They established a time to celebrate God’s deliverance through rest, feasting, and collective joy.
Then in Esther 9:17, Scripture declares: “This was done on the thirteenth day of the same month, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.” (v.17). This verse follows a momentous victory in which the Jewish people defended themselves from their enemies, as originally decreed by the Persian King Ahasuerus (Xerxes). Because Haman’s wicked plot against the Jews had been thwarted—through Queen Esther’s courage and Mordecai’s leadership—the people were now free from the threat of annihilation and could turn their attention to rest and celebration. They “rested” from the stress and danger of conflict, dedicating a day to thankfulness and peace. In the Jewish lunar calendar, the month Adar (late winter/early spring) came to be associated with this respite and festive rejoicing. When the verse says they “made it a day of feasting and rejoicing,” it points to the faithful response of worshipful gratitude toward God, who preserved them through a perilous time. This deliverance contributed to the roots of the Jewish festival of Purim, where these events are commemorated each year.
The throng of enemies who had hoped to destroy the Jews had been dismantled, leading up to the calm of celebration described in this verse. The feast and rejoicing also show the communal sense of relief that pervaded the Jewish people, who had likely braced themselves for more bloodshed. Yet, in the providence of God, they were delivered. The very edict that threatened them instead paved the way for a royal sanction that empowered them to defend themselves (Esther 8:11). Thus, on the day after their successful defense, they gathered to praise the Lord, share meals, give charitable gifts to one another, and remember how He had turned their sorrow into gladness. The act of resting underscores not only physical relief from battle but a deep spiritual respite—an assurance that the God of Israel was vigilantly guarding His covenant people (Genesis 12:2-3).
In the broader biblical story, this rescue contributed to preserving the nation through which the Messiah would eventually come (Galatians 4:4). Just as God allowed His people to rest and rejoice after their deliverance from Haman, so He consistently delivers His children throughout Scripture, culminating in Christ’s deliverance from sin and death (Colossians 1:13). In this way, the “day of feasting” seen in Esther 9:17 foreshadows the salvation and joy God holds out to all who trust Him.
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Esther 9:17 meaning
Then in Esther 9:17, Scripture declares: “This was done on the thirteenth day of the same month, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.” (v.17). This verse follows a momentous victory in which the Jewish people defended themselves from their enemies, as originally decreed by the Persian King Ahasuerus (Xerxes). Because Haman’s wicked plot against the Jews had been thwarted—through Queen Esther’s courage and Mordecai’s leadership—the people were now free from the threat of annihilation and could turn their attention to rest and celebration. They “rested” from the stress and danger of conflict, dedicating a day to thankfulness and peace. In the Jewish lunar calendar, the month Adar (late winter/early spring) came to be associated with this respite and festive rejoicing. When the verse says they “made it a day of feasting and rejoicing,” it points to the faithful response of worshipful gratitude toward God, who preserved them through a perilous time. This deliverance contributed to the roots of the Jewish festival of Purim, where these events are commemorated each year.
The throng of enemies who had hoped to destroy the Jews had been dismantled, leading up to the calm of celebration described in this verse. The feast and rejoicing also show the communal sense of relief that pervaded the Jewish people, who had likely braced themselves for more bloodshed. Yet, in the providence of God, they were delivered. The very edict that threatened them instead paved the way for a royal sanction that empowered them to defend themselves (Esther 8:11). Thus, on the day after their successful defense, they gathered to praise the Lord, share meals, give charitable gifts to one another, and remember how He had turned their sorrow into gladness. The act of resting underscores not only physical relief from battle but a deep spiritual respite—an assurance that the God of Israel was vigilantly guarding His covenant people (Genesis 12:2-3).
In the broader biblical story, this rescue contributed to preserving the nation through which the Messiah would eventually come (Galatians 4:4). Just as God allowed His people to rest and rejoice after their deliverance from Haman, so He consistently delivers His children throughout Scripture, culminating in Christ’s deliverance from sin and death (Colossians 1:13). In this way, the “day of feasting” seen in Esther 9:17 foreshadows the salvation and joy God holds out to all who trust Him.