John Gill, on Esth 8:10

“And these letters which were sent in the king’s name, were sealed with his ring, and sent by posts: who were to run through all the provinces, to prevent the former letters with new messages.”

“Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together,.... In some part of the city they should choose, and remain in a body, being sufficiently armed: and to stand for their life; to defend themselves, and fight for their life, should any attack them, or attempt to take it away; in such case they might act offensively: so as to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them; every army of them, or as many as should join in a body to attack them, any mighty or powerful mob; and not men only: but both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey; the same words are used, and the same power is given them as were to their enemies, Est 3:13, not that they made use of it to the utmost extremity, it is certain they did not in one point, in taking the spoil, Est 9:10, and, since they spared that, it is highly probable they spared women and children.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.