“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.”
The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought to do them harm, and no one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen upon all the peoples, demonstrating that the Jews, authorized by the counter-edict and armed with knowledge of the original decree's intent, gather to defend themselves and to take offensive action against those who would implement the original decree. The note that no one could withstand them suggests either that the opposition was weak or that the fear generated by the reversal of fortune prevented organized resistance. The verse shows how the authorization of self-defense combined with the psychological impact of the reversal of fortune creates a situation where the Jews are able to overcome their enemies.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a note on this verse
0/2000
No notes on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!