Esther 9:6 — Word Study
WLCוּבְשׁוּשַׁ֣ן הַבִּירָ֗ה הָרְג֤וּ הַיְּהוּדִים֙ וְאַבֵּ֔ד חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אִֽישׁ׃
BSAIn the citadelbîyrâh [fortress, palace] of SusaShûwshan [Shushan, the royal city] the JewsYᵉhûwdîy [of Judah, the chosen people] killedhârag■ [slew, put to death] and destroyedʼâbad [perished, lost] fivechâmêsh [a specific quantity] hundredmêʼâh [a multitude] menʼîysh [male individuals]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּבְשׁוּשַׁ֣ן | and in Susa | Conjunction, preposition, noun proper |
| הַבִּירָ֗ה | the citadel | Particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| הָרְג֤וּ | they killed | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| הַיְּהוּדִים֙ | the Jews | Particle, noun gentilic masculine plural absolute |
| וְאַבֵּ֔ד | and they destroyed | Conjunction, verb piel infinitive construct common |
| חֲמֵ֥שׁ | five | Adj |
| מֵא֖וֹת | hundred | Adj |
| אִֽישׁ׃ | man | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, |
| KJV | And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. |
| ASV | And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. |
| YLT | and in Shushan the palace have the Jews slain and destroyed five hundred men; |
| WEB | In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. |
| BBE | And in Shushan the Jews put to death five hundred men. |
Where they part company is in the translation of חֲמֵ֥שׁ — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is clear and direct, with a straightforward structure that highlights the actions taken by the Jews.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָרַג
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Esther 9:6
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Events in Susagenerated
Esther 9:6 describes a decisive moment in the conflict between the Jews and their enemies in Susa. This verse highlights the extent of the violence that occurred, emphasizing the Jews' strength and the severity of their actions against those who sought to harm them. The events in this chapter reflect the broader narrative of survival and vindication for the Jewish people during their time in Persia.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Esther 3:15 | The couriers left, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שׁוּשַׁן, u.ve.shu.Shangenerated
The name שׁוּשַׁן (Shuwshan) refers to Susa, a prominent city in Persia known for its royal significance. The root of the word implies 'lily,' connecting the place to beauty and perhaps prosperity. The parsing indicates that it is a proper noun, specifically a location, which is crucial in understanding the historical context of the events.
Susa served as a winter residence for Persian kings, making it a site of political and social importance. The consistent identification of Susa across lexicons underscores its role as a key geographical location in the biblical narrative.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb הָרְג֤וּ (they killed) governs the action of the sentence, with a prepositional phrase indicating the location and a series of noun phrases detailing the subject and objects involved. The structure emphasizes the decisive action taken by the Jews in a specific context.
The order of the words places emphasis on the actions of the Jews, with the location שׁוּשַׁן first, setting the scene for the events that follow.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שׁוּשַׁן as σούσοις, indicating a direct correspondence with the Hebrew name for Susa. This choice reflects the translators' intention to maintain the geographical significance of the city.
The Greek word for 'killed' is ἀπέκτειναν, which carries a similar weight as the Hebrew, suggesting a deliberate act of violence. This underscores the severity of the actions taken by the Jews.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Esther 9:6 tells us that in the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. This verse highlights the strength of the Jewish people in defending themselves against their enemies during a critical moment in their history.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The Jews were defending themselves against those who sought to harm them, as described in the broader context of Esther's narrative.
Susa was a major city in Persia and served as a royal residence, making the events that took place there particularly notable.
The verse specifically states that the Jews killed five hundred men, indicating the scale of the conflict.
This verse illustrates the Jews' capacity for self-defense and their determination to protect their community during a time of threat.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of standing up against oppression from this verse?
- How does the historical context of Susa enhance our understanding of the events described?
- In what ways can we apply the lessons of self-defense and community strength in our own lives?
- How does this narrative reflect the broader themes of survival and justice in the book of Esther?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Esther 9:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.
Read John Gill on Esther 9 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Esther 9 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleIn Shushan the palace, i.e. in the city so called, as was noted before, ; it not being probable either that they would make such a slaughter in the king’ s palace, or that they would be suffered so to do. Five hundred men; whom by long experience they knew to be their constant and inveterate enemies, and such as would watch all opportunities to destroy them; which also they might possibly now attempt to do. Part of them also might be friends and allies of Haman, and therefore the avowed enemies of Mordecai.
Read Matthew Poole on Esther 9 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEsther 9:6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.Ver. 6. And in Shushan the palace] One would wonder that any here should offer to stir against the Jews, so much favoured by the king, patronized by Mordecai, and well appointed to withstand them. But they were mad with malice against God’ s people, and ambitious of their own destruction. Haman’ s death still sticks in their stomachs, and they resolve to be revenged, whatever it stands them in. With like stoutness of stomach it was that Jezebel painted her face, and tired her head, when Jehu was come to Jezreel, and looking out at a window, said, Had Zimri peace, &c. Herein certainly she showed her great…
Read John Trapp on Esther 9 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) The palace.—Doubtless the whole royal city, rather than the palace strictly so called. It is obvious that even Xerxes would hardly have allowed bloodshed, otherwise than by his direct orders, within the precincts of the palace.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Esther 9 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. And in Shushan] It is strange that in this city, where the king's mind must have been so well known, there should be found five hundred persons to rise up in hostility against those whom they knew the king befriended!
Read AdamClarke on Esther 9 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. in Shushan the palace] The word seems to have a somewhat wider sense here than earlier in the Book (see note on Esther 1:2), meaning perhaps royal city. Bloodshed within the palace proper would not have been permitted, and even in the fortress connected with it this number would scarcely have been reached.
Read Cambridge on Esther 9 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleBy “Shushan the palace (or the fort),” is probably meant the whole of the upper town, which occupied an area of more than 100 acres, and contained many residences besides the actual palace.
Read Albert Barnes on Esther 9 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men,
In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.
In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men,
In Susa the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.
Tyndale line
And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.
And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.
And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.
And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.
And at Shushan the palace slewe the Iewes and destroyed fiue hundreth men,
Strictly literal
And in Shushan the fortress the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.
and in Shushan the palace have the Jews slain and destroyed five hundred men;
and in Shushan the palace the Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men;
And in Shushan the capital the Jews slew and exterminated five hundred men.
In the fortress of Susa itself the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.
From the Latin
Insomuch that even in Susan they killed five hundred men, besides the ten sons of Aman the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews: whose names are these:
Simplified
In the fortress of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.
And in Shushan the Jews put to death five hundred men.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show agreement on the main actions described in this verse, with five of the eight words matched between the two texts. This suggests a consistent understanding of the events, though the Septuagint's word order and articles differ from the Hebrew.
וּבְשׁוּשַׁ֣ן הַבִּירָ֗ה הָרְג֤וּ הַיְּהוּדִים֙ וְאַבֵּ֔ד חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אִֽישׁ׃
5 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Esther 9:6
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שׁוּשַׁן (Shuwshan) refers to Susa, the winter residence of Persian kings, and is derived from a related term meaning 'lily.' The entries consistently identify it as a geographical location in Persia, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
שׁוּשַׁן n.pr.loc. Susa, winter residence of Persian kings
base
H7800 שׁוּשַׁן
7800 Shuwshan shoo-shan'
the same as 7799; Shushan, a place in Persia:--Shushan.
see HEBREW for 07799
שׁוּשַׁן (shu.shan) — Susa.
Shushan or Susa = "lily"
the winter residence of the Persian kings; located on the river Ulai or Choaspes
Also named: shu.shan.khi (שׁוּשַׁנְכָיֵא "Susa" H7801)
Conj | Prep | N-proper — Conjunction · preposition · noun properHC/R/Npl
su'-sa, soo'-sa (Additions to Esther 11:3).
See SHUSHAN.
(Esther 11:3; 16:18) [SHUSHAN, OR SUSA].
בִּירָה (biyrah) refers to a palace or castle, with a possible connection to a temple in Jerusalem. It is noted as having foreign origins and can also imply a fortress in certain contexts. The Aramaic equivalent is בִּירְתָא (bi.ra), meaning citadel.
בִּירָה n.f. castle, palace
of temple at Jerusalem
in these passages appar. means a fortress in the city bearing the same name
base
H1002 בִּירָה
1002 biyrah bee-raw'
of foreign origin; a castle or palace:--palace.
בִּירָה (bi.rah) — palace.
1) palace, castle
2) temple
Aramaic equivalent: bi.ra (בִּירְתָא "citadel" H1001)
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHTd/Ncfsa
sit'-a-del (1 Macc 1:33; 3:45).
See FORTIFICATION.
הָרַג (harag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to kill or slay, often implying ruthless violence. It encompasses a range of meanings including murder, destruction, and being killed. The entries indicate its use in various contexts, such as wholesale slaughter in battle or divine judgment. The verb appears in different forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Pual, indicating various nuances of killing.
הָרַג vb. kill, slay
Qal
kill, slay, implying ruthless violence
hence of wholesale slaughter after battle
of God’s slaying in judgment
rarely of judicial killing by men (at God’s command)
of killing beasts
of killing by beasts
quite general
destroy, ruin
Niph.
shall priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary?
pass. of Qal 1 b
Pu. be slain
base
H2026 הָרַג kill, slay
2026 harag haw-rag'
a primitive root; to smite with deadly intent:--destroy, out
of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter),
slay(-er), X surely.
הָרַג (ha.rag) — to kill.
1) to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to kill, slay
1a2) to destroy, ruin
1b) (Niphal) to be killed
1c) (Pual) to be killed, be slain
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
The Hebrew word יְהוּדִי (*yehudiy*) refers to a Jew or someone descended from Judah. It is derived from the root word for Judah (יְהוּדָה), indicating a connection to the tribe of Judah or the region of Judea. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, including mentions in 2 Kings and Genesis.
יְהוּדִי adj.gent. Jewish, as subst. a Jew
base
H3064 יְהוּדִי, יְהֻדִיָּה
3064 Yhuwdiy yeh-hoo-dee'
patronymically from 3063; a Jehudite (i.e. Judaite or Jew),
or descendant of Jehudah (i.e. Judah):--Jew.
see HEBREW for 03063
יְהוּדִי (ye.hu.di) — Jew.
Someone descended from Judah (H3063) and possibly other tribes, first mentioned at 2Ki.25.25
§ Jew
יְהוּדִי (ye.hu.di) — Judean.
Someone from the tribal area of Judea or descended from Judah, or possibly other tribes
Group of ye.hu.dah (יְהוּדָה "Judea" H3063N)
§ Jew
יְהוּדִי (ye.hu.di) — of Judah.
People descended from Judah, living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.35;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);
brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);
half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Bath-shua (H1323I) and Tamar (H8559);
father of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209), Shelah (H7956), Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I)
Art | Ngmpa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine plural absoluteHTd/Ngmpa
juz, jooz.
See JEW.
The name borne by the Hebrews among foreign nations, especially after the return from Babylon; from Judah their ancestor. See HEBREWS.
אָבַד (abad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to perish or be lost. It encompasses a range of meanings, including dying, vanishing, and destruction, often in a moral or judgment context. The word appears in various forms in the Old Testament, with uses related to individuals, nations, and inanimate objects. The lexicons indicate that it can also imply causing something to perish or stray.
אָבַד vb. perish (M I אבד, As. abâtu Dl W 184 Aram אֲבַד, Syriac).—
Qal Pf. א׳ Nu 21:30 +; אָבְדוּ ψ 10:16 + (+ Ez 6:3 𝔊 Co) etc.; Impf. יֹאבַד Jb 3:3 Je 4:9; יֹאבֵ֑ד Jb 20:7 + 2t.; 3fs. תֹּאבַד Dt 22:3 + 4t.; תֹּאבֵ֑ד Jb 8:13 + 3t.; יֹאבְדוּ Ju 5:31 + 3t.; יֹאבֵ֑דוּ Jb 4:9 +; 3fpl. וַתֹּאבַדְנָה֙ I S 9:3; תֹּאבֵדוּן Dt 4:26 +; נֹאבֵ֑ד Jon 1:6…
Read the full entry →H6 אָבַד perish .. perish, die, of individuals
. fig. perish, vanish, subj. memory
. be lost, strayed
. . cause to perish, destroy, kill
. fig. cause to vanish, blot out, do away with
. cause to stray, lose
. . destroy, put to death, in judgment
. fig. obj. name of kings; hope; voice of mirth etc.
6 'abad aw-bad'
a primitive root; properly, to wander away, i.e. lose
oneself; by implication to perish (causative,
destroy):--break, destroy(- uction), + not escape, fail,
lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, X and surely, take, be
undone, X utterly, be void of, have no way to flee.
אָבַד (a.vad) — to perish.
1) perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) perish, die, be exterminated
1a2) perish, vanish (fig.)
1a3) be lost, strayed
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to destroy, kill, cause to perish, to give up (as lost), exterminate
1b2) to blot out, do away with, cause to vanish, (fig.)
1b3) cause to stray, lose
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to destroy, put to death
1c1a) of divine judgment
1c2) object name of kings (fig.)
Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (אֲבַד "to destroy" H0007)
Conj | V-Piel-Ptc — Conjunction · verb piel infinitive construct commonHC/Vpcc
חָמֵשׁ (chamesh) means 'five' in Hebrew. It serves as both a cardinal number and can indicate a multiple of five when combined with another number. The word also has an ordinal form, 'fifth.' The entries consistently define this numeral without any noted disagreement.
חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה 342 n.m. and f. five
base
H2568 חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה five
2568 chamesh khaw-maysh'
masculine chamishshah {kham-ish-shaw}; a primitive numeral;
five:--fif(-teen), fifth, five (X apiece).
חָמֵשׁ (cha.mesh) — five.
1) five
1a) five (cardinal number)
1b) a multiple of five (with another number)
1c) fifth (ordinal number)
Adj — AdjHAcbsc
fiv (chamesh; pente).
See NUMBER.
מֵאָה (me'ah) means 'hundred' in Hebrew. It can refer to a simple number, a component of a larger number, or a fraction representing one one-hundredth. The entries consistently describe its use as a numeral without significant disagreement.
מֵאָה 583 n.f. hundred
as simple number
as part of larger number
a hundredth part
base
H3967 מֵאָה hundred . as simple number
. as part of larger number
. a hundredth part
3967 me'ah may-aw'
or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a
hundred; also as a multiplicative and a
fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.
מֵאָה (me.ah) — hundred.
1) hundred
1a) as simple number
1b) as part of larger number
1c) as a fraction-one one-hundredth (1/100)
Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְאָה "hundred" H3969)
Adj — AdjHAcfpa
hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).
See NUMBER.
The Hebrew word אִישׁ (iysh) means 'man' and can refer to an individual male, a husband, or a human being in general. It encompasses various meanings, including champion and great man, and can also imply 'whosoever' or 'each.' The word is built from a root suggesting existence and is used throughout the Old Testament.
אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)
base
H376 אִישׁ man (= vir)
376 'iysh eesh
contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root
meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male
person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and
in such cases frequently not expressed in
translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, +
champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-,
husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree),
him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people,
person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.
Compare 802.
see HEBREW for 0582
see HEBREW for 0802
אִישׁ (ish) — man.
: man
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
אִישׁ (ish) — man: husband.
: husband
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
אִישׁ (ish) — man: anyone.
: anyone/someone
1) man
1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
1b) husband
1c) human being, person (in contrast to God)
1d) servant
1e) mankind
1f) champion
1g) great man
2) whosoever
3) each (adjective)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
See ANTHROPOLOGY.
Man
(1.) Heb. ‘Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning “to be red,” and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).
(2.) Heb. ‘ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33;
Four Hebrew terms are rendered "man" in the Authorized Version: Adam, the name of the man created in the image of God. It appears to be derived from adam , "he or it was red or ruddy," like Edom. This was the generic term for the human race. Ish , "man," as distinguished from woman, husband. Geber , "a man," from gabar , "to be strong," generally with reference to his strength. Methim , "men," always masculine. Perhaps it may be derived from the root muth , "he died."