9:31a

Purim: See note on 3:7b.

9:31c

the times of fasting and lamentation: The Hebrew is more literally “words of fasting and lamentation.” It probably is a way of referring to certain Jewish holidays. The Jews were in the habit of commemorating certain traumatic events in their history by holding annual fasts. So this verse is saying that they should establish this holiday (Purim) just as they had established these other holidays.

fasting: See note on 4:3b.

lamentation: This refers to pleading with God for something with tears, not to mourning for the dead.

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