But the other Jews that were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,
The other Jewish people living throughout the king's empire came together and fought to defend their lives. They found relief from their enemies and killed seventy-five thousand of those who opposed them, but they didn't take any of their possessions.
The writer is describing how Jews throughout the Persian empire successfully defended themselves against their enemies, killing many attackers but refusing to take their belongings.
📚 Historical Context
This verse describes the climactic day when Jews throughout the Persian Empire were allowed to defend themselves against Haman's plot to destroy them. King Xerxes had issued a decree permitting the Jews to fight back on the 13th day of Adar (March), turning what was meant to be a day of their destruction into a day of victory. The refusal to take plunder showed their moral integrity and that this was purely about survival, not greed.
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