We are now at chapter nine. The year went by and it is now the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. The Jews assembled in all the cities waiting to attack those who would try to destroy them. Many of the non Jews were afraid of them. The nobles and officials decide to side with the Jews because Mordecai had become very powerful and influential. The Jews used swords to kill their enemies, destroying five hundred men in the citadel of Susa alone. They also killed Haman's ten sons, but they did not lay hands on the plunder. This is again a reference to the time Saul was to completely destroy the Agagites and not take plunder. Saul broke the rules. Mordecai, his supposed descendent didn't. It was redemption.
The king heard about the destruction in Susa and the death of Haman's sons. He asked Esther if there was anything else she wanted. Esther requested that the Jews in Susa be allowed to continue protecting themselves the next day as well. She also wanted Haman's sons to be hung on gallows. The king agreed. The next day, the fourteenth of Adar, three hundred more men were killed by the Jews in Susa. But the plunder was not taken.
On the fifteenth of Adar, the Jews rested "and made it a day of feasting and joy." The author says this is why rural Jews celebrate this event on the fourteenth of Adar and the Jews of Susa presumably celebrate on the fifteenth. It became day of joy and feasting and for giving presents to each other. Mordecai sent letters throughout the empire giving instructions about how in the future they were to celebrate those days that the Jews were saved from their enemies. The Jews agreed that they and their descendents would uphold this celebration the same two days every year. It was called Purim, because Haman had cast lots to find out what day would be good for the Jews destruction. A lot was called the "pur." That is where the word Purim is supposed to have come from.
We are now at chapter ten. King Xerxes required tribute from his entire empire, "to its distant shores," which would have included Jerusalem, Israel, and Palestine. Every thing he did, and the full account of Mordecai's greatness, are supposed to have been written in the annals of the kings of Media and Persia. Too bad we don't have those records. We do have Herodotus' account of Xerxes' exploits and they do not contain any information about Mordecai or Esther. Nothing outside the bible does. Mordecai the Jew was supposedly second in command to Xerxes and held in high esteem by all the Jews. That's a pretty big deal, if it is true. However, that suspiciously similar to Joseph's relationship to Pharaoh in the book of Genesis. Plus, Neither Mordecai or Esther are mentioned anywhere else in the bible.
This book was written by an unknown author. It does not mention any other Old Testament characters, places, or events. It does not mention Yahweh, or any of his commandments. It does not mention any uniquely Jewish religious or cultural practises or beliefs. It does not claim to be the inspired word of a god. It seems to merely serve as an explanation for the celebration of Purim. It is my considered opinion that the celebration had some other less exalted explanation and this story was derived to give the holiday legitimacy. I could be wrong about that. However, the holiday seems to be used as a good reason to have a party with a lot of alcohol.
Herodotus tells us that Xerxes wife Amestris (Vashti?), when she was old, "made return for her her own life to the god who is said to be beneath the earth by burying twice seven children of Persians who were men of renown." In other words, she tried to get immortality by sacrificing fourteen children. Nice lady. Xerxes was assassinated about 465 BCE, after reigning about 21 years.
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