The Meaning of Esther 9:31 Explained

Esther 9:31

KJV: To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.

YLT: to establish these days of Purim, in their seasons, as Mordecai the Jew hath established on them, and Esther the queen, and as they had established on themselves, and on their seed -- matters of the fastings, and of their cry.

Darby: to confirm these days of Purim in their fixed times, according as Mordecai the Jew and queen Esther had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, as to the matters of the fastings and their cry.

ASV: to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had ordained for themselves and for their seed, in the matter of the fastings and their cry.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

To confirm  these days  of Purim  in their times  [appointed], according as Mordecai  the Jew  and Esther  the queen  had enjoined  them, and as they had decreed  for themselves  and for their seed,  the matters  of the fastings  and their cry. 

What does Esther 9:31 Mean?

Context Summary

Esther 9:20-32 - The Feast Of Purim
The Feast of Purim-so called from Esther 3:7 -was held on the 14th and 15th of Adar, our February. The whole of this book was read on the previous evening in the synagogue. Whenever Haman's name was pronounced, the whole congregation made a terrible noise, and every voice shouted imprecations, "Let his name rot!" The reference to tribute in Esther 10:1 shows that this book is a historical document, preserved in the state archives, and probably written by a Jewish chronicler, who may have owed his position to Mordecai himself. The providence of God is clearly discernible in all the incidents recorded here. Through all human governments and events a divine purpose runs; and as God exalted Mordecai to honor and glory, so will He work for those who love Him, and so ultimately will He put all enemies under His feet.
Esther 9:1-32 - Deliverance By The Sword
When the fateful day arrived, the Jews throughout the empire stood on the defense. As it appears from Esther 9:16, seventy-five thousand of their assailants fell in the provinces and five hundred in Susa alone. Among these were the ten sons of Haman. No attempt at plunder was made by the victors. The second day was asked for probably to confirm the settled policy of Ahasuerus, and the exposure of the bodies of Haman's sons was rendered necessary by the virulent hatred entertained towards the Jews. Decisive measures were demanded to show their enemies the risk they would incur by pursuing Haman's policy. Haman was an Amalekite, and in this light we may recall Exodus 17:14; Exodus 17:16; Deuteronomy 25:19. In all this, especially in this terrible act of vengeance, we are reminded repeatedly of the change that Christ's coming made in the world, even among religious people. Contrast Esther and Mary of Bethany! [source]

Chapter Summary: Esther 9

1  The Jews slay their enemies, with the ten sons of Haman
12  Xerxes, at the request of Esther,
14  grants another day of slaughter, and Haman's sons to be hanged
20  The two days of Purim are instituted

What do the individual words in Esther 9:31 mean?

to confirm - days of Purim these at their [appointed] time as had prescribed for them Mordecai the Jew and Esther Queen and as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants concerning matters of their fasting and lamenting
לְקַיֵּ֡ם אֵת־ יְמֵי֩ הַפֻּרִ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה בִּזְמַנֵּיהֶ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ קִיַּ֨ם עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם מָרְדֳּכַ֤י הַיְּהוּדִי֙ וְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֔ה וְכַאֲשֶׁ֛ר קִיְּמ֥וּ עַל־ נַפְשָׁ֖ם וְעַל־ זַרְעָ֑ם דִּבְרֵ֥י הַצֹּמ֖וֹת וְזַעֲקָתָֽם

לְקַיֵּ֡ם  to  confirm 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
אֵת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְמֵי֩  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַפֻּרִ֨ים  of  Purim 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: פּוּר  
Sense: lot.
הָאֵ֜לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
בִּזְמַנֵּיהֶ֗ם  at  their  [appointed]  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: זְמָן  
Sense: a set time, appointed time, time.
קִיַּ֨ם  had  prescribed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם  for  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
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.
מָרְדֳּכַ֤י  Mordecai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָרְדֳּכַי  
Sense: cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim.
הַיְּהוּדִי֙  the  Jew 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: Jew.
וְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר  and  Esther 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶסְתֵּר  
Sense: the queen of Persia, heroine of the book of Esther—daughter of Abihail, cousin and adopted daughter of Mordecai, of the tribe of Benjamin, made queen by king Ahasuerus to replace divorced queen, Vashti.
הַמַּלְכָּ֔ה  Queen 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַלְכָּה  
Sense: queen.
וְכַאֲשֶׁ֛ר  and  as 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
קִיְּמ֥וּ  they  had  decreed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
נַפְשָׁ֖ם  themselves 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
זַרְעָ֑ם  their  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
דִּבְרֵ֥י  concerning  matters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַצֹּמ֖וֹת  of  their  fasting 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: צֹום  
Sense: fast, fasting.
וְזַעֲקָתָֽם  and  lamenting 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: זְעָקָה  
Sense: cry, outcry.

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