Lexical Summary athud: He-goat, leader Original Word: עָתוּד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ready Passive participle of athad; prepared -- ready. see HEBREW athad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originthe same as athid, q.v. Brown-Driver-Briggs עָתִיד, [עָתוּד] adjective ready, prepared; — 1 absolute עָתִיד לַכִּידוֺר Job 15:24 a king ready for the onset; plural עֲתִדִים לַיּוֺם Esther 3:14 ready for the day, so Esther 8:13 Qr (Kt עתודים). 2 ready = skilled הָעֲתִידִים עֹרֵר Job 3:8 those skilled in rousing Leviathan. 3 prepared = impending (compare Late Hebrew = future), feminine plural וְחָשׁ עֲתִדֹת Deuteronomy 32:35 the impending things are hastening ("" קָרוֺב יוֺם אֵידָם). 4 prepared = stored up, ועתידתיהם Isaiah 10:13 Kt (Qr וַעֲתוּדֹתַיהֶם, to differentiate it from above) and their stores have I plundered. Topical Lexicon Canonical ContextThe solitary appearance of עָתוּד in the Hebrew Bible occurs in Esther 8:13. The term communicates the state of being readied or equipped. In the narrative, Mordecai’s counter-edict is published “so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies” (Esther 8:13). The word encapsulates the sudden transition from vulnerability to preparedness that characterizes the book’s dramatic reversal. Historical Setting Esther 8 records the aftermath of Haman’s downfall. Although the initial royal decree authorizing genocide could not be revoked (Esther 8:8), a new decree empowered the Jews to defend themselves. The empire-wide circulation of this proclamation required rapid dissemination and immediate mobilization. “Ready” therefore is not a vague moral exhortation but a concrete summons to arm, organize, and stand watch from the thirteenth day of the twelfth month onward. Archaeological studies of Persian postal systems confirm the feasibility of swift communication across 127 provinces, underscoring how providence employed imperial infrastructure to safeguard covenant people. Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility God’s hidden hand arranges deliverance, yet His people must still arm themselves. Scripture repeatedly holds these truths together (Nehemiah 4:9; Philippians 2:12-13). The single use of עָתוּד crystallizes this partnership. 2. Reversals and Redemption Esther pivots on radical reversals (Esther 9:1). The verb “ready” becomes emblematic of the larger theme: those once appointed to death are now appointed to victory, prefiguring the ultimate reversal accomplished in Christ’s resurrection. 3. Holy Readiness The motif of readiness bridges both Testaments. Old Testament calls to vigilance (Exodus 12:11; Isaiah 40:3) find New Testament amplification: “Be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44). Esther 8:13 provides a practical illustration of what such readiness looks like in real time. Intertextual Echoes • 2 Chronicles 17:16 highlights military “men who served the king, volunteers for the service, … prepared for war,” reflecting organized preparedness. Ministry Significance 1. Spiritual Warfare Mordecai’s edict pictures believers’ authority in Christ to resist the enemy (James 4:7). Churches are called to train congregants in Scripture, prayer, and discernment so that they stand ready when opposition arises. 2. Leadership and Mobilization Mordecai exemplifies decisive leadership that galvanizes a scattered people. Modern ministry must likewise broadcast clear, biblically grounded directives that unite believers across cultural and geographic lines. 3. Readiness for Revival and Suffering Whether anticipating outpourings of grace or seasons of persecution, the church must cultivate readiness. Esther 8:13 reminds us that sudden shifts in cultural climates demand a people already braced in faith. Christological Foreshadowing The Jews’ preparedness to act on a fixed future date anticipates the set time of redemption (Galatians 4:4). Just as Esther’s intercession precipitated the decree, Christ’s intercession secures the new covenant, urging His followers to live in constant expectation of the consummation. Practical Discipleship • Teach Scripture systematically so believers grasp both promise and responsibility. Conclusion Though appearing only once, עָתוּד in Esther 8:13 distills a perennial biblical call: God’s people, confident in His sovereign plan, must stand prepared—spiritually armed, mentally alert, and mobilized for obedient action in the decisive moments He ordains. Forms and Transliterations עֲתִידִים֙ עתידים ‘ă·ṯî·ḏîm ‘ăṯîḏîm atiDimLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Esther 8:13 HEB: [עֲתוּדִים כ] (עֲתִידִים֙ ק) לַיּ֣וֹם INT: become Jew ready day this 1 Occurrence |
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