Bible Commentaries
Esther 8

Verses 1-17

The deposition and death of Haman issued naturally in the promotion of Mordecai. However, the peril to his people was not yet averted. The royal proclamation had gone forth that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month the Hebrew people should be exterminated. Under the constitution no royal proclamation could be reversed. Something else must be done to save the people. The king permitted Mordecai to write to his people, allowing them to arm and defend themselves.

It is a wonderful picture of the king's own messengers hurrying through the country with letters, urging the people to be ready against what had been intended to be the fateful day of their slaughter. So strange a happening was it that the Jews were filled with gladness and joy, while a new fear of them fell on the native people, and many of the "people of the land became Jews."