In the rest of the Persian Empire, the Jews killed a total number of seventy-five thousand enemies. This number suggests that, had it not been for the second edict, the Jewish people could have easily been wiped out. (The second edict would stop thousands of the Jews’ enemies from attacking them in the first place. The Jews lived in relatively small scattered groups all over the empire, even in Jerusalem and Judah, only 42,360 Jews were counted after the Jews had been allowed to return (Ezra 2:64; Nehemiah 7:66).)
Thus, the Jews got relief
(or, more literally, rest
) from their enemies. This word should remind us of Israel’s past victories, through which the Lord had given them rest
(Deuteronomy 12:10; Deuteronomy 25:19; Joshua 11:23; Joshua 14:15; Joshua 21:44; Joshua 22:4; Joshua 23:1; 2 Samuel 7:11; 1 Kings 5:4).
16 Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also gathered to defend their lives, and got relief from their enemies and killed 75,000 of those who hated them, but they laid no hands on the plunder.