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 called at that time—on the 23rd day of the third month, the month of Sivan. It was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to all the Jews, as well as to the officials, governors and advisors of all the 127 provinces that stretch from India to Ethiopia. To each province it was written in its own script and in its own language, and also to the Jews in their own writing and language. 10This decree was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed with the king’s ring, and sent on horseback by couriers who rode on the king’s horses specially bred for their speed. The king granted the right for Jews in every city to assemble themselves and to protect themselves—to destroy, kill and annihilate any army of any people or province that might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder their possessions. 12The day appointed for this in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar. 13A copy of the written edict was distributed to every province and made known to the peoples of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that 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

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 9:2Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus in order to lay hands on those seeking their harm. No one was able to stand against them, for fear of them had fallen on all the peoples.
• Psalms 37:14The wicked have unsheathed their sword and have bent their bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose conduct is upright.
• Psalms 68:3As smoke is blown away, may You blow them away. As wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.
• Psalms 137:8O daughter of Babylon, the devastated one, happy is the one who repays you as you have paid us.
• Psalms 146:6who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps truth forever,
• Ezekiel 39:10They will not take wood out of the field or cut anything from the forests, for they will make fire from the weapons. They will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
• Esther 3:13Dispatches were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, stating to destroy, slay, and annihilate all the Jews—from the youth to the elderly, both little children and women—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.
• Esther 9:10the 10 sons of Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. They slew them but did not lay their hands on the plunder.
• Isaiah 10:6I am sending it against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My fury I am commissioning it, to take spoil and plunder, 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