“And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.”
And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, the Jews had rejoicing and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the peoples of the country became Jews, because fear of the Jews had fallen upon them, demonstrating both the emotional response of the Jews to the counter-edict and the political consequences of this reversal for the gentile populations of the empire. The note that many gentiles became Jews suggests either formal conversion or at least the assumption of Jewish identity and protection, motivated by fear of the Jews' newly authorized power. The verse illustrates how reversals of fortune and power can affect the behavior and allegiances of those observing them.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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