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 on June 25 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated. It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews. 10The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service. The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. 12The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year. 13A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies on the appointed day.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Wherein the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• grantedנָתַןnâthan · to give: allowH5414
• the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
• in every cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · excitementH5892
• to gather themselves togetherקָהַלqâhal · to gatherH6950
• and to standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• for their lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• to destroyשָׁמַדshâmad · to destroyH8045
• to slayהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• and to cause to perishאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
• all the powerחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and provinceמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• that would assaultצוּרtsûr · to provokeH6696
• little onesטַףţaph · childH2945
• and womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• the spoilשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
• of them for a preyבָּזַזbâzaz · to plunderH962

Cross-references for Esther 8:11

• Esther 9:2The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king’s provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them. But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them.
• Psalms 37:14The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right.
• Psalms 68:3But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy.
• Psalms 137:8O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us.
• Psalms 146:6He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever.
• Ezekiel 39:10They won’t need to cut wood from the fields or forests, for these weapons will give them all the fuel they need. They will plunder those who planned to plunder them, and they will rob those who planned to rob them, says the Sovereign Lord.
• Esther 3:13Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.
• Esther 9:10the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not take any plunder.
• Isaiah 10:6I am sending Assyria against a godless nation, against a people with whom I am angry. Assyria will plunder them, trampling them like dirt beneath its feet.

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