The Hebrew word hanachah refers to a relief, respite, or cessation from toil, suffering, or obligation. It appears in Esther 2:18 to describe the relief from taxes that King Ahasuerus proclaimed at his feast — a royal holiday of rest granted to the provinces.
The concept of rest (menucha, shabbat, hanachah) is deeply embedded in Hebrew theology. God ordained rest from the beginning (Genesis 2:2-3). The Sabbath, jubilee years, and rest from enemies are all expressions of God's provision. The hanachah in Esther — rest proclaimed by a pagan king — foreshadows the greater rest that comes through Christ (Matthew 11:28-29), who gives rest not just from labor but from sin's burden and the law's demands.