Esther 9:27

Est 9:27 The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their [appointed] time every year;

Ver. 27. The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed] See Est 9:23. Here we have a repetition of what was before recited, and this is usual in Holy Scripture, as Gen 2:1 Exo 15:19, that things of moment may take the deeper impression. That of Austin is here to be remembered, Verba toties inculcata viva sunt, vera sunt, plana sunt, sana sunt. The words are driven home so many times afresh, are true, are plain, are sound. Let preachers do thus, and hearers be content to have it so. Nunquam satis dicitur, quod nunquam satis discitur. Never spoken enough because never learned enough. "To write to you the same things to me is not grievous, and for you it is safe," saith that great apostle, Php 3:1.

And upon all such as should join themselves unto them] Those proselytes, Est 8:17, or whatever hangs-on.

So as it should not fail] But stand as a law inviolable. And yet that Octogesimus octavus mirabilis annus, the 88th year of the marvelous, and that never-to-be-forgotten fifth of November, are with us almost antiquated; little would one think that God had ever done anything for us, either by land or by sea, against either fireworks or waterworks, Vae corpori nostro. Alas our body.

That they would keep these two days] Keep them as before, by consecrating a rest, and feasting before the Lord; not by gormandizing and profane sports, nor by running up and down from house to house, as whiffiers and wassailers, as at this day the Jews’ manner is; witness Antonius Margarita, a baptized Jew (L. de Cerem. Jud.).

According to their writing] i.e. Mordecai’s order, by themselves subscribed and ratified.

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.

Est 9:27. The Jews took upon them and upon their seed — To the latest generations; and upon all such as joined themselves unto them — That is, the Gentile proselytes, who were obliged to submit to other of the Jewish laws, and therefore to this also; the rather, because they enjoyed the benefit of this day’s deliverance, without which the Jewish nation and religion had been in a great measure, if not wholly, extinct in the world. That they would keep these two days according to their writing — According to that writing which was drawn up by Mordecai with Esther’s consent, (Est 9:23; Est 9:29,) and afterward confirmed by the consent of all the Jews in the several places. So that the observation of this feast was to be both universal and perpetual: even the proselytes were to observe it, in token of their sincere affection to the Jewish nation, and their having interests twisted with theirs. A concurrence in joys and praises is one branch of the communion of saints.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, transgress.

Meaning, the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month of Adar.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

27. upon all such as joined themselves unto them] i.e. proselytes.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority,.... Strongly pressing the observance of this festival; before, Mordecai only recommended it, but now the queen gave a sanction to it, and laid her obligation on the Jews to observe it; perhaps some of the Jews were backward to it, or neglected to observe it, and therefore Esther and Mordecai joined in a letter to them, to press them to it; the Jewish chronologer (x) says, this was written the year following; the former Targum is, they wrote this whole volume, and the strength of the miracle, or set the miraculous deliverance in the strongest light, with this view:

to confirm this second letter of Purim; that it might have its weight and influence upon them, to engage them to keep it, as the latter Targum adds; that when it was an intercalary year, they might not read the Megillah (or book of Esther) in the first Adar, but in the second Adar.

(x) Seder Olam Rabba, c. 29. p. 87.

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

All such as joined themselves unto them, i.e. Gentile proselytes; who were obliged to submit to other of the Jewish laws, and therefore to this also; the rather, because they enjoyed the benefit of this day’s deliverance; without which the Jewish nation and religion had been in a great measure, if not wholly, extinct in the world.

According to their writing, i.e. according to that writing which was drawn up by Mordecai with Esther’s consent, Est 9:23,29, and afterwards confirmed by the consent of all the Jews in the several places.

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

27. According to their writing — That is, according to the writing or letters which Mordecai had addressed to them. In his letter Mordecai had probably suggested some form for observing the days.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

All such as joined themselves to them. i.e. "all who should become proselytes to their faith". (see above, Est_8:17) According to their writing. According to the writing concerning the days which they had received from Mordecai (ver. 20).

Vers. 27, 28.

A memorial feast.

the Jews ordained and took upon them that these days should be remembered.

I The memorial feast was in recognition of a great DELIVERANCE. The deliverance effected by Mordecai and Esther for the Jews, hints at that effected for us by Jesus. There are points of great similarity. The Lord"s Supper is not only a feast of love, but in memory of our great deliverance from sin and death.

II The memorial was ordained READILY. Gratitude led to this. A further object was a desire to stimulate to similar faith in God in further circumstances of trial.

III The memorial was to be PERPETUAL. How faithfully have the Jews of every age kept that which was "ordained." We should keep that which Jesus instituted. Parents may lay upon their children certain moral obligations, but not now ceremonial burdens. That which they enjoin should be first observed by "themselves. H.

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

As joined - Gentile Proselytes; who were obliged to submit to other of the Jewish laws, and therefore to this also; the rather because they enjoyed the benefit of this day's deliverance; without which the Jewish nation and religion had been in a great measure, if not wholly, extinct. According - According to that writing which was drawn up by Mordecai, and afterwards confirmed by the consent of the Jews.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

who join them proselytes who were destined to convert.

according to their script that the Scroll [of Esther] should be written in the Ashuri script.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.