Esther 8:11

Esther 8:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
• New International Version (NIV)The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies.
• English Standard Version (ESV)saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods,
• New King James Version (NKJV)By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives—to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions,

Context of Esther 8:11

9So the king’s scribes were summoned at that time in the third month (that is, the month Sivan), on the twenty-third day; and it was written in accordance with everything that Mordecai commanded the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the officials of the provinces which extended from India to Cush, 127 provinces, to every province according to its script, and to every people according to their language, as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language. 10He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horses, riding on royal relay horses, offspring of racing mares. In the letters the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right to assemble and to defend their lives, to destroy, kill, and eliminate the entire army of any people or province which was going to attack them, including children and women, and to plunder their spoils, 12on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar). 13A copy of the edict to be issued as law in each and every province was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

Esther 8:11 word by word

אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לַיְּהוּדִ֣ים׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּכָל־עִיר־וָעִ֗יר לְהִקָּהֵל֮ וְלַעֲמֹ֣ד עַל־נַפְשָׁם֒ לְהַשְׁמִיד֩ וְלַהֲרֹ֨ג וּלְאַבֵּ֜ד אֶת־כָּל־חֵ֨יל עַ֧ם וּמְדִינָ֛ה הַצָּרִ֥ים אֹתָ֖ם טַ֣ף וְנָשִׁ֑ים וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם לָבֽוֹז׃Read the interlinear

• In the letters the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• grantedנָתַןnâthan · to give: allowH5414
• the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• were in eachעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• and everyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• to assembleקָהַלqâhal · to gatherH6950
• and to defendעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• their livesנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• to destroyשָׁמַדshâmad · to destroyH8045
• killהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• and eliminateאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
• armyחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• or provinceמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• which was going to attackצוּרtsûr · to provokeH6696
• childrenטַףţaph · childH2945
• and womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• to plunderבָּזַזbâzaz · to plunderH962
• their spoilsשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998

Cross-references for Esther 8:11

• Esther 9:2The Jews assembled in their cities throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus to attack those who sought to harm them; and no one could stand against them, because the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples.
• Psalms 37:14The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To take down the afflicted and the needy, To kill off those who are upright in conduct.
• Psalms 68:3But the righteous will be joyful; they will rejoice before God; Yes, they will rejoice with gladness.
• Psalms 137:8Daughter of Babylon, you devastated one, Blessed will be one who repays you With the retribution with which you have repaid us.
• Psalms 146:6Who made heaven and earth, The sea and everything that is in them; Who keeps faith forever;
• Ezekiel 39:10They will not take wood from the field or gather firewood from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will take the spoils of those who plundered them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them,” declares the Lord God.
• Esther 3:13Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to annihilate, kill, and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder.
• Esther 9:10the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
• Isaiah 10:6I send it against a godless nation And commission it against the people of My fury To capture spoils and to seize plunder, And to trample them down like mud in the streets.

Commentaries on Esther 8:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11To destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish - The same words as in Haman's decree: therefore the Jews had as much authority to slay their enemies, as their enemies had to slay them. Little ones and women - This was the ordinary custom, to destroy the whole family of those convicted of great crimes; and whether this was right or wrong, it was the custom of the people, and according to the laws. Besides, as this edict was to give the Jews the same power…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11This fresh decree allowed the Jews to stand on their defense, and to kill all who attacked them. It has been pronounced incredible that any king would thus have sanctioned civil war in all the great cities of his empire; but some even of the more skeptical critics allow that “Xerxes” might not improbably have done so.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-14Verses 3-14 It was time to be earnest, when the church of God was at stake. Esther, though safe herself, fell down and begged for the deliverance of her people. We read of no tears when she begged for her own life, but although she was sure of that, she wept for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most Christ-like. According to the constitution of the Persian government, no law or decree could be repealed or recalled. This is so far from…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11The king's decree allowed the Jewish people to defend themselves and take the property of their attackers. This reversed the earlier decree in Esther 3:13. The phrase destroy, kill, and annihilate ironically repeats the words from Haman's original order (Esther 3:13; see also 9:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1311-13. the king granted the Jews ... to stand for their life ... to slay ... all ... that would assault them--The fixed and unalterable character claimed for Persian edicts often placed the king in a very awkward dilemma; for, however bitterly he might regret things done in a moment of haste and thoughtlessness, it was beyond even his power to prevent the consequences. This was the reason on account of which the king was laid under a necessity not to…Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 8:11

• Proclamation

In the dictionaries

• Assault
• Esther, Book of
• Captivities of the Jews

Commentaries on Esther 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings