I’ve never been very confident in my ability to rule, so I’ve surrounded myself with advisers I feel I can trust to help me make the best decisions. But this can sometimes result in trouble.
I’m sure you’ve heard of that debacle with Haman. He told me of a people who disobeyed my laws and set themselves apart from the customs of Persia. So, I gave him my signet ring and told him to do whatever seemed right to him. He wrote a decree in my name saying that all Jews should be put to death on a certain day and sealed it with my ring. I was completely oblivious to this. Thankfully, my dear servant Mordecai and my lovely wife Esther were paying more attention than I was, and they brought the issue to my attention.
When I learned of Haman’s plot I was enraged, but even in my distress, I relied on others to tell me what action to take. My servant Harbona suggested that we sentence Haman to death. I agreed. After his execution, Esther pleaded with me to reverse the order put forth by Haman, but any order sealed with my ring cannot be reversed. So, I handed my ring over to Esther and Mordecai to write any decree she wished in order to protect her people.
Perhaps, given that it was this very action of handing my ring over to someone else to write a decree, I should have been more cautious. But I didn’t know what to do and I trusted Esther and Mordecai. Surely, any decree they wrote would be in the best interest of everyone in Persia.
“The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies.” (Esther 8:11)
As news of this edict traveled, the Jewish people of Persia rejoiced at the turn in their fate, and Mordecai became more and more powerful, wielding power over his whole people. When the day came for the destruction of the Jews, they fought back. 500 men were killed in the city of Susa alone on that day. “The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them.” (Esther 9:5) In distress, I asked Esther for advice.
“The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.” (v. 9:12)
Esther surprised me by saying, “If it pleases the king, give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons be impaled on poles.” (v. 9:13)
To be honest, this didn’t really please me. But I’m not confident when it comes to making decisions, and I had promised Esther that I would grant whatever request she made. So, I commanded that an edict be put forth allowing the Jews to continue to fight their enemies.
The following day, another 300 died in Susa.
The day after, all the Jews in Persia celebrated with feasting. Esther and Mordecai wrote another edict naming this an annual holiday. This day of celebration, called Purim, is recognized to this day.
Neglected Word 