Jews Took Revenge

When he was an attorney, Abraham Lincoln was once approached by a man who passionately insisted on bringing a suit for $2.50 against an impoverished debtor. Lincoln tried to discourage ... More

Revenge

As this chapter opens, we find two opposing parties ready to leap at each other’s throats. Haman’s decree had stated that on a certain day (13th day of the 12th month) anyone could kill the Jews and take their property (v. 1). This was the very day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to do away with them, but now the Jews came together to attack their enemies, and no one could oppose them (v. 2). The leaders were afraid of Mordecai and took sides with the Jews (v. 3). Everyone knew the king had given him a lot of power (v. 4). The Jews killed 500 people, but they did not take their enemies’ possessions (vv. 5-10).

Later that day, someone told the king how many people had been killed (v. 11). The king told Esther how many had been killed in Susa, including Haman’s sons (v. 12). After a day of fierce fighting Esther asks for a one-day extension to hunt out and destroy any further enemies. She also requests that the ten sons of Haman, who were already dead, be publicly hanged on the gallows (v. 13). Her requests were granted (v. 14). Gentle Esther, who wept and pled for her people, now wanted bitter humiliation for their enemies (v. 15). When it was all over the Jews killed 75 thousand enemies (vv. 16-17). The fact the Jews killed so many aggressors indicates that the threat of hostility against them had been increasing since the edict against them had be issued. It could be argued that Esther new of enemies who would kill the Jews if she did not have them killed first, but it would appear that her real motivation was revenge.

Application

The book of Esther does not describe how people should act but how they do act. We can see how the heart of man is desperately wicked. I would hope that I would not give in to vindictiveness. Instead, I want to love my enemies and pray for those who despitefully use me.

Esther 9:1-17 (English Standard Version)


Warning: MagpieRSS: Failed to parse RSS file. (Space required at line 39, column 24) in /var/www/html/familytimes/includes/magpie6-1/rss_fetch.inc on line 230

Warning: array_slice() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /var/www/html/familytimes/includes/rss/esvLookup.php on line 15

View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »