The Meaning of Esther 8:11 Explained

Esther 8:11

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,

YLT: that the king hath given to the Jews who are in every city and city, to be assembled, and to stand for their life, to cut off, to slay, and to destroy the whole force of the people and province who are distressing them, infants and women, and their spoil to seize.

Darby: stating that the king granted the Jews that 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 might assault them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

ASV: wherein the king granted the Jews that 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, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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, 

What does Esther 8:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Esther 8:1-17 - Courage Rewarded
The ring symbolized royal power and authority; by this sign Mordecai was suddenly raised to the position formerly held by Haman. He also managed for Esther the large estate which had come into her possession. Because of the fixity of the customs and laws of the Medes, it was impossible to reverse the royal proclamation, which had decreed that the Hebrew people should be exterminated. So the king granted Mordecai permission to send letters to his people, allowing them to arm and defend themselves. The speed with which the circulation of the royal decree was carried out is a rebuke to the Church of God which has been entrusted with the gospel of salvation. More than eighteen hundred years have passed, and still immense multitudes have never heard the name of Christ or the love of God. Let us at least strain every nerve to pass on the joyful news, overtaking the tidings of death. [source]

Chapter Summary: Esther 8

1  Mordecai is advanced
3  Esther makes suit to reverse Haman's letters
7  Xerxes grants to the Jews to defend themselves
15  Mordecai's honor, and the Jews' joy

What do the individual words in Esther 8:11 mean?

by these letters permitted the king the Jews who [were] in every city and city to gather together and protect upon their lives to destroy and 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
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

אֲשֶׁר֩  by  these  letters 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נָתַ֨ן  permitted 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
לַיְּהוּדִ֣ים ׀  the  Jews 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: Jew.
בְּכָל־  [were]  in  every 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עִיר־  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
וָעִ֗יר  and  city 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
לְהִקָּהֵל֮  to  gather  together 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָהַל  
Sense: to assemble, gather.
וְלַעֲמֹ֣ד  and  protect 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
נַפְשָׁם֒  their  lives 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לְהַשְׁמִיד֩  to  destroy 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַד  
Sense: to destroy, exterminate, be destroyed, be exterminated.
וְלַהֲרֹ֨ג  and  kill 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
וּלְאַבֵּ֜ד  and  annihilate 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֵ֨יל  the  forces 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֵיל  
Sense: rampart, fortress, wall.
עַ֧ם  of  any  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וּמְדִינָ֛ה  or  province 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְדִינָה  
Sense: province, district.
הַצָּרִ֥ים  that  would  assault 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: צוּר 
Sense: to bind, besiege, confine, cramp.
טַ֣ף  [both]  little  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טַף 
Sense: children, little children, little ones.
וְנָשִׁ֑ים  and  women 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם  and  to  plunder 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלָל  
Sense: prey, plunder, spoil, booty.
לָבֽוֹז  their  possessions 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּזַז  
Sense: to spoil, plunder, prey upon, seize.