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Esther 9:1-3
New Catholic Bible
Esther 9:1-3
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 9
Triumph of the Jews.[a] 1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month of Adar, the edict of the king was to become effective. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had expected to become masters of them. But in a role reversal it was the Jews who became masters of their enemies. 2 The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to attack those seeking their destruction. No one could withstand them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. 3 Moreover, all of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, out of fear of Mordecai.
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- Esther 9:1 This episode of blood, in which facts and numbers are certainly exaggerated, illustrates an idea frequently found in the Bible: sooner or later justice is rendered for the oppressed. It is noteworthy that the author thinks of a limited retaliation and excludes plundering. The evolution of conscience takes from the whole Bible, and especially from the New Testament, a sense of God and a respect for persons that were not yet attained at this epoch.
