Esther 9:18 Meaning and Explanation
“But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Jews of Shushan, who fought two days, rest and feast on the fifteenth.
What Does Esther 9:18 Mean?
Because the Jews of Shushan defended themselves on both the thirteenth and the fourteenth, their rest comes a day later, on the fifteenth, and that becomes their day of feasting and gladness. The capital’s two days of danger produce a different rhythm of celebration than the provinces.
This simple difference of dates, the fourteenth in the provinces, the fifteenth in Shushan, will shape how the festival is kept. The narrator records it not as confusion but as the origin of a two-day observance, each community remembering its own day of rest after the storm. The detail carefully grounds the feast in what actually happened.
Frequently Asked Questions About Esther 9:18
What does Esther 9:18 mean?
The Jews of Shushan, who fought two days, rest and feast on the fifteenth.