Esther 9:11

Est 9:11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.

Ver. 11. On that day the number of those that were slain] This was done, haply, by some malignants, that would thereby have incensed the king against the Jews. Or else the king (as became a good shepherd of his people) taketh an account of his slain subjects, by diligent inquiry made thereinto. Similia sunt boni pastoris et boni regis opera Similar are the works of good shepherds and good kings. (Cyr. 5, apud Xenoph.). Whereupon he might have repented him (now in cold blood) of his grant to Esther and the Jews, those foreigners, against his natural subjects, who had done nothing but by his command, &c. But God so ordered it that, all this notwithstanding, the king was well content with that which was done, as supposing that Haman’s sons and complices would be seeking revenge, and plotting mischief, if left alive. He therefore goeth merrily in to the queen, acquainting her with the number of the slain, and giving her leave to ask of him whatever more she desired to be done. This was the Lord’s doing all along.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then said Esther, if it please the king,.... For she was all submission to his will:

let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan; for no further did she desire the grant to be extended:

to do tomorrow also according to this days decree; one Targum makes the request only that they might keep the morrow as a festival, but the other, more rightly, to do according to the decree of this day; which was, to slay as many of their enemies as rose up against them; and whereas many might flee and hide themselves, who were implacable enemies of the Jews, Esther moves for a grant that the decree might be continued for the next day, that these might be found out and slain; in which she sought the glory of divine justice, in their righteous destruction, and the peace of the people of God, and not private revenge, or to indulge malice:

and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows; on which their father was; this was deferred, though they were already slain, for their greater reproach, and for a terror to others not to injure the people of God; and it was usual with the Persians to hang persons on a gallows, or fix them to a cross, after they were dead; as Polycrates was by Oroites (i), and Bagspates by Parysatis (k).

(i) Herodot. Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. 125. (k) Ctesias in Persicis, c. 58.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Possibly with evil design to incense thee king against the Jews.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The number was brought before the king. It was customary in all wars for the number of the slain to be carefully made out and recorded. In the Babylonian transcript of the Behistun Inscription the numbers are given with extreme exactness e.g. 546, 2024, 4203, etc. On this occasion it would seem that only a rough calculation was made. Still the king took care to be informed on the subject, and the Jews, aware of this, were not left absolutely uncontrolled.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

five hundred men

"500 men" (See: Numbers)

ten sons

"10 sons" (See: Numbers)

What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces?

The king uses this question to show that he believes that the Jews must have also killed many people in the other provinces. AT: "What they must have done in the rest of the king's provinces!" or "They must have killed many more in the rest of the king's provinces!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

what is your petition?

The abstract noun "petition" can be expressed with the verb "ask for" or "want." AT: "what do you ask for?" or "what do you want?" (See: Abstract Nouns)

It will be granted you

This can be expressed in active form. AT: "I will give you what you ask for" or "I will do for you what you ask" (See: Active or Passive)

What is your request?

The abstract noun "request" can be expressed with the verb "ask for" or "want." AT: "What do you ask for?" or "What do you want?" (See: Abstract Nouns)

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.