By the 13th of Adar, the Jews have turned political defeat into political triumph, and the power to emerge from battle victorious is theirs. When the day comes, they use this strength to deal a death blow to anti-Semitic power in the empire, killing more than seventy-five thousand men, laying waste to its leadership, and establishing a deterrent against future threats to the Jewish communities of Persia. Perhaps most significant, the crushing of the anti-Semitic nemesis establishes the position of the new Jewish vizier with the king, ensuring that Ahashverosh's authority will be wielded in such a way as to protect the Jewish interest for years to come.

The narrative touches on only the most essential aspects of these final stages of Mordechai and Esther's efforts, but these are enough to understand what happened. After months of feverish diplomatic work, Mordechai had succeeded in parlaying the fact of the new decree's existence and the feeble mumblings of Ahashverosh into a widespread belief that he in fact had the influence, authority, and power to make good on it: “The man Mordechai grew greater and greater,” “his reputation had gone out to all the provinces,” and with that “the fear of Mordechai had fallen upon them.” By the opening of the actual war, the influence of the Jews in the empire had become overwhelming. The hard core of anti-Semitic power had been isolated, as “all the princes of the provinces, and the satraps, and the governors and those that conduct the king's affairs supported the Jews.” Many of those who had been willing to support the anti-Semites had switched sides or disappeared into the woodwork, and it appeared that the Jews and their allies would score a terrifying victory. Thus the “fear of them had fallen on all the peoples,” and “none could stand before them.” (9.2–4).

Some have suggested that Mordechai now had the option of restraining the fury of the promised Jewish onslaught: There was no longer much question of a real anti-Semitic assault, and if he feared there would be an anti-Semitic resurgence if he relented, he could have opted to arrest or execute a few hundred gang leaders across the empire. Would this not have sufficed?