the judgment.
• and did (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ - vayya'asu): "And they did," signaling their active execution of what was permitted.
• what they pleased (כִּרְצוֹנָם - kir'tzonam): Literally, "according to their will" or "as their desire." This phrase underscores the full authority and liberty granted to the Jews by the royal decree (Esth 8:11) to defend themselves vigorously. It highlights their agency and control over the situation, reversing their prior powerlessness. It is not necessarily arbitrary malice, but the righteous execution of justice permitted within the legal framework.
• to those who hated them (בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶם - be'soneihem): Specifies the recipients of their action – those who were actively hostile and demonstrated profound animosity towards them. This reiterates that the actions were specifically targeted at their persecutors, not indiscriminate violence.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Thus the Jews struck all their enemies with the sword": This phrase immediately establishes the turn of events. The Jews, once intended victims, become active agents of their own defense, employing the means of war permitted to them by the state. It signals decisive, overwhelming action against a multitude of foes.
• "killing and destroying them": This emphasizes the total nature of the victory. The terms convey a comprehensive annihilation of the threat. This was not merely repelling an attack but neutralizing the enemy completely, reflecting the severity of the threat they faced and the finality of their response.
• "and did what they pleased to those who hated them": This phrase highlights the complete reversal of power. The Jewish people, once at the mercy of their enemies' malicious will, now exercise their own empowered will over their adversaries. This signifies their divinely-enabled authority to execute justice on those who sought their lives, within the bounds of the king's decree, representing their full freedom from oppression on that day. It shows a divine enabling that ensured not just survival but overwhelming victory.

Esther 9 5 Bonus section

• The detail of "not laying hands on the plunder" (mentioned in Esth 9:10, 15, 16) is significant. It demonstrates that the Jews' actions were motivated by self-preservation and righteous judgment against their oppressors, rather than greed or a desire for spoil. This distinction sets their defensive action apart from typical conquests and highlights the moral integrity of their response.
• This act of self-defense, sanctioned by the king and implicitly by God's providence, can be seen as a fulfillment of principles found throughout the Torah regarding the protection of God's people and the just retribution for those who seek to harm them. The specific focus on "those who hated them" aligns with the covenant curses and blessings found in Deuteronomy, where God promises to make Israel’s enemies stumble before them.
• The overwhelming numerical superiority suggested by the slaughter implies the immense danger the Jews truly faced throughout the empire. The very large number of "enemies" indicates the vast reach and determined nature of the plot against them, making the completeness of their victory all the more profound and miraculous.

Esther 9 5 Commentary

Esther 9:5 captures the dramatic reversal of fortune for the Jewish people, moving from decreed annihilation to divinely sanctioned triumph. Though God is never explicitly mentioned in the book of Esther, His providence is unmistakably evident in this verse. The Jews' actions are portrayed not as random violence but as a directed, comprehensive execution of justice against those who sought their demise. The phrase "did what they pleased" reflects their authorized liberty and the extent of their empowered self-defense, highlighting the full turnaround from a position of powerlessness to one of complete control over their enemies. This outcome serves as a powerful testament to God's faithfulness to His covenant people, protecting them even when unseen, and ensuring that plots against the righteous ultimately recoil upon the plotters. It is a victory earned through righteous self-defense against existential threats.