Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
The Jews of the empire attack their enemies on the 13th and 14th of the month of Adar. Mordecai and Esther then institute the holiday of Purim for the 14th and 15th of Adar, the days when the Jewish people first experienced relief.
II. Photo
The origins of the name “Purim” is described in vv. 24, 26: “For Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the foe of all the Jews, had plotted to destroy the Jews, and had cast pur — that is, the lot — with intent to crush and exterminate them… For that reason these days were named Purim, after pur…”
III. Important Verses
v. 6: In the fortress Shushan the Jews killed a total of five hundred men.
vv. 16-19: The rest of the Jews, those in the king’s provinces, likewise mustered and fought for their lives. They disposed of their enemies, killing seventy-five thousand of their foes; but they did not lay hands on the spoil. That was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar; and they rested on the fourteenth day and made it a day of feasting and merrymaking. (But the Jews in Shushan mustered on both the thirteenth and fourteenth days, and so rested on the fifteenth, and made it a day of feasting and merrymaking.) That is why village Jews, who live in unwalled towns, observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and make it a day of merrymaking and feasting, and as a holiday and an occasion for sending gifts to one another.
vv. 24, 26: For Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the foe of all the Jews, had plotted to destroy the Jews, and had cast pur — that is, the lot — with intent to crush and exterminate them… For that reason these days were named Purim, after pur…
v. 28: Consequently, these days are recalled and observed in every generation: by every family, every province, and every city. And these days of Purim shall never cease among the Jews, and the memory of them shall never perish among their descendants.
IV. Outline
1-10. The Jews of Shushan kill their enemies on the 13th of Adar
11-15. The Jews of Shushan repeat the carnage on the 14th of Adar
16. The Jews in the provinces kill seventy-five thousand of their foes
17-19. A note about Purim’s observance
20-23. Mordecai institutes the Purim holiday
24-26a. The name “Purim”
26b-28. The Jews accept the holiday for all generations
29-32. Esther corroborates Mordecai’s decree
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Murphy, Wisdom Literature (Forms of Old Testament Literature)
Photo taken from http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/sharemed/targets/images/pho/t312/T312327A.jpg
