Esther 9:11
What does Esther 9:11 mean?
A plain-English look at Esther 9:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Esther 9:11 means
The king receives a formal report detailing how many were slain in Shushan the palace. This underscores that the events unfolded under public scrutiny and official record-keeping. Nothing is hidden or rogue. The palace’s own violence had been initiated by Haman’s decree; now, under the counter-decree, the results are tallied and brought before the throne. The report’s existence also prepares the ground for the king’s next question to Esther: if so much happened in the capital, what must have occurred elsewhere? The administration is attentive, and the narrative remains anchored in real numbers and processes.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.
KJV
King James Version · 1611On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949On that day the number of those who had been put to death in the town of Shushan was given to the king.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862On that day hath come the number of the slain in Shushan the palace before the king,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And presently the number of them that were killed in Susan was brought to the king.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the fortress was brought before the king.
Context
Having recorded the deaths, including Haman’s sons and the refusal of plunder, verse 11 transitions from battlefield to throne room. This prepares for verse 12, where the king addresses Esther, acknowledges the capital’s toll, and offers to grant further requests. The flow highlights transparency and royal oversight. The subsequent verses (12–14) will focus on Esther’s petition for Shushan—an additional day of action and the public hanging of Haman’s ten sons—before returning to a broader provincial summary (vv. 15–16) and then to the establishment of Purim (vv. 17–32).
v.10the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy, slew they; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.
v.11This passage
v.12And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.