Pur; Purim

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(lots). The Jewish festival commemorative of the preservation (deliverance) of the Jews in Persia. Celebrated yearly on 14th and 15th of the month Adar (Esther 3:7; 9:20-32).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

A feast, signifying “lot or lots.” Haman cast lots to find an auspicious day for the destruction of the Jews. On this being averted their deliverance was commemorated by an annual feast (Esther 3:7; Esther 9:24-32). It fell on the 14th and 15th of Adar. This feast is not mentioned by name in the New Testament though some suppose it to be alluded to in John 5:1; but of this there is no intimation, and such a feast did not call the Lord to go to Jerusalem. The feast is still kept by the Jews: the Book of Esther is read, and curses are pronounced on Haman and on his wife; and blessings on Mordecai, and on Harbonah.

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Number:

6332 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Transliteration:

Puwr

Phonic:

poor

Meaning:

also (plural) Puwriym {poo-reem'}; or Puriym {poo-reem'}; from 6331; a lot (as by means of a broken piece)

KJV Usage:

Pur, Purim

Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:

frustration: lot : Purim = masculie plural of Pur

Potts’ Bible Proper Names:

Lots:―an annual Jewish festival [PUR], Esth. 9:26. {Sortes}

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Esther 9:26. Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur.

Pur is a Persian word signifying a part, and thence denoting a lot. With the Hebrew plural termination it becomes purim, “lots.” This is the name by which the feast is known which is kept to commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from the plot of Haman. It is called the Feast of Lots because Haman in his superstition resorted to divination for the purpose of ascertaining when he could most effectually destroy the Jews. See Esther 3:7. Some think that the name was given in irony, as denoting the contempt in which the Jews held Haman and his divination.

There is a tradition that the introduction of this feast among the Jews met with some opposition, though it afterward became generally observed. The day before the feast is kept as a solemn fast. On the day of the feast the people assemble in the synagogue, where the book of Esther is read amid clapping of hands and stamping of feet, as demonstrations of contempt for Haman and of joy for the deliverance of the Jews. After leaving the synagogue there are great feasts at home, which have been sometimes carried to such excess that some writers have called the Feast of Purim the Bacchanalia of the Jews.