Daily “Come, Follow Me” Scripture and Quote – Old Testament, Lesson 31, Day 6

The Jews Slay Their Enemies, including Haman’s Ten Sons

(See Esther 9:1–19.)

Dr. Ellis T. Rasmussen wrote:

“Considerable carnage ensued as the Jews and the people who helped them stood against ‘the enemies of the Jews.’ Five hundred were slain in the palace compound, three hundred in the rest of Shushan, and seventy-five thousand throughout the other provinces. The sons of Haman were slain, perhaps to avert their later organizing for vengeance; but the hanging of their bodies the next day (Esth. 9:13) would not have been justified by the Law or the Prophets (Deut. 24:16; Ezek. 18:19-21).

“In contrast to the intent of Haman to ‘take the spoil of them for a prey’ (Esth. 3:13), no plunder was taken by the Jews who ‘stood for their lives’ in Shushan and in the provinces (Esth. 9:15-16).

“‘Sending portions one to another’ was, and remains, one of the customs of the Jews in the season of Purim.”

(A Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament [1993], 390–91.)