Why did Amalekites fear the Jews at Purim fights?

Question

In the last question, I asked "who-did-the-jews-fight-on-purim-if-nobody-could-oppose-them".

On the second thought, the Amalekites are known with their natural hatred for the Jews, as they came to fight the Jews after the Exodus, when the Jews were in their highest (Exodus 17.8).

But on Purim they suddenly got scared (Ester 9.5):

...וְאִישׁ לֹא־עָמַד לִפְנֵיהֶם כִּי־נָפַל פַּחְדָּם עַל־כָּל־הָעַמִּים׃

...the Jews mustered in their cities to attack those who sought their hurt; and no one could resist them, for the fear of them had fallen upon all the peoples.

So I wonder, why those Amalekites feared the Jews such that they didn't fight the Jews back when allowed by the first decrees even if they knew they are going to lose?

Answer 1

The Amalekites are not explicitly mentioned other than the fact that the relatives and supporters of Haman attacked the Jews on the day that they were allowed. This could mean that the Amalekites (or those who identified with them) were the main enemies who were ready to fight even though the Jews had permission to fight back and destroy them.

As I cited elsewhere, the Jews destroyed those who hated them enough to attack. Perhaps those who thought that the Jews would be unable to fight back effectively and therefore were taking advantage of the permission given them by the first decree.

In any case, it does not specify who attacked them and says that those who did attack could not resist when the Jews fought back. It also says that many people (not necessarily Amalekites) were to afraid to attack. Those who did not attack were not killed.