And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.
And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done. The king's report to Esther demonstrates his continued favor and his astonishment at the conflict's extent. The phrase "five hundred men in Shushan the palace" (chamesh meot ish b'Shushan habirah, חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה) specifies the number of enemies killed just in the capital's citadel area, not including the broader city (v. 15) or the empire's other provinces (v. 16).
The mention of "the ten sons of Haman" emphasizes the complete destruction of Haman's line—all his male heirs named in verses 7-9 have been executed. This fulfills the principle of corporate judgment seen elsewhere in Scripture while also preventing future vengeance from Haman's family. The king's rhetorical question "what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces?" suggests surprise at the Jewish victory's magnitude, implying substantial conflict throughout the empire.
Most remarkable is the king's renewed offer: "what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee." This echoes his earlier promise (5:3, 6; 7:2), showing sustained favor toward Esther. He offers additional requests despite the extensive action already taken. This sets up Esther's request for an additional day of defense in Shushan (v. 13) and the public display of Haman's sons' bodies. The king's willingness to grant more demonstrates how completely Esther's influence has replaced Haman's.
Historical Context
The casualty numbers reported—500 in the citadel, 300 more the next day in Shushan city (v. 15), and 75,000 in the provinces (v. 16)—indicate significant resistance to the Jewish community despite the counter-decree's advance warning. These numbers suggest substantial elements within the Persian Empire remained committed to Haman's anti-Jewish agenda even after his execution and royal reversal. The conflict represented more than random attacks; it involved organized resistance.
Ancient Near Eastern warfare often involved destroying enemy families to prevent future vengeance. The execution of Haman's ten sons served this purpose while also demonstrating that opposition to the Jews brought complete destruction. The public hanging of their bodies (v. 13-14) sent a powerful warning to others contemplating similar actions. This harsh practice, though troubling to modern readers, reflected standard ancient practice regarding traitors and rebels.
Questions for Reflection
How should believers understand divine judgment that includes families and corporate groups, not just individual perpetrators?
What does the king's continued favor toward Esther teach about how God's grace exceeds what we request or deserve?
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Analysis & Commentary
And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done. The king's report to Esther demonstrates his continued favor and his astonishment at the conflict's extent. The phrase "five hundred men in Shushan the palace" (chamesh meot ish b'Shushan habirah, חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה) specifies the number of enemies killed just in the capital's citadel area, not including the broader city (v. 15) or the empire's other provinces (v. 16).
The mention of "the ten sons of Haman" emphasizes the complete destruction of Haman's line—all his male heirs named in verses 7-9 have been executed. This fulfills the principle of corporate judgment seen elsewhere in Scripture while also preventing future vengeance from Haman's family. The king's rhetorical question "what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces?" suggests surprise at the Jewish victory's magnitude, implying substantial conflict throughout the empire.
Most remarkable is the king's renewed offer: "what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee." This echoes his earlier promise (5:3, 6; 7:2), showing sustained favor toward Esther. He offers additional requests despite the extensive action already taken. This sets up Esther's request for an additional day of defense in Shushan (v. 13) and the public display of Haman's sons' bodies. The king's willingness to grant more demonstrates how completely Esther's influence has replaced Haman's.