Antiguo Testamento

Esther — Capítulo 9

The Jews Avenged of Their Enemies. The Feast of Purim Instituted - Esther 9 On the day appointed by both edicts, the Jews assembled in the towns and provinces of the kingdom to slay all who sought their hurt, and bein…

Versión

Texto — Reina-Valera 1960

1En el mes duodécimo, que es el mes de Adar, a los trece días del mismo mes, cuando debía ser ejecutado el mandamiento del rey y su decreto, el mismo día en que los enemigos de los judíos esperaban enseñorearse de ellos, sucedió lo contrario; porque los judíos se enseñorearon de los que los aborrecían.

2Los judíos se reunieron en sus ciudades, en todas las provincias del rey Asuero, para descargar su mano sobre los que habían procurado su mal, y nadie los pudo resistir, porque el temor de ellos había caído sobre todos los pueblos.

3Y todos los príncipes de las provincias, los sátrapas, capitanes y oficiales del rey, apoyaban a los judíos; porque el temor de Mardoqueo había caído sobre ellos.

4Pues Mardoqueo era grande en la casa del rey, y su fama iba por todas las provincias; Mardoqueo iba engrandeciéndose más y más.

5Y asolaron los judíos a todos sus enemigos a filo de espada, y con mortandad y destrucción, e hicieron con sus enemigos como quisieron.

6En Susa capital del reino mataron y destruyeron los judíos a quinientos hombres.

7Mataron entonces a Parsandata, Dalfón, Aspata,

8Porata, Adalía, Aridata,

9Parmasta, Arisai, Aridai y Vaizata,

10diez hijos de Amán hijo de Hamedata, enemigo de los judíos; pero no tocaron sus bienes.

11El mismo día se le dio cuenta al rey acerca del número de los muertos en Susa, residencia real.

12Y dijo el rey a la reina Ester: En Susa capital del reino los judíos han matado a quinientos hombres, y a diez hijos de Amán. ¿Qué habrán hecho en las otras provincias del rey? ¿Cuál, pues, es tu petición? y te será concedida; ¿o qué más es tu demanda? y será hecha.

13Y respondió Ester: Si place al rey, concédase también mañana a los judíos en Susa, que hagan conforme a la ley de hoy; y que cuelguen en la horca a los diez hijos de Amán.

14Y mandó el rey que se hiciese así. Se dio la orden en Susa, y colgaron a los diez hijos de Amán.

15Y los judíos que estaban en Susa se juntaron también el catorce del mes de Adar, y mataron en Susa a trescientos hombres; pero no tocaron sus bienes.

16En cuanto a los otros judíos que estaban en las provincias del rey, también se juntaron y se pusieron en defensa de su vida, y descansaron de sus enemigos, y mataron de sus contrarios a setenta y cinco mil; pero no tocaron sus bienes.

17Esto fue en el día trece del mes de Adar, y reposaron en el día catorce del mismo, y lo hicieron día de banquete y de alegría.

18Pero los judíos que estaban en Susa se juntaron el día trece y el catorce del mismo mes, y el quince del mismo reposaron y lo hicieron día de banquete y de regocijo.

19Por tanto, los judíos aldeanos que habitan en las villas sin muro hacen a los catorce del mes de Adar el día de alegría y de banquete, un día de regocijo, y para enviar porciones cada uno a su vecino.

20Y escribió Mardoqueo estas cosas, y envió cartas a todos los judíos que estaban en todas las provincias del rey Asuero, cercanos y distantes,

21ordenándoles que celebrasen el día decimocuarto del mes de Adar, y el decimoquinto del mismo, cada año,

22como días en que los judíos tuvieron paz de sus enemigos, y como el mes que de tristeza se les cambió en alegría, y de luto en día bueno; que los hiciesen días de banquete y de gozo, y para enviar porciones cada uno a su vecino, y dádivas a los pobres.

23Y los judíos aceptaron hacer, según habían comenzado, lo que les escribió Mardoqueo.

24Porque Amán hijo de Hamedata agagueo, enemigo de todos los judíos, había ideado contra los judíos un plan para destruirlos, y había echado Pur, que quiere decir suerte, para consumirlos y acabar con ellos.

25Mas cuando Ester vino a la presencia del rey, él ordenó por carta que el perverso designio que aquel trazó contra los judíos recayera sobre su cabeza; y que colgaran a él y a sus hijos en la horca.

26Por esto llamaron a estos días Purim, por el nombre Pur. Y debido a las palabras de esta carta, y por lo que ellos vieron sobre esto, y lo que llevó a su conocimiento,

27los judíos establecieron y tomaron sobre sí, sobre su descendencia y sobre todos los allegados a ellos, que no dejarían de celebrar estos dos días según está escrito tocante a ellos, conforme a su tiempo cada año;

28y que estos días serían recordados y celebrados por todas las generaciones, familias, provincias y ciudades; que estos días de Purim no dejarían de ser guardados por los judíos, y que su descendencia jamás dejaría de recordarlos.

29Y la reina Ester hija de Abihail, y Mardoqueo el judío, suscribieron con plena autoridad esta segunda carta referente a Purim.

30Y fueron enviadas cartas a todos los judíos, a las ciento veintisiete provincias del rey Asuero, con palabras de paz y de verdad,

31para confirmar estos días de Purim en sus tiempos señalados, según les había ordenado Mardoqueo el judío y la reina Ester, y según ellos habían tomado sobre sí y sobre su descendencia, para conmemorar el fin de los ayunos y de su clamor.

32Y el mandamiento de Ester confirmó estas celebraciones acerca de Purim, y esto fue registrado en un libro.

CARL FRIEDRICH KEIL AND FRANZ DELITZSCH OLD TESTAMENT COMMENTARY

Versículo 1

I. The Jews avenged of their enemies. - Est 9:1. In the twelfth month, on the thirteenth day of the …

The Jews avenged of their enemies. - Est 9:1. In the twelfth month, on the thirteenth day of the same - the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities, etc. Several parenthetical clauses succeed this definition of time, so that the statement of what then took place does not follow till נקהלוּ, Est 9:2. These parenthetical clauses state not only the meaning of the day just named, but also give a general notice of the conflict between the Jews and their enemies. The first runs: "when the word of the king drew nigh and his decree to be done," i.e., when the execution of the royal decree approached. The second is: "on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have the mastery of them, and it was changed (i.e., the contrary occurred), that the Jews had the mastery over them that hated them." בּ שׁלט, to rule, to have the mastery over. נהפוך is infin. abs., used instead of the imperf. הוּא is referred by Bertheau to יום: the day was changed from a day of misfortune to a day of prosperity for the Jews, alluding to Est 9:22; but it is not a change of the day which is here spoken of, but a change of the hope of the enemies into its opposite; hence we must regard הוּא as neuter: it was changed, i.e., the contrary occurred. The pronoun המּה serves to emphasize the subject; comp. Ewald, 314, a, who in this and similar cases takes הוּא המּה in the sense of ipse, ipsi. Est 9:2-3 בּעריהם, in their cities, i.e., the cities in which they dwelt in all the dominions of the king. יד לשׁלח, to stretch out the hand (as also in Est 2:21; Est 3:6, for the purpose of killing) against those who sought their hurt, i.e., sought to destroy them. "And no one stood before them (בּפני עמד, like Jos 10:8; Jos 21:42, and elsewhere), because the fear of them fell upon all people (see rem. on Est 8:17). And all the rulers of the provinces, and the satraps and governors (comp. Est 8:9), and those that did the king's business (המּלאכה עשׁי, see rem. on Est 3:9), supported the Jews (נשּׂא like Ezr 1:4), because the fear of Mordochai fell upon them." Est 9:4 "For Mordochai was great in the king's house (was much esteemed by the king), and his fame went through all the provinces (שׁמעו as in Jos 6:27; Jos 9:9; Jer 6:24); for this man Mordochai became continually greater;" comp. Ch2 17:12, where the partic. גּדל stands instead of the inf. abs. גּדול. Est 9:5 Thus supported, the Jews inflicted defeat upon their enemies with the sword, and with slaughter and destruction. הכּה with בּ, to deal a blow upon or against some one, to cause or bring about upon enemies a defeat; comp. e.g., Sa2 23:10; Sa2 24:17; Num 22:6. The notion is strengthened by וגו מכּת־חרב, literally, to strike a stroke of the sword, and of slaughter, and of destruction, in accordance with the decree, Est 8:11. "And did according to their will to those that hated them," i.e., retaliated upon their enemies at their discretion. Est 9:6 In the citadel of Susa they destroyed (in round numbers) 500 men. Est 9:7-10 Also they slew the ten sons of Haman, whose names are given, Est 9:7-9; (Note: The peculiar position of the names of the sons of Haman in editions of the Bible, grounded as it is upon the ancient mode of writing, must originally have been intended merely to give prominence to the names, and facilitate their computation. The later Rabbis, however, have endeavoured to discover therein some deeper meaning. This mode of writing the names has been said to be signum voti, ut a ruina sua nunquam amplius resurgant, or also a sign quod sicut hi decem filii in linea perpendiculari, unus supra alterum, suspensi fuerint. Comp. Buxtorf, Synagoga jud. pp. 157-159 of the Basle edit. 1580. What is indicated by the smaller forms of the letters ת, שׁ, and ז, in the first, seventh, and tenth names, is not known; the larger ו in the tenth may have been meant to give prominence, by the character employed, to this name as the last.) but on the spoil they laid not their hand, though this was allowed to them, Est 8:11, as it had been commanded to their enemies by Haman's edict, Est 3:13, ut ostenderent, se non aliud quam vitae suae incolumitatem quaerere; hanc enim perdere volebant ii qui occidebantur. C. a Lapide.

Versículo 11

II. When on the same day an account was given to the king of the result of the conflict, and the numb…

When on the same day an account was given to the king of the result of the conflict, and the number of those slain in Susa reported, he announced to Queen Esther: the Jews have slain in the citadel of Susa 500 men and the ten sons of Haman; "what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces?" i.e., if they have killed 500 men in Susa, how many may they not have slain in other parts of the kingdom? and then asked her what else she wished or required. With respect to the words, comp. Est 5:6, and Est 7:2.

Versículo 13

III. Esther requested: "let it be granted to the Jews which are in Susa to do to-morrow also according…

Esther requested: "let it be granted to the Jews which are in Susa to do to-morrow also according to the decree of to-day (i.e., exactly as to-day), and let the ten sons of Haman be hanged upon the tree," i.e., their dead bodies nailed on crosses - majoris infamiae causa, according to Hebrew and Persian custom; comp. Deu 21:22 and the explanation of Ezr 6:11. On the motive for this request, see above, p. 194.

Versículo 14

IV. The king commanded it so to be done. "Then was a decree given at Susa, and they hanged the ten so…

The king commanded it so to be done. "Then was a decree given at Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman." The decree given in Susa does not refer to the hanging of the sons of Haman, but to the permission given to the Jews to fight against their enemies on the morrow also. This is required not only by a comparison of Est 8:13, but also by the connection of the present verse; for in consequence of this decree the Jews assembled on the 14th Adar (comp. ויּקּהלוּ, then they assembled themselves, Est 9:15), while the hanging of the sons of Haman, on the contrary, is related in an accessory clause by a simple perfect, תּלוּ.

Versículo 15

V. On this second day the Jews slew 300 more; comp. Est 9:10. - Est 9:16. The rest of the Jews in th…

On this second day the Jews slew 300 more; comp. Est 9:10. - Est 9:16. The rest of the Jews in the provinces, i.e., the Jews in the other parts of the kingdom, assembled themselves and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes 75,000, but upon the spoil they laid not their hand. על עמד like Est 8:11. The מאיביהם ונוח inserted between על נ ועמד and והרוג is striking; we should rather have expected the resting or having rest from their enemies after the death of the latter, as in Est 9:17 and Est 9:18, where this is plainly stated to have taken place on the day after the slaughter. The position of these words is only explained by the consideration, that the narrator desired at once to point out how the matter ended. The narrative continues in the infin. abs. instead of expressing this clause by the infin. constr., and so causing it to be governed by what precedes. Thus - as Ew. 351, c, remarks - all the possible hues of the sentence fade into this grey and formless termination (viz., the use of the infin. absol. instead of the verb. fin.). This inaccuracy of diction does not justify us, however, in assuming that we have here an interpolation or an alteration in the text. The statement of the day is given in Est 9:17, and then the clause following is again added in the inf. absol.: "and they rested on the 14th day of the same (of Adar), and made it a day of feasting and gladness."

Versículo 18

VI. The Jews in Susa, on the other hand, who were both on the 13th and 14th Adar still fighting again…

The Jews in Susa, on the other hand, who were both on the 13th and 14th Adar still fighting against their enemies, and did not rest till the 15th, made this latter their day of rejoicing. - In Est 9:19 it is again stated that the Jews in the country towns and villages made the 14th their day of gladness, and this statement is appended by על־כּן to make this appear the result of what precedes. The Chethiv הפּרוזים is perhaps an Aramaic expression for פּרזים, Deu 3:5 and Sa1 6:18. פּרוזי means the inhabitants of the open, i.e., unfortified, towns and villages of the plains in contrast to the fortified capital; see on Deu 3:5. On פּרזות, compare Eze 38:11; Zac 2:8. וגו מנות משׁלוח, and of mutual sending of gifts, i.e., portions of food; comp. Neh 8:10, Neh 8:12.

Versículo 20

VII. The feast of Purim instituted by letters from Mordochai and Esther. Est 9:20. Mordochai wrote the…

The feast of Purim instituted by letters from Mordochai and Esther. Est 9:20. Mordochai wrote these things, and sent letters to all the Jews, etc. האלּה הדּברים does not mean the contents of the present book but the events of the last days, especially the fact that the Jews, after overcoming their enemies, rested in Susa on the 15th, in the other provinces on the 14th Adar, and kept these days as days of rejoicing. This is obvious from the object of these letters, Est 9:21 : וגו עליהם לקיּם, to appoint among them "that they should keep the 14th day of the month Adar and the 15th day of the same yearly, as the days on which the Jews rested from their enemies, and as the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a glad day, that they should keep them as days of feasting and joy, and of mutual sending of portions one to another, and gifts to the poor." יום עשׂה, to keep, to celebrate a day. The עשׂים להיות, Est 9:21, is after long parentheses taken up again in אותם לעשׂות. קיּם, to establish a matter, to authorize it, comp. Rut 4:7. Both the 14th and 15th Adar were made festivals because the Jews on them had rest from their enemies, and celebrated this rest by feasting, some on the former, some on the latter day.

Versículo 23

VIII. And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordochai had written to them. They had be…

And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordochai had written to them. They had begun, as Est 9:22 tells us, by keeping both days, and Mordochai wrote to them that they should make this an annual custom. This they agreed to do in consequence of Mordochai's letters. The reason of their so doing is given in Est 9:24 and Est 9:25, and the name of this festival is explained, Est 9:26, by a brief recapitulation of the events which gave rise to it. Then follows, Est 9:26 and Est 9:27, another wordy statement of the fact, that it was by reason of this letter, and on account of what they had seen, i.e., experienced, that the annual celebration of this feast was instituted for a perpetual memorial to all Jews at all times (Est 9:28 and Est 9:29).

Versículo 24

IX. For Haman, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them (comp. Est 3:1…

For Haman, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them (comp. Est 3:1, Est 3:6.), and had cast Pur, that is the lot (see on Est 3:7), to consume them and to destroy them. המם, mostly used of the discomfiture with which God destroys the enemies, Exo 14:24; Deu 2:15, and elsewhere.

Versículo 25

X. וּבבאהּ, and when it (the matter), not when she, Esther, came before the king, - for Esther is no…

וּבבאהּ, and when it (the matter), not when she, Esther, came before the king, - for Esther is not named in the context, - he commanded by letters (Est 8:8), i.e., he gave the written order: let the wicked device which he devised against the Jews return upon his own head; and they hanged him and his sons upon the tree.

Versículo 26

XI. Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name Pur. This first על־כּן refers to what prece…

Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name Pur. This first על־כּן refers to what precedes and states the reason, resulting from what has just been mentioned, why this festival received the name of Purim. With the second על־כּן begins a new sentence which reaches to Est 9:28, and explains how it happened that these feast-days became a general observance with all Jews; namely, that because of all the words of this letter (of Mordochai, Est 9:20), and of what they had seen concerning the matter (על־כּכה, concerning so and so), and what had come upon them (therefore for two reasons: (1) because of the written injunction of Mordochai; and (2) because they had themselves experienced this event), the Jews established, and took upon themselves, their descendants, and all who should join themselves unto them (proselytes), so that it should not fail (i.e., inviolably), to keep (to celebrate) these two days according to the writing concerning them and the time appointed thereby year by year.

Versículo 28

XII. And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, ever…

And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and these days of Purim are not to pass away among the Jews, nor their remembrance to cease among their seed. The participles ונעשׂים נזכּרים still depend on להיות, Est 9:27. Not till the last clause does the construction change in להיות לא to the temp. finit. יעבור ולא is a periphrasis of the adverb: imperishably, inviolably. כּכתבם, secundum scriptum eorum, i.e., as Mordochai had written concerning them (Est 9:23). כּזמנּם, as he had appointed their time. מן סוּף, to come to an end from, i.e., to cease among their descendants.

Versículo 29

XIII. A second letter from Queen Esther and Mordochai to appoint fasting and lamentation on the days of…

A second letter from Queen Esther and Mordochai to appoint fasting and lamentation on the days of Purim. Est 9:29. And Esther the queen and Mordochai the Jew wrote with all strength, that is very forcibly, to appoint this second letter concerning Purim, i.e., to give to the contents of this second letter the force of law. הזּאת refers to what follows, in which the contents of the letter are briefly intimated. The letter is called השּׁנית with reference to the first letter sent by Mordochai, Est 9:20. Est 9:30-32 And he (Mordochai) sent letters, i.e., copies of the writing mentioned Est 9:29, to all the Jews in the 127 provinces (which formed) the kingdom of Ahashverosh, words of peace and truth, i.e., letters containing words of peace and truth (Est 9:31), to appoint these days of Purim in their portions of time according as Mordochai the Jew and Esther the queen had appointed, and as they (the Jews) had appointed for themselves and for their descendants, the things (or words = precepts) of the fastings and their lamentations. בּזמנּיהם, in their appointed times; as the suffix relates to the days of Purim, the זמנּים can mean only portions of time in these days. The sense of Est 9:29-31 is as follows: According to the injunctions of Esther and Mordochai, the Jews appointed for themselves and their descendants times also of fasting and lamentation in the days of Purim. To make this appointment binding upon all the Jews in all provinces of the Persian monarchy, Esther and Mordochai published a second letter, which was sent by Mordochai throughout the whole realm of King Ahashverosh. To this is added, Est 9:32, that the decree of Esther appointed these matters of Purim, i.e., the injunction mentioned vv. 29-31, also to fast and weep during these days, and it was written in the book. הסּפר, the book in which this decree was written, cannot mean the writing of Esther mentioned. Est 9:29, but some written document concerning Purim which has not come down to us, though used as an authority by the author of the present book. The times when the fasting and lamentation were to take place in the days of Purim, are not stated in this verse; this could, however, only be on the day which Haman had appointed for the extermination of the Jews, viz., the 13th Adar. This day is kept by the Jews as אסתּר תּענית, Esther's fast. (Note: According to 2 Macc. 15:36, the victory over Nicanor was to be celebrated on the 13th Adar, but, according to a note of Dr. Cassel in Grimm's kurzgef. exeget. Handb. zu den Apokryphen, on 2 Macc. 15:36, the festival of Nicanor is mentioned in Jewish writings, as Megillat Taanit, c. 12, in the Babylonian Talmud, tr. Taanit, f. 18b, in Massechet Sofrim 17, 4, but has been by no means observed for at least the last thousand years. The book Scheiltot of R. Acha (in the 9th century) speaks of the 13th Adar as a fast-day in memory of the fast of Esther, while even at the time of the Talmud the "Fast of Esther" is spoken of as a three days fast, kept, however, after the feast of Purim. From all this it is obvious, that a diversity of opinions prevailed among the Rabbis concerning the time of this fast of Esther.)

Cargando EST 9...

Versículo 1