Esther 9:10
What does Esther 9:10 mean?
A plain-English look at Esther 9:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Esther 9:10 means
The ten sons of Haman, “the Jews’ enemy,” are killed. Yet the Jews do not seize any plunder. This restraint is striking. It shows their aim was security and justice, not enrichment. By refusing spoil, they distinguish their defense from opportunistic violence. The author repeats this point later, underscoring its importance. The defeat of Haman’s line removes the symbolic head of the threat. At the same time, the moral framing—no hand laid on the spoil—guards the narrative from depicting mere revenge. The Jews act under lawful authority to neutralize a deadly plot without exploiting the crisis for gain.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy, slew they; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy, slew they; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the hater of the Jews; but they put not a hand on any of their goods.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, adversary of the Jews, they have slain, and on the prey they have not put forth their hand.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And when they had slain them, they would not touch the spoils of their goods.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the oppressor of the Jews, they slew; but they laid not their hands on the prey.
Context
After listing the sons (vv. 7–9), verse 10 interprets their fall and notes the Jews’ restraint regarding plunder—a theme repeated in verses 15 and 16. This paves the way for the royal update in verse 11 and the king’s question and offer in verse 12. The refusal to plunder becomes part of the official story, shaping how the court views the events. The next movement will turn to administrative oversight (the tally reported to the king) and the additional measures Esther will request for Shushan alone.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Esther 8:11
wherein the king granted the Jews that were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
- Esther 9:15
And the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men in Shushan; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.
- Psalms 109:12
Let there be none to extend kindness unto him; Neither let there be any to have pity on his fatherless children.
- Exodus 17:16
and he said, Jehovah hath sworn: Jehovah will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
- Esther 7:6
And Esther said, An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
- Esther 5:11
And Haman recounted unto them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.