Bible Strands
Esther 9:2
In each of the provinces of King Xerxes, the Jews assembled in their cities to attack those who sought to harm them. No man could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen upon all peoples.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the events of the thirteenth of Adar, describing how Jews across the Persian provinces acted on the king’s edict to defend themselves against hostile forces.
The words — נִקְהֲל֨וּ (nik.ha.Lu) means they assembled, and לִ/שְׁלֹ֣חַ (li/sh.Lo.ach) literally means to stretch out [the hand in attack].
The thread — This action fulfills the defense permit in Esther 8:11 and mirrors the widespread impact described in Esther 8:17, while the fate of their attackers parallels the disgrace pronounced in Psalms 71:13.
Why it lands — The text demonstrates that organized self-defense, enabled by royal authority and divine reversal, produces a tangible fear in opposing populations that halts their aggression.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.
Cross-references
- Esther 8:17 In every province and every city, wherever the king’s edict and decree reached, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many of the people of the land themselves became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.
- Esther 8:11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions.
- Psalms 71:13 May the accusers of my soul be ashamed and consumed; may those who seek my harm be covered with scorn and disgrace.
- Psalms 71:24 My tongue will indeed proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm are disgraced and confounded.
- Genesis 35:5 As they set out, a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.
- Exodus 23:27 I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
- Deuteronomy 2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as is the case this day.
- Joshua 2:9 and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you.
- Joshua 11:20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Esther 9:10 They killed these ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.