Esther
Vcrae 1. Now U came ta vaMt] The Aluuttonu of tbs RomMtf, tha Arbun-M of iheOraafca, and Ardtkoor of die Pantana, are the aame. Some think that this AAaaiiaptis waa DariMM, die aon of Byt<upt» i but PridooM* and Mhera maintain that he waa Artaxerxta Lonrinatau.
Rttgnod from Mdta asm tmto ftttapia] lUs is aesfly the asms acMORtthatis gives by Xenophon. Hsw rt sad glorkaia tha kingdom of Cytuo waa, beyimd iUI kio^oma of Aria, ia evident from diia i Mftaff far wp«s iif Tf Ipf0p^ 9mXmrrf wp»t afmv it n* E«[iry V"*^* xpQt trwtfOM it K«*Mi M( Atyarry' >jM( fXtptftuM St AiSi- •nf. It waa bounded on the eaat by the Red aeai on the north by die Euxine msj on the weal by Cypnia and EsTPt t sad cm the aouth by EtUmsa. Cnor. lib. viiL mmMI. edit. SUpk. 1681.
^eraaS. aof «a Ms fhrons ^ Us Mifd^ «U(A was in, £htuflaa] HaviD||BnlMluedaIlbiaenaniea,salbm^fat untveraid peace lo his enisn. See the snauaoeanMQtaf
SKaAan fha palace[ T^m aaeient eitf of Sua, now called _tV— ShutUr, by the PersiBna. Thia, wiA EdMdana and Babylon, w«e residencea of the Peraian kings. The word nrvan ha birak, which we render At faliet, duMild be rendered tht eily, tr Xmwmc rf xaXci, as u tha StftuarinL
Verael. 7n« rtcA«*^ Am »lor<ou#jtta^iifom] Luxury waa die cfaaraeisriatio of die Eaalem roonueha, and particularly dw Perstovu: 1b dwirfwawtsAichwcteaMPBti^ and af long eontinusoee, twy mads a gnasial axbibidoa of their wealth, mndeor, Ac. and reerived the highest encomiuma from their poeu and flatlsrera. lYwir oaientaiion on aueh oecasiona paaaed into a |roverb; beaesK^rsMi were ' present tn Shuahan the palaee, bath unto creat and small, sevea days, fn the court of the gardwn of tbo king's palaee;
6 Irhere vere white, green, and ^ Mae hang^ inga. fastened with cords of fine linen and puriue to silver rinrs and pillars of marble: > the beds were ttf rola and silver, npon a pavement ^ of red, and bine, and white, and Uack marble.
7 And they |rave them drink in vessels ofeiAA {the vessels hevae diverse one from another,) anc I royal wine io abuedaace, ' accordtog to the state of the kin?.
8 And the drmkinff %Dtu according to the law none did compel: for ao the kins had ^>pointe( to an the officers of his house, that they aboold do according to every man's pleasure.
9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women tn the ro^al house which belonged to KlDcAhasoems.
lOlTOn the seventh day,when "the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, " Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha Zethar,andCarcaB,the seven Pchamberlains tha; ■erred m the presence of Ahaauems the king,
Yme B. A f*a»t laito ait A« p«ople[ Tbefiratwaaa feut for the nobUt in geoertd; this tar the people of the dtr at large.
Jm the court iff the garden} Am the oompany wsi Tory nomeroui that was to be received, no apartmenu in the palace eouU be capable of eontaiiung them; therefbt^ the mni ^ A» jUTtUn wu ebotta.
Terset. IniU, gneHtOttdbbuiaaii^nga] ItwaeeiMtoUHury on eueh occaaiora not only to bang tbe^ace about with elq^t curtaina of the above coloura, aa Dr. Shaw aad otbera have remarked, bat alao to have a Canopy at rich abifie auapeDtled on cotda from aide to aide of the pJaoe in which ttieT faaatcd. And aueh eourta were ordinarily paved with tf^^trmt coloured morMat, or with tiUo pamtM, as above qweifled. Andtbia wasthewiginof the JAiaive or itfeeoie leort^ well koowm amoiig the Aaiatica, aad bonowed from them br the Oretkt andthe Roman*.
The b»do qf gold and gUpcr, mentioned bera, were the wwifhftt oovmawiih gold and silver ctotb, on which the gdeata reclined.
- VmBS.. Nm» did eompdt fir ao the king had appoMed] Every peraoo drsak what he pleaaed } he waa Bot obl^ed 10 take more than h» had reaaoa to think wouklao him good.
Among tbaOredia^ each gneatwas obliged tokctptkc fmmd, or leafs Iha flompuiy; henoe the praveri* H mfi, « anil- Drink or i^ifORa; To thia Boraeo refbis^ but givea More liesBM:
flkna UdnjBltfv Hint cxmvioa.*oluun wlbt^tJttStmXiUtl^fliif-Om Awte At the Roman feasU there waa a peraon ehoaen by the caatof dic^ whowsalbeArKte-MMiuU: and preacribed miea to the ooranuj, whidi all were obliged to obaerve. Refsrences to tbn euatom may be aeen In the Mine poet. Odam. lib. L Od. iv. vec 19.
Mr. £r<rfr«ri;inhisexeeUeBtpoem, 7^ Ckunih I*onh, bUBpent five venpea on tUa vile euatom and lUfvlafc
NotttLog tooaevwe eanbe aaid oothiadestraetive piaetioe. TeneKAteF«M{lba9iMti4VaabtiljMy iaanera FvifsRSnrdianldgaillMabWMtf/UoramrfQliliiPHiaa.
11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to uio w the pai^e and tho princes her beauty; for she wot mir to look on.
12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment 'by his chamberlauMi therefore was the king very wroth, and his aiwer burned in him.
13 IT Then the king said to the * wise men* " which knew the times, (for so was the kioft's manner toward all that knew law and jutKment:
14 And the next unto him ipas Carriiena, Shethar, Admatha, -Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Meomican, the ' seven (vinces of Persia and Media, * which saw the king's faoe, amd which sat the first in the kingdom})
15 " What shall we do nnto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahaaoerus by the chamberlains 7
16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all tne people that are in all the provinces of the king Abasuerus.
Made a ftaU for the women] The Idqg having aubdued all hia eneoiiea, left no competitor far the kin and being thua quietly and firmly aeated on the made thia a time of general teativity. Aa the m the Eaat never mingle villi the n>en in puUic, Taahti made a leaat for the Peraiaa ladiea by ibemaelvM: an^ while tha men were in. the court if Ike garden, (be women were tn &e royathmut.
Teiae 10. He commanded Mehuman] All iheae are doidideaa Pereion nameat but ao diiguised by iiaMiij) throu^ a Hebrew medium, that aome of mam can aoareelybekBOwn. JUdftuaunii^Uaa aignifiea aalrngw orgiuet We ahall find other namea and words in dtiabw^ the Peisiaa ^nology ot which may be aasihr traeed.
.fVr Ao wujkir to leek on.] Heaee abe had her name Ut^jFaaM, whitli aignifiea keauH/uL See ver. 9.
Ter. 12. KaaUi re/iiMdtoconM] And much aboaM Aa be eonraended for it. What WQ«aa& pnaaeaeing evea a oocunoo riiare of pmdanca and mgdnty, eooM i
Mazposa heraelf to dks view of audbagrbapflf baeebanaliaasi Bar esMPawawaa e^aai toner modmtyi ahe would nnat ~the royal mandaiOi rather ihaa viomta the rule* of ehaele dtcorum.
Her eonltmft of voridhf grandmr, wbea brtngfat ia competition with what every modcat woaaaa ItMm daw and mcred, i> worthy of ooaervatku. She well kaaw thai thia act of diaobedienee would ooet her her crown, if not her life alao i but die waa reganUcH of boib, ae d» cooceiveaher virtue and honour were at atake.
Her humiHty waa grwily evidenced in thia refiomL She waa beaut^id; and might have dbawn beraelf is gnat advantage^ and have had a fine opportuni^ at grau^isf bar vamly, if ahe had any: but ahe rafuaod to ooma.
Hail I noble woman: fae thou a pattern to all ifay mt an every aimilar ocoaaitm. Surely. eveirtbiQg ooaaiilMiiV we have few women like TaantL While smne ef the higbeat of the buid will dieaa and deck thentselves wiih the utmoat aplendour, even to the aeboga «f their fortunea, to exhibit ihemaelvea at balla, pUm galoa^ opeta^ and public aaaenibliee of all kinda, that uiey nay be ma and admired of men; and, even to the eodleaa r^roadi and bread aaapiokm ef inair haoor nd rlmsrily^ will flgura away in waagiiaraJaa/ Vadui smM bs esBMlend at the top V her ass 1
Terae \% Tatke wiae man] Probably the lawyers.
Verae 14. And the next unto Aim—Ac «eMx prtacat] Probably, the privy counaelloTB of the king. Wka torn the kinf^afaco—ven at all timea admittea to ihe royal preaence.
Terae 1& FoaftM— AoA not done wrong to Aa Ung onljfi 'Bum rcaaoning or arguing waa inconaequani anl Use. Taahti bad not general^/ diMib^ed ibe kiog/ therefore, die could be no precedent tor the gnwral duct of the Persian women. 8he diaobeyea ooi] j^vg porticuJar— and dii^ to aerve a ulto a fmermi eonaegumeet conoAisHn whidt he dmr, '
17 For tkiM deed of the queen ahall come abroad unto aU women, so that Ihey Bhall ' deapise their husbandH in their eyee, when it shall be reported. The king Aha«ueru« commandeiJ Vasbti the queen to Ee brooffbt in before him, but she came not. „ „,
18 Likevfise ahaU the ladiea of Persia and Media eay this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of thedeed of the queen. Thoe shall there arise too much contempt and wrati^
19 ■ If it please the king, let there go ft royal commandment • from turn, and let it be witten anonc the lawa of the Persians and the Medes, * thaTjt be not altered, that Vashti come no more before Kins Ahasuerus; andletthekinff gireher roral estate * unto another that is better than she.
20 And when the king's decree which he shall make be published throughout all his empire, Cfor it is great,) all the wires shall ffive to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
21 And the saying - pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan: „,,.,
22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, ' into every province according to the writing thereof, and to everv people alter their ianguage, that «very man should < bear rule in hie own house, and " that it should be published mtoardimg te ^^q^^'^IiP^ ^vary jiroplc.
2 Then said the king's eervaota that ministered unto him. Let there be fair yoang vvgins soaght for the king.. •.t
3 And let the king appoint officers in all Uie provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shuehan the palace, to the houae of the women, ■ onto the custody of ' Hege the lun^n ehamberlajn, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given (Aem;,,
4 And let the maiden which pleaaeth the kmg be^ueenioBtead of Vashti And the thing pleased the king: and he did so.
5 t Shu^n the palace tiiere was a certam Jew, whose name loas Mordecaj, uie son of Jair, the son erf" Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; „ _
6 " Who had been carried away from Jerusa-
^%3r A FT K El thing?, when ihe j^iLcm. A. wrathof King Ahasuerua iv:iij r^i?^i- peased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and ' what was deereed against her.
able to teacen'rigbi Jhm vrong; or too intant on n- Aieiog the women to a ibUe of vwilag^ to neglect ibe areePDt bvounbte opporlunity.
VflfM 18l ladiM ^ Pania] Tvrv> taroA, the pHwMto; but the meuing u very -well exprewed by our term ladie*.
Verae 22. TbM etwy man Atnud bear not in Au men kmutX Boib Ood't lav, and mnmoD aenae, tausbt thia bom the liiuiKlatio& of the world. And ia it ponible that Ibia did not obtain in the Peraian empire, previously to tbia edict 1 Vbstveaii^ verae baa another clauaih "iVtat all vivtt Aaii giv to lAeir hiulta»dt honour, bolh to great •ntf *naU. Thii alao waa univeraally understood. ^If^riawdid DMhing. I aurooM Ihe parade of enacunent only mfide to deprive noncat Vaahti of her crt>wn. ■Pie Targttm adda, '"Thox eaeh woman thould apeak the language of her huaband." If ihe were even a JSuieigner, ane ahould be obliged to learn and apeak the language of the king. Perhaps there mi^lit ne some common sense in ^im, aa it would oblige Ihe foreigner (0 devote much time to atudy and improvement i and, oonaequeody, aiake her a better woman, and a beUer wife. But there is no proof that this was a part of the decree. But there are so xaanj additions to this book in the prin-: dpal vtrsiotu, thai we know not what might have made a part of ii originally.
ttngj Tbia was the uaual wavm vhkdi the Aar«m,or wrogtiOi was fiimiabed: ibe fioestwomen io the land, whether of high or low birth, were sou^t out, and brought to the hartm. They aU became tlie king's concubines ( but Ofuwaaraiaed aa cms/* or suAano, to the tbnme; and hi» iMua WB« QMoitlW sntiiled Io ioheriL
lem with the captivity which had been carried away with ■ Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Webuchadnezzar the kingof Babylon hadcarried avray.
7 And he « brought up Radassah, that Esther, p Ills unde's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid wo* "lair and beautiful; whom Mtndecai, when her father ana mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
3 ij So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many m^dens were ** gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody ofHegu, that Esther was Brought idso unto the king^ house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her ■ things for purification, with ' such things as belonged to ber, and seven nuudena, v>Kich were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and " he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
ID * Esther had not showed her people, nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show it.
Hegt tarU ham-mtledi, "Hege, the king'a CKnucA,-" ao the iS^HO^ni^ Vulgala, Targum, and Syrtoe. In Ibe Eastern eouDtriea the women are entrustaa to the care of the ntnucAa only.
Lttt/uirlhinfa/orptuilUationbegieenAemJ vrirm InmtrtJceyken, their coemttiea. What theae were we are told in ver. 12: oti ^ myrrft, and niwet odourt. Hie mynh was emplojed for m months, and the odourt for aix months more; after which the ppraoo was brought to the king. This apace waa sufficient to slww whether UM young woman had oeeo cAoWs; whether she were with <hUd or not, that the king might not be imposed on, and be (Miged to mtlier a spurious oospringi which might have been Ibe case had not this precaution oeen used.
Instead of the oil of myrrh, the T^argum aays it wbb Ihe oil of imrine olives, which eauaed the hair to fall oft; and rendered the skin delicate.
Verse 6. Who** name leae Mardeemij Ifte Targum myn, " He waa the son of Jair, the eoa of Shimea, Ibe son of Oera.dieaMofKiBh.'' And "ihiswaatfaoMUBe Shimw that cursed David; and whom David fbffasd Joab to stay, because he saw, in the spirit of prmhe^^ that lie waa to be die predecessor of tHether and Merdeeai: but when he became old, and incapable of having childres, David ocdeied Solomon to put liim to death."
Veree 7. Ift irouxAf iu> Uttd^uetAI vxrtn hadaeeah, •ignifieaaniwWeinuliakiee: this wM probably her first or Bab^omiA vsme. Wbea she eaoia to the jPerttaa oouil, she wM called EtOur, aeter, or eiiara, wtiiehsignifiesastor in Persian: the name is undoubtedly i'srstan. Esther waa the daughter of AbihaiL the uadb of Mordecai, and therefore must have been Hordeeai's oousin, though the Vulgate and Joetph'ue make ber Hordeeai's nteiis.* but it is safest here to iolk>w the Helvew.
Terse 9. T^e mmden pleated him] He conceived a partiality for her above the rest; prtriiably because of the propriety of tier deportment, and her etigsging though imassumiag manners.
Sevm maidtne] llese were to attend her to ihe bath, to anoint and adorn ber, and to be her servants in general.
Versa la £aM«r had not ahowid her Mftb] "nut might hav« pivjudieid bar with iha kii^i J^it wuew-
11 And Mordeoai walked every day before the court of the women's house, * to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
RtSa*' Tf Now when every maid's tarn iLO. CM. was come to go in to Kin^ Ahasuerus, ^%iJ^M afler that she nad been twelve months, gNmaiina. according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their pnrificatiODB accomplished, to -wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)
13 Then thus came every maiden unto the kiog; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.
14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which icept the concubines: sne came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and mat she were called byname.
15 IT Now when the turn of Esther, ■ the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordeoai, who had taken her for his daughter, was oome to go in onto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the si^t of all them that looked upon her.
16 So Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus iato his house royal in the tenth month, which it themonthTebeth,inthe seventh year of his reign.
17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and r favour ■ in his sight more than all the virgins: so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen inat^d of Vashti.
18 Then the king 'made a great i^Jf feast onto all his printes and hu ser- a. v. vants, even Esther's feast; and he oIk^m made a * release to the provmces, and "
gave gifts according to the state of the Idn^.
19 And when the virgins were gathered ti^
Sther the second time, then Uordecai sat * ■ e king's gate..
20 ^ Esther had not yet showed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had dmrged twr: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
31 If * In those days, while Motdecai eat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlaiiM, ' Bigthan and Teresh, of those vr^eh kent > the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on Uie king AhasueruB.
23 And the thing was known to Mordecai, ^ who told it unto E<sther the queen; and Esthw certified the king thereof in Mordecafs name.
33 And when inquisition was made of thematter, it was found out; therefore the^ were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in ' the book of the Chronicles before the king.
hta ilHUiKIiDU, mad Ihu el tb* J
AFTER these things did „ Ahasuerus promote ' Haraan the *■ n- cm son of Hammedatha the > Agagite, prc!^^!^ and advanced him, and set hu seat above all the princes that were with him.
tsinly no credit Kt the Perai&n court to he^Jewi and we xhalf find from the aeauet that those who were in the Persian dominions were Mr from being reputable, or in a aofc atate. Beaidea, had ber lineage been known, envy might have prevented her from ever naviag acceas to the Icing.
Vane 13. WhtUao^er ake denrtd] When any of the young women were called to go to the king, it appears thfttitwaaan ofdiit&nce that whatever kind of art—, $tuff; Mlour, jemi»t &c. they ttiouglit beat to set off their persons, and render tbem more engaging, dtould be given ihem.
Vena 14. Stu rtlurnedinia the teond house] This was Ihe plsos wham the Idoff* emuablnu were kept. Tbey went out no more, snd wars una given in marriage to M^nuut) andnwth«ki[^sbeenoixM»eunleBSBpeeially
CuHody lif SutasitgazS Tliia ii probably another PersfoK name.(g-iVMift ^uAkhunj, benrdlat, a proper epidiat<rfa«uuuft; or.^^iO'tMMHgunJ.-weakhina^hr t» Mnw rcMOD. Names of this kind at once niow the mson of tbeir imposition, by deaeribing the wtaii ef the penon.
Yme 15. Shi required nothing] She left ibis entirely to ber friend HegC, who seetna to have been intent on her auoeesa. She therefore left herdecoratkmstobiajudgmflnt alone; and went in that dress, and in those ornaments, which As deemed moat auitaUe. _,,.
V<wae 16. ITu tmih monA—TVielh] Answering to part of our month DtemboF and January. „ „ ^ ^
VarselT. Set the royal erown upon her iuad\ Made her whM is now ctdlad in the East the svltana, the ^etn. Slw was the miaima of all the rest of the wives) all of whom were oblind to pay her the most profound respect.
Verae 18. Jmoa a reltaae to Ike pnwinrw] RsmitKuI ■ome Hod of triiute, or impost, in hotiouf of Esther, at ber coronation j as our kinga generally do when they are crowned, ordering a discharge from prison of many who an etnftMd for minor offences. Aa it wa« the custom of the Persian king* to give their queens something like what k eallsd with us the aurum reninai, the "queen gold, (wfaMi was a unth of all fines, &c above what was given to the ktnir:) for they gave them audi a city to hiy them dofAes, another for their hair, a third for tbeir necklaett, a fourth for their pearU, &c t it i> probable tba^ on this oeessiao, Eriiter so wishing, be relieved those cities and provinoas wbleh had before paid this guscn gold from all theasaxpensesi and Ihii would lend greatly to make the waa the place where such usually attended to wait tfaa kinfifacall. It ia not likely that be was the porter: had he oeen only such, ^aman. could havo reuovcd iim at once.
Two the Hng'a Aamberlaino] Eunuchs. lOf diey oonapired wtunst the life of the king we are ac* i»- fbrmed. TT»e Targum. mys, that tbey found out ihaL Bather had intended to use her influence with the king to get them removed frtun dteir office, and Hoideeai put im their place; therefore, ihey deiennined to poiaon Eadter, and alay the king in his bedchamber. It ia very lAely Ant they were creatures of Haman, who probably affided Ike kinedom i and perhaps- were employed by him to nmen the Icing, and so make hia way open to the throne.
Verse 22. H'os Anewn to JUbr«ecat] Joser^usHysdiat a Jew, named Bamabanu, overhmrd the p]ot; told it to Mordeoai. Mordecai to Esther, and Esther to the ^Jtg, ia Mordecai ■ noKie; and he was registered aa die dianrKtw.
Verse 32. J( im« fountt oui] it mb proved Maiaat them, in conseqnence <af which thsy were AoiuFcd. Perhaps tha words ff vVm vmMolu 4f Us, 'ihev wot bung upon wood," or "a tree,** mnr lefer to ^ir beiu impaltd. ApomtedsUdmisaetuprigtil inttte erocmd; ^ the culprit Is taken, ulaeed oo the rftarp potnt, w»d itiea pulled down by his legs till the slake that went in u hmdamcQl passes up through the body, and comes out W dM aide of the neck. Amostdreadlbl apcdesof paniafament,ia which reteng* and ervelty in«y glut the utmoM <4 ^^k malice. The culprit lives a cMsioeraUe time in exm^ ting ogoniea...
ft has been obaerved, that the nasu of God dace M onee occur In this book, niis ia true of the Bebrtv ten. andallfmnsWionsfrorait: but in the Sepiuagintwitii ihe following words, in ver. 20. after, Ealher had a^ sAotseflt her Ainrfrad— Ovrur ya^i tirr(iXitr« mr^ K»fi»x^tH, dafiMT^ai tV^ Otm, sai vsuic m nwcray^ora svras, ny mit' oflrw i " For «o Mordecai had diarged hv to fcsir God and to keep his commandments, as she did wbenwtt him." Thi% as far as die StUuafint is canoenwd, km away the strange reproadi from this boc^ It mu^y owned that it waa not because there were not oDDOrumitiea that the aacred name has not been i dewcndant of that Agar king of the AmalM^ "P*^. by Seal, but destroyed bf Samuel; and oo to vrima might have an antipathv to the Jews...
Setht»Matabm«altOuprmea] Made Mm h« vdHiiUrt and put aU Ihe oOcen cT Mite ludir Us direction. '
9 And an ^ kbig'fl aervanta, that were " In the kins'i gate, bow«l, and reverenced Haman: for the lODg had bo eommanded concerninff him. Bat Mordecai ■ bowed not, nor did him reverence.
3 Then the king's eervants, which were in the kinic's gate, aaiduntoMordecai.Why transgreeseat thou the ' king's commandment 1
4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke iaiky unto him, and ho hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to eee whether Mordecai'e matters would stand: for he had told them that he voe a Jew.,.
5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai * bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman « full of wrath.
6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had showed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman ' sought to destroy all tihe Jews tlmt -were throughout the
whole kingdom of Ahanwnn, ewn tfaa people
7 U In the first month, that u, the montit Nh san, in the twelflh year of King Ahasoenu, • they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day. and from month to mootht to the tweiflh vumth, that ie, the mouth Adar.
8 IT And Haman said unto King; Ahnsuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in ail the province* of thy kingdom; and t their laws are divers fiam all peo^e; neither keep th^ the king^a laws: therefore it it not ■ for the king*B profit to anmr
9 If it please the king, let it be wntten ' that they may be destroyed: and 1 wUl * pay tea thousand talenu of silver to the hands of thoae that have the charge of the busineaa, to bring it. into the king's treaauries.
Verse 2. kinifa KrvatUt thai were in the kin^a jiato] atrvanta nerc, oertainly a higher clan of qffl- MT* are iniended than porttra i and Modecoi waa one of those offieen; and came to the gaoe with the othen who were usually there in attendance, to receive the comniaoda «if the king.
Mtrdeeat boatd not] itSbiyUard, "hedidnot bow down j" nor did him reverence mnnw^ kV» J^lo ybUodksvehy " nor did he proetiate hinuelC" I think it moM evH dent, from these two words, that it was noteiMrtvorate* merely that Hanan expeined, and lUordaetd rtfuaad i this sort of respect ia Cmmd in the word p^s kari, to boto. lUs sort of reverence Mordecai could not reAise without being guilty of the most inexeunbts obtHnaa/; nor did any part of the Jewish law forWd it. Bur Hainan expected what (he Penian kmgs Creqiwntly received, a speeiea of divhu adoration; and this is implied in the word ftrm ahaduh, which signiftes that kind of proatration wfaidi implies the highest degTM ^ rtMrenee that eon ba ptM to God or man, Wmg down flat on the earth, with dte hands ukl feet extenoed, and the mouth in the dust.
Tile Targvm says that Haman set up a atatue for bisHelt to which every one was obliged to bo«^ and to adore Haman himself. TTie Jew* all tnink that Hordeeai rcAwed diis prostration, because it im^ied idoiairoua ado* raliM. Henoe, in the Apoerypbal additions to this book, Moideeal ia repraaented Maying dmsi *"nioa knowest that if I have not adof«d Haman, it was not throurii pride, nor eoniempt, nor secret desire of glory j fbr I felt disposed to hiss the noistepB of his feet (gladlyt for the salvation of Israel: but I feared to give to a man thai hooour which I know belongs only to my Ood.". Ymol.THajIntmmUhl That of the efett year «f the Jaws.
T1U awnflk MEmu] Answering to a part of oar ManA April
The ftM{/lA faar of Kbig jUkasMms] Aoeoidiiig to thfr chronology in our Bibles, about jiss ktanirtd aad Im years before C^risL
Uiey coat Pur, that im, the lot] This appean to be the Abms eorruption of the pure Ptrtian word t^jn pari, which signifies any thing that kapptna fortitUouafy. ttttn is an addition hen in the QreA text, Uat waa problMy in the original, and which makes uiis plaee very plain. I shall set down the whole verse, and give the Qreek in a pwenthesis, ibal it may be read consecutively widi vrtiat is in the Hebrew. In the JlrH month, thai ia, Aamonik Niaan, in the twelfth yaar^ Ong Ahaateema, Am east Pmr. OuU ia,theM, before JEbmdL Jrom day ttdttjfiandjrom momlhtomotiA, {tion anlwrai » fiif <mpy n ytaat Moflajcauia, nu mscr ( wXafH att rsv rtoof fMrntSoMrv rsv fisrsf If arw A^m, " That they mifi^t destroy in one day the people of Mordecai; and the kM fell on the /bterteenm day of the month Adar.")
We see plainly intimated by the Hebrew text that tbey coat tola, or usecl a jp«cbs qf oipinatioit, to find out wi the lioetve montha would be the moat/owHraMs for the eieeutien of Haman's design i and having fiMind the desired month. Oiea they eaatlota or used ditUation, to find a«t wUeh day of die akl month would bo the Jiwfcy day fiwdwaooomplishnent of dw enterprise. But the fle&r«tp tSKt does not tell us the result of this (Umiaation; we are left u> gueas it out) but the Ortek supplies this deficiency, and makes all elear. From it we find thai, when they east for die manlk, the month Adar was taken \ and when Aey east far Iba day, aM7bwM& [Heb. tikirteiUk] of dM auMilh waa taken.
Bona have suialknsd iriHlhar Par nwy not have ag- nified also some ^-ams cftonca, which they played b^re, or with Haman, from day to day, to divert bim from his melanoholy, till the lucky lime came in whidi he was to have the gratification of slaying all the people who were ot^u of his enmiQr; or, Uiey cart lot^ or planred who abouU get the proputy of sueh and such tqwlent families. BoUnahod, mtMcnr ancient hislmiaDB, informs us that, previously to the battle of Aj'tncoUr^ the English army, under Henry V., were so thinned and wsakenKl by disrnn, and die French army so numerous, that "Freoehmen, in die mean while, as thoogb they had been sure of victory, made great triumriw, for the captaines had determined bdbre how to dMds the apeUt and lha sottldiers, die nijdit before, had plnted A« £nglis6aui> U diteJ' 'mtfaistheohMosof iSlhafapeareBUodeai rwmaith—Miunkisnlpcaoon _ _ ssoHrkMTiiitfKM. r. Did fiamonaDd his flatterers intend to divide the speils of the desigped-to-be-massaered Jewa in some such manner as this?
Tens & nuir /otps are dfesrse from aU petmls] Sueh they oeitainhr were: for they wmfaipped tbe nma Ood, according to MS omt loise; and diiswas notdooebj any other people then on the hee of the earth.
verse 9. JUtitba written that they may be deatroyadl Let it be enacted that they may all be ^ to deadi. By this ha would throw all the odium off lumaelf^ and put it on the king and his counsellors; for he wished the thing to pass into a law, in wbiob ho ooaiA have but a smaU itum of the Uame.
IviUpaytenAou»aiidtaUnta^aU»er\ Hahadnid before that U was net for the kin/fa pnM to an^or Aam i but hers he is obliged to acknowledga that ibere will ba a to the revenue t but that kiss he ii willing to maka up out of bia own f)rop©rty.
Ten thousand talents <if aiioer is an immense som indesdi vrtil^ eountsd bjr the BoAylenM uUeot, aawonla t* two mitUona one hundred and nintltm thouaand peunda atarting: but, reckoned by die Jawtai takai, it makes more diui double that sunt.
"niose who cavil at the Scriptures would doubtless call this ons of the many absurdities which, they say, are so plenteeusly found in them i supposing it almost imposMUe for an individual to possesseo much wealdi. But, though they do not believe the Bible, Ibn do not aerwrie to eredit fisrwioAM^ who (liU 7.) am that when Jteraaa wom into Greeoe, J^Oitis tfaa Lyuaa bed Itse ttonsand talents of silver, and four mUUona of gold daries, which son' united make near ^vs nnUjon* and a haif atarUng.
Plutarth telle u^ in his lib of Crossus, that usr this Roman general had dedioated the tenth « all be had 10 ffervtUea, he entertained the Roman people at tot rtouaawd tatAia, and disuibuted to every citizen aa naudi eora as was sufficient for thrae months; and, aAcr all tbesa expense% he had aeasn tho^taand one htndrad Roman ulents remaining, whidi is more than a million and a half of English money.
In Uiose days silver and gold were more plentiful thaa at present, as we may see ia the yearly revenue of Solo-, men: who had of gold from Ophir at one voftmjimr hundred and jUty talents, which make Area miUiima two Aunctnd andftrty Aouaand pounds slerHng; sad Us 1 ananal iseaM war sir Aimdraif oMdMxtif^ MJtMs
10 And the Idiu^' took ^ his ring fVom his hand, and gave it unto Hainan the son ofHammeclatha Uie AffHffite, the Jews' ■ eDemv.
11 And the kine said unto iuunan. The ailrer u ^en to thee, the peot^e alM, to do with them as It eeemeth good to thee.
12 » Then were the king's ■* SOTbes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Ham an had commanded unto the Icing's lieutenants, and to the gorernors that were over every province, and to the ralera of every ^teople (h every province, * according to the writii^ thereof, and to every people after their langua^^; <* In the name of King Ahasueros was it wntten, and sealed with the king's ring,
13 And the letters were ■ sent by posts into alt the king's iirovinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, '' in one day, even u)x>n * the thirteenth day of the tweUlh month, which is the month Adar. and ^ to take the spoil of them fbr a prey.
14 'The copy of the writing for a commandoient tobegiven inevery province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.
15 The posts went not, being hastened by Aa
king's commaodmeot, and the decree was cwea in Shnshan the palace. And the kiag and Uar man sat Aown to drink; but ^ the aty Shndna was peridexed.
WHEN Mordeoai perceived aB ^ c that was done, Mordecai > rent r. his clothes, and put on sackeloth " witii * of nlver, which onke four milliont <even huadrsd and nbuty-fyt Aoiuand im hundrtd pounda ElnxliA mooey.
In mditioa to the above, I caoDOt help sui^oimng IM following psitical&ra
CroMiM, who waa meotiofwd before, had a landed estate valued at oiu mUUon nx Aundrfd and mijiv-nx Uufuaand aix hundred and nstjf^ poanda Aviiaai thiUingt and fourpmc*.
C. CaciliuM Ridorua, after having lost much in the eivil war, left by will effibeta to the atMnmt of one mUUm forty-Moen, Ifunuand one hundrtd md tMjf fomd*.
Lentuhu, the augur, is aud to have pOMMMd no leas than three million* Atm hundnd and aUHy-Artt ttouaand three handred and OdHji-lhracpowuUa^aMUingt amd mghtpenec
Apiatu waa worth mi»« (ban lUtu hundred and tfixMMt thousand nx hundred and Mveniy-ont potoido tUrtaan ehilHngt frnd/ottTpaiteet who after having ipent ia his Utchan ajgM lumdred and edrfy-Ora* thouaand ttree hitadrtd emd Atrfy-ttrM pomda aLr MOinga and «i^;Mnee, and finding dul he had no more left than ejjA^ three thouaand three hundred and thirty-three pound* aix MUinga and ei^ih)ance, ha oonndered it ao little for hia aupport, that be judged it beat to put ao end to hia life by BOuon.
11m suMrflooas fimuton of M. Seaurua, which waa bunt St T^taeubtm, was valued at no leas than eight hundred and OtirMhrea thauaand three hundred and Wrijf-lwo pounda thirieen ahifHnga and Jburpenet.
Antkmty owed at the Idea of JtSar^ tne mm of three ^utdred and thirty three thouaand three hundrai and Airtu-three jHMnda aix Mltirura and ai*penee, whicii he paid oefore the caianda Apru.
None of theae men were in trad& to accotmt for the (nreulation of auoh immense auma through their hands. Sea Dic:K0o:f'B Huaband <^ the Ane.
Verae 10. The king took hia ring] In Hum ring waa no doobt included hia privy aeal; and he gave thia to Haman, that when he had formed auch a deerea aa he thou^t fi^ he mi^t seal it with thia ringt whiehmuld give It ila due foree and influence among tbe rulers of the provincea. Tba privy aeal of many of our aovereigna nppeara to have b^n inserted in their ringa: and tiw teaia « Eaatern potentates were worn in rings upon their fingers. One such eeol, once tbe proper^ ol the late T\ppoo Sttttan, lies before me; the inacriptioD ia deeplr cut m attver, which is set in timaaay carriage nf gabi. Thin, as fitted to the finger, he probably kept aIwB);a on bis hand, to be readv to aeal despatches, dtc or, it roig^t be carried by a confidential officer for the same purpose, as it seems to refer to one of tbe ddtf euehariea.
Verae 12. lMothekin^aliautanania'i''>v>tvnM Adiaahdarpanw. Hun is, in all probabili^, another Fendan word; for there ia nothing like it in the Afrrvwkuiguage^ Bor eao it be fairly deduced Giom any rooto in that timgue. The Vulgata translates ad omnaa aatrapaa regia, to all As aairapa of die kii^. It ia very likely that thia la the tnieaenaeoflhswonli and that tbe ^avivmocAMtiri^Nm^ aa it may be pronounoed, is the Chaldae or Hebrew cornvtioa of the Parian ""^^^^^^^ aatraban, the plunl
ashea, and went out into tbe midst of the cttyi and " cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
2 And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter Into the king's gate ^Mbed with sackcloth.
3 And in every province, Tt^iithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came. Acre vsas great mourning among the Jews, and Ast-
of *^ifS»a tatrab, a Persian peer, though tbe weed is now nearly obsolete in the Persian language i for, nnee the cosp quest of Penis fay HtdnnuDsdanism, me names of oCees are materially chuwed, aa something oi Jalamiam is generally oouoected wiui the titles of offioera both dvil aai military, aa well aa religioua.
Terae 13. Th deatroy, to kiU^ and to eauae to parM] To put tbe whole of them to death in any atatmer erby eeery way and meana.
Tata the apsil ^thamfor a jmw] Tln^ irtweiw killed a Jew bsd his pnpwtr for &troafalsl And iba the hand of every ntsn was anaed againK this aaisenbls peo|je. Both in the Oreek vernon, and in the LaHn, iha copy of this order is introdueed at length, ezpnaiH " Ae king's deaire to have all his donioiiHia in c|iuet and psspenty; but that he is infonaed that this ssaaot ba ei^srt ed, while a eertsin detestrids people are diaaesMsalid through all his piovinees, wbonot imj an not anljeet is tbehtw^butendeavourtoeba^lbaai: uddisissihiqg leas than dteir tUlar actsminamm will seeave the pnes and noeperiQr of the empire; sad, thorsfoR he eadas that they be all deitniye^ boOi mate sod inal^ yoMg and old, &e.
Verse 16. 71^ poat>] Literally, dN eamiar*, Iba Aartarrahaf those who carried the public despMAesj a^eawa of public fonctionaries, which have been in nae m dl oabona of tbe workl from (be remotest aaiii|oi^.
TJie decree waa given in Skuahan'] It waa dalarffiosi the royal city Suae, where tbe king then waai
TTU eity Shurium waa paroUxedi They mm tbsi in a ahoit time, by this wicked measure the vdule 09 would be thrown into coofiiHon: for aluiougfa tbe Jam were the ooly objects of this decree; yet, as it uiacd dit populace against them, even the Persians coold art haps to escape without being spoiled, when adeapenie wobnM b^uo to taste of human blood, and enneh thenaelvea with tbe proper^ of the murdered. Besides many Persian families hao, no doubts heoorae umted fay imeroarriagea with Jewish fiunilies: and in- auch a ■mssbbn they would necessarily dwure the same feus wi A the Jews. A more impolitic, diagiaeefiil, and cniel measm wsm mw formed by any government; and one would aupposs ihsl the king who ordered it must have beat an idwi, and ihs counsellors who advised it must have been madneo. But a despotic governnient is ever capable of extrnvanDce sad cruelty; for, as it ia the bane of mwutar freeoom sad happiiMaa, so it is the diagracs of poliwal viidois, sad «f all civil iiistiUiticHis. Despotism aai tynuM^ ia ihs Ma are die direst eursea which insulted jostka esa wall nfiel upon a sinfol nation.
Verse 1. Afonfecoi rent hia clathaa] He gavs erary demonstration of tbe most poignant and oppnaav* gnt Nor did be hide diis from theonr; and die Qrsekaifaifeak he uttered theae wnds aloud: Aimtm i0M(MAs«Msas« ApamUiagaingtabedeatnq/ed,aahohQmdmtmma9lli VtraaZ^brethaking'agaf} BssaaUaatMlw into tbe gate, or tbe place wben the ofiaws WSalM^ iS; cause be was in the habit of a uwrnsri ffr ■fewSBH have ttsgn eisunuy to law. ^ i
4 11 So Esther's maida and her Pchainbenains fame and told it her. Then wae the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raimedt to clothe S^rdecai, and to take away his sackcloLh from him: but he received ii not.
5 Then called Esther Tor Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, i whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it
6 So Hatach went TorLh to Mordecai unto the •treet of the city, wliich was before the king's nte.
7 And Mordeeai told htm of all that had happenml unto him, and of ^ the sum of the money -that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
8 Also he gave him • the copy of the writing of the decree Uiat was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that ehe should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before himibr her people.
9 And Hatach eame and told Esther the words of Mordecai
JO T[ Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and Ifave Dim commandment unto Mordecai;
Terae 3. Fatting, ami wetping, and waUUig] How ■stooiafaiog, thftt in all this there is not ibe sligntet intimatioD given ot praying to Godt
Terae 4. Seni raiment] She supposed that hs nrast have been spoiled of hia raiment some dmuib} and, tberefore, eent him clothing.
Verse 5. Then eaUed Bather for Halaeh] This eunuoh the king had appointed u wait upon her partly, as is still the case in the East, to serve her,* and portly to oAserce ker conduct; for no despot is ever esmpt from a twofokl torture, Jeaiouey and napieion.
Verse B. That ads thould go in unfo Ou king] The Oroek adds, " Bemember the time of ypur low estate, and in what manner you have been Douriabed, and carried in my armai and diat Haman^ who is next lo the king, has got a decree tor our dsstnieilon. Pray, lhar«fi>re, to the Uord t *iid plMd with the king, that we nay be deUvered from death." But there is not a word ot this either in the Hebrew, Syriae, or Vulgate,
Verse 1 1. Into the inner courf] We have already seen that the Persian sovereigns affected the hi^iestd^nea of majeeiy, even to the oMouming qf divuu honowra. No man nor woman dared to appear unvHUd before them, without hazarding their lives: into the inner chamber of the harem no person ever entered but ihe king, and the woman he bod ohosen to call thither. None even of his couniers or ministers dared to appear there; nor the most beloved of his concubines, except led thither ^ himself, or ordered to eome to faim. Here was flsther's difficultyt and that diffioolty was now increased by tlte eireuoutanee of her not having been sent for to the king's bed for thirty days. In the last verse of Ihe preceding chapter we find that the kin^ and Haman eat down to drink. It is very bkely thai this wicked man had endeavoured to draw the kings atianijon from the queen, that his affection mi^t be lessened, as ha must have known something of the relationship between her and Mordecai: and, ooiuequently, view her aa a person who^ in all probability, mifi^it stand much in the way of the aeeoropliahmnt of his dewgns, I oaanoi but think that Ae had been the cause why Rstber had not seen the king for thirty day.
Verse 13. TfUnk not— thai thou tkaU escape] "niis confirms the suspicion that Haman khew something of dia relationship between Madeoai and Esther} and, ttwrefore, he gives her to understand that, although in the iMng** paiaee, she should no more eecape than the Jew.
Verse 14. Then AaU there ^Uargement and deliverones ariss] He had a confidenoe that deliverance would come by some means; and he thought that Eether would be the most likely; and that, if she did not use the inffuenec which bar providential station gave hw, she would be highly cnlpabie.
A»ditlmknnMAwhahtretiMartwmi\ Aaifbehad airicL **Ia it likely thai Divine Providaoee would have ao distinguished thee, andniaad lhao from a siaM of aMaet
U All the king's servants, and the people vS the king's provinces, do know that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the * inner court, who is not called, ■ there ia one law of bis to put him to death, except such * to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may uve: but I havenot been callea to come in unto the king these thirty dGLVds
12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
14 For if thou altogether boldest thy peace at this time, then shall there 'enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall bo destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kirwdom for sudi. a time as this?
15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
16 Oo, gather together all the Jews that are ' present in Shushan, and fast ye for roe, and neither eat nor drink ^ three days, ni^ht or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; • and if I perish, I perish.
17 So Mordeeai " went bis way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
obscurity, merely for thy own take 7 must it not have been on some ptMie accmtiU? Did not A« sea what was coming; and has he not put thee in the place where thou m&yest counteract one of the most ruinous purposes ever formedT' Is there a human being who has not some particular atatioo by an especial providence, at some particular time, in which he can iw of some essential service to his neignbour, in averting evil, or procuring good; if he be but only faithful to the grace and opporturuty afibrded by this stattonl Who darea give a negative to these queMoul We lose much, both in reference to ovreeivee and o&erq, by not adverting to our providential eituation and ctinimatancee. W^ile on this subject, I will give the reader two important sayings from two eminent men; both keen observers of human nature, and de»ly attenttva in all such cases to the operations of Divine Providence i —
Ta every thing there ia a leaeon; and a time to every purpoee ufuter heaven. Therefore, Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, Hftett it ia in the power qfthy hand todoiL SoumooK.
Has there not been acaseutAuiftme^memory, when evil was designed agairut a whole people, through the Hamans who had poisotted the ears ot welUinteoUeoeii men; in which one poor man, in oonsoquence of a aituar tion into which he was brought br an astonishing providence, used the infiuenee wCieh bis situation gave hint and, by dw mercy of his God, turned the whole evil aaidel By the aaaoeialion of ideas the fbllowing passage will present itself 10 the reader's memory, who may have any acquaintance with the drcumstanoe; —
"There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. Now there was foui>d in it a poor wise man; and he by hia wisdom delivered the city^yel no man remembered that eame poor man f
"Then raid j; AA, Lord GodI They eay qf me, Doth KB ROT BFSAK PABABLCfll" Rem acu letigi.
Verse 16. Fatt ye for me, and ndther eat nor drink three day] What a strange thing, that still we hear dothine of prayer, nor of God I What is the ground ea whim we can account for this total tilenee 7 I know it noL He couU doi suppose there was any charm in bating, sackcloth gamtenu, and lying on the ground. If iMse were not done to turn away ihe displeasure of Ood, whiohaseined now to have unchained their enemies against them; what were they done for?
fflperieh, lueriA.] If I lose my life in this muempt to save my psmcs t shall lose itcheemilly. laeeitiaaqr duly to make the aiiemptt aud, come what will, I am resolved to do it Sba must, however, have depaoded nudi on lbs efflcaw of the busnliaiiona she presenbed.
(buHn uirrUiirRl Mihr uwiiiwr III whKtihewnrmYBllnr Ui(i>iFa).bl»lifnuii coiiplujt of tliu CQIhhiCt ID too lOHMke ■gnJJow* of i _ ma la lampion h, vhish ihqr fiUa*i* la DiaJ) ncmnEiwI)-. 1 1.
:tiDhi>riieni]*. uiJ liHinIc SEnJi, lO—IS. ThFicouiH) litkM(*lDnh,vhiBhl>iqr uik< liz iiwauil Uii kinc will un Rfw) niidlbt ofthe kinp's bouse, over aj^ainst the king's house; and the king sat ufton his roynl throne in the royal house, over agfiinet tlic gate of the houpc.
2 And it WU8 HU, when the king saw Esther the queen Btandiniif in the court, that ^ she obteined favour in his Right; niid * the kin^ held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near^ and touched the top of the sceptre.
3 Then said the kinff unto her. What wDt thou, Q,ueenI5Bthfcr? andwliali* thy request? 'it shall tie even given thee to the halfof the kingdom,
4 And Esther answered. If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Hanian come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.
5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the kiug and' liaman came to the biuiquet that Esther iiad prepared.
6 It < And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine. What is thy per ition 7 and it shaU be granted ttiee: and what t« thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it ehull be performed;
7 Then answered Gather, and Boid, My petition and my request it,
8 If i have lound favour in the sight of the kin^j and if it please the kiug to grant my
Petition, and < to perforoi my request, let the Ingami Hainan roineto the faaoquet that I shall
Vcr. I. On tht thirdday) MoM prohably the third day of i^afiut which Ak hfkd prewribed to Honfecai and the Jewra.
Teree 2. She obtained favour in Aw Tb« Septuagint represcnu " the tcinsf as bein^ at firat (rreatly enrHsed when he saw Esther, because she hod dared to appear before him unveiled; and ihe, perceiving this, was so terriRMl that she ftuated away; on whieh the king, touched with tenderness, sprung from his throne, took her up in his ■rata, iMd tbe gotden sceptre on her oeck, and qwke (o iKr in the most endearing mHUwr." Him is more talcumuanttsl than the Hebrew, but is not contrary to it.
frimda are the tratat and tafat tctptre of the ampir*.
Verse 4. IM the king^ and amaneonuthif day unto the banmiet] Ii was necessary to invite Haman to prevent his auspioion, and that he mii^t not take anv hasty step which miffit have prevented the execution of tna srnt dMign. -
Verae 6. 7%« banquet of vrins] At Uiat part of the banquet when the wins was introduced.
Verse 6. I lolU do to-morrow] She saw she was gaining on the king's' alTections; but she was not yet sufficiently eonfident; and therefore wished another interview, that she raif^t int^iiate herself more fully in the kin^s favour, mid thus secure the meceas of henliwi^n. Bin providence disposed of ihinga thus, to give time for tlie important event mmlionfld in the luceceaing eliapter.
Vnrso 9. That he utood not up, nor mated for Aim] T^is waM certainly carryinif Jiis integrity or inflexibility to th« hisrhesl pitch, rtit stiH we«re left to coiijmure lliat Home reverence was required, whi^ Mordecai could not I'onscientiouBly pay.
Verse 11. ilie multitude of hu chUdren] TheAtiaatie wovereigns dftli((ht in the nnmber of their ebildrm; and this is one cause why they tstte so many wives and concubines.
Verse 13. Yet all tht*avaUeihmenolhins[] Prid^mi) ever render its pomessor uohnppy. He has such a hi^ opinion of his own worth, that he ojinreives himself defnuided by every otte who does not pay liim all the renpeci and hornn^ he conceives to be his due,
Dte aoul waa made for Oed; and oothing but GoJ em
9 If Then went Haman forth that daj jojM and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gaie,.^ that he stood not up, nor moved for him, be waa full ofin^gmtiim against Mordecai.
10 Nevertheless, Haman > refrained faimeelf: and when he came heme, he sent and " eaUea for his friends, and Zeresh his wSe.
11 And Hunan told them of the elcH7 of hi> riches, and " the multitude of his children, and all ihe thitifft wlierein the kine had proatoted him, and how he had * advanced him above the princes and eervants of the king.
13 Hainan said moreover.YeajSatiier the queen did letno man come in with the king onto the faaoquet tliat she had prepared but myself; aod tomorrow am I invitcutinto her also with the kmg.
13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the kuw'b gate.
14 7 Then said Zeresh his wite aoo atf his friends unto him. Let a >■ gaUows •* be made ot finy cubits high, and tt)-morrow ^ speair thou onto the king that Mordecai may be hanj^d thereoa; then go thou in merrily wiih the king onto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused ■ the gallows to oe made.
He inbfMn Wi wHa Vairtirf ten
ON that night ^ could not the king „ sleep, and he commanded to bring ^-J; " the book of records of tlie Chroniclea; — and they were read before the king.
fill it, and make it happy. AngeU could not be bi^pT is zlory, when they had cast off their eU^iaaes to neir Maker. As soon as his heart had departed Gma Gsd, Adam would needs go to ibe forbidden fruit, M auiify a desire, which was only an itidicatioo (tf hia having bitm unfaithful to his God. Sbtomonm all his glory, posnniac every thing heart oould widi. found all to be cwiuto ana vexation ^ spirit; because nil soul had not Ood mt its portion. Ahab, on tha throne of Israel, takes to lua bs4, and refuses to eat bread, not merely becaoae be eaoaor M the viruyard Naboth: but bseanae be had not Gm to his heart, who cmild alone satiBfr Hs desiiea. jfaman, en the same ^rouDd, thotigfa the pnne favourite ol the ^iag, is wrei£hed, because he cannot have a boio from that maa whom his heart even despised. O bow distraaing are tha inquietudes of vanity t And how wretched ia moa wfco has Rol the God of Jacob for his halp^ ud is whosa haart Christ dwells not by faith I
Verse 14. l^et a gaUom be made qfJifly ew&ita AM] TTie won) ft tt*^ which we translate gauotm, sigadts simply viood, a tree, or poU; and this was to be ssSaUy five lea, high, that be might suffer the greater ignoway, and be a more public spectacle. 1 believe iinpaiing is hM also meant. See the note on chi^ iL 23.
Im former timea^ the Jews were aecoatomed to bora Haman in effigy; and with him a leoedeM crtna, wfaiA they pretended to be in memocy of that which fae had ereotra for Ihe suspension of Mordecai t but whidi waa ia fact lo deride the Vhrietxan religion. The em|>erora A»- tinian and T^eodo&itu abolished it by their edicts: and ih« practice has ceased from that time, though the prindpla from which it sprang still ezisU^ wim the sans vizakaea a<niinst Christianity and its glorious Author.
Verse 1. On. that night coitld not the king sfa^] Tha TarguM aavs the kiiig had a draam, which was as follows: — "And the king saw ime in the similitDde of a man, who spoke these words lo him: Haman deoireth to slay Ihce, and to make himself king in thy stead. BsMd to will come unto thee early ut the mommg, to ask from ihaa the man who rescued thee Erom death, that ht mtj ata^ him I but say ihou unto Haman, What shall fce ma tir the man whose honour the king studiethi And iboa wtk find that he will ask nothing less from tfaee thna the royal vestments, the rc^l crown, and the borae on which dw kiiw is wont to
Tfunatrdt^&eChronittMi tta* wdlnM Digitized by VjOOyiC
3 And it was fttuod written, that Mordecni had told of* Biffthana and Teresh, two <^'the kin^'n ehiajaberlaiiis, the keepers of the "door, who ■ouftht to Lay hand od the kinf Ahasuerus.
3 And the king snid, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this t Then said Che biiiff's aervants that ministered unto him, There u mthinir done for him.
4 t And the king said, Who is in tlie court? Now Hamaa was come into * ihe outward court of the kinc'i house, * to speak unto the ]dag to hanj; Mordeoai on th« gallows ibal he had prepared for him.
5 T And the king's servants said unts him, BehMd, Haman stabdeth in the courL And the ItioK sud. Let him come in.
4 So Haman came in. And the Idofc said onto bin, What shall be done unto the man 'whom the idng deliffhtetfa to honour? Now Haman thought in his b^rt, To whom would the king delight to do honour mere than to myself?
7 And Haman answered the king. For the man ' whom the king deliffhtetli to honour,
8 ■ Let the royal appcu^ be brought ■ which the king M»eth to wear, and *■ tha horse that the king rideth vpon, and the crowa royal which is •et open his bead:
9 And let this apparel and horae be delivered to the hand of oae of the kiiu's most noble princes, that th^ may array uie man vithal whom ue Idogdelighteth to honour, aad ■ bring him oo horaeMck,tbrouglk the street oT the eity,
tar,SI(lk«i,C^I,fl-aHgb. ar»dtoW.— llwClHjp.l.L-wCktll
Whr ihould the king, hi such a perturbed risie of mind, wian nidt ■ <li7 detail, as AroMtU» aflbrd, to lie read to him? But the truth i% as ohnsiolea wen ooouMsed among lbs Ptniama, hs coaM Dot have brou^t bewre lum any sraA naora iaitnntne, and skm solKiBjaiiir: beoanw •hMT were all written in vene, and were general^ the work «f ate moat eminent poela id die empire. They are written in ihia waj to ihe present time, and the fomoua epic poem •f the finM PereioD poe^ Fardooty, ttie Uomtr of India, is lUNhing elae than a rolleotioa of chronicles Irought downfren dte creation to the reign of Uohammed Ghezny, in the beginning of the taiA eentury. After thirty yeara^ WMwr, he fhiialwd diia poem, which contained onehundrtd Md beenlf (luutand Imea; and preaeoted it to the Sidtao Mahmnid, who had pfomited to ^ive him a dinar {eight tkUtittg* and Mirpauf,) for every line^ The poem vu finiihea A. D. 9&1{ and waa formed out of compoaitionB •f a similar mUure, made hf fitrmwjiotU. "niia chnmologkal poem ia written in all the harmony, atreni^ and elmne^ of the moat beautiful and harmoiiioua language in itie univeree; and what adds ereatly to ita worth is, that it has few Arahie worrl-s with which the bmutifiti Persian tongue wa« loailitd, ami in mr opinion corrupted, afler the conquest of the mMor port of Asia by the Mohammed. ma. Ths pedants of Hindooatan, whether tb^ §ptak or vrite ia pra—, or in verte, tiffvct thia eommisiUTe of Anbic words] which, though they aubftuMe to Penian ruleajVet ais producing a rugKcdneaa in a laofuag^ which in rfiway flowa deep and strong like n nrer of oil over every kind of <^noel. Such^ I suppose, was tha chrmidt that was read to Ahasuerua, when his distractions prevented bis sleep, and hia troubled mind required that soothing rsfsae which die gentle though powerful hand of poetry is alone, in such ciretimstanoes, eapoble of affording. Even sur rangft English aaceatora had their nocttc lAroniclf; and, among many, the ekronieU Rebtrt <ff Glottealtr is proof iu point. I need not add, that all that is real in 0*»ian is of the same complexion.
Verse 3. What Aunour and dignity hath bun done to Mardteai] It ia ceriain he found notniog in the record; and had any diing been done, diat was the moat likoly plare to And it.
Verse 4. Wio ia m tA'' eoitrt'] Hiis aMorda with the <irMm mentioned by the Targum; and given above.
ATotD Baman was com] TbiM must have been very ssr^in the morning. Haman's pride and revenge were boA on lilt tenters to be grati&ed.
VacseA lJu king mnd uttio him] He did not give him Hmm to maim hia requeet; and puts qitettion to bim which, Btttia Aral view, promised him all ihni hia heart ooold wish.
Varse 9. Ltt au royalapparU b« hratigkt] Pride and fiUy aver go hand in hand. What lie asked would have bs«^ in any ordiaary oase, against hij own lib: but be and proclaim before him. Thus shall it be -doac to tfie man whom the kin;; delighteth to honour.
10 Then the kinf; snnl to Ilamnn, Make haste, and take the apparel and the liursc, as thou hast B.'ud, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that stiteth at the king's gate: ' let nothing Hiil of ail that thou hast spokeiL
11 Then took Hainan tlie apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordcciu, aod broug[ht him on horseback tlirou^ch the street of the city, and proclaimed before liim. Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king dclighteih to honour.
12 IT And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman ^ hasted to nis house mourning, f and havitig his head coveriMl.
13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all hie friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai 6eof the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, hut shalt surely fall before him.
14 And while they wer£ vet talkioc with him, came the -king's chamberraius, amT hasted to bring Haman unto ^ the banquet that 'Esther had prepared.
SO the king and Haman came < to cb^ piauLib bantioet with Esther the queen. ottUiaufa., widied to reach the pinnacle of honour; never refleoiing that the hi«:her he rose, the more terrible would be bis fhH. Tht rtwU amartl wsa oeaar worn buf^ the king: sseu when ina hmg had laid tem aaidr, it waa death ts put them on. Hie Targmm has, pttrpU robet.
And the hort4 and Ihe crown rot/all luterpretera arc greatly divided whether what is culled here the crottn royo^ be not rarher an ornament worn on ihc head the horte, than what may be called the royal crown. Hw original may be understood both ways; and our veraion Boema to fevour the former opiniott: but I think it rnofs likely that the royal crown ia meant: — lor wliy memim tlw ordinary trappings of die royal steed 7
Veree9. One ^ the king't vtoel noliU prina*] Ala*, poor Iliunan 1 never waa the fable of die do^ and ehadow more literally fulfilled. Thou didst gape at die elmdoia, and didst lose the sulntance,
VerM 10. Mi/ce haste, and take the appartl—and do e»en oo to AH/rdecai] O moriifyiug reverse of Immon fortune I How could Uanian bear this! Ttie T^ir-^m mighl apeak according lo nature, when he said, that "Ilanum besouj^t the kliig to kill him, mlhcr duui degrade him so. Ildw astuitiiJiiiij; in the conduct of divine providence in all tbia bustoeasl From it we plainly see thai there ia neidier counsel, nor windom, wiinst the Lord. And, that he who din a pit for his nei^uiour is sure to fall into it himself.
Verse 12: Mordecai came agiun to Ote king'e ga4e] H« roaumod hii former humble elate i while Haman, ashamed to look ap, MVtrtd hiojaeet and ran home lo hide himself in his own house. Covering the head and /ace waa a sign of sAame and con/usMMi, as well as of grttf, among most people of the earth.
Vecae 13. JBul Jialt nirety/atl htfor* Hm.] The Septuannt adds, «ri i Otot i;uv ^r* osran, Jor the living God it with him. But this ia a sentiment that could scarcely be expected to prooesd from Ihe nuwth of htatiuns, such as diese were.
Verae 14. Haeted to bring BiMian] There vms a dreadfiil banquet befwe him, of which he knew nothinsi and ha could have litUe appetite to eaioy that which be knew waa prepared at the palace of Earner.
One grand aesign of thia liistory is, lo diow that he who lavs a snare for the life of hia neighbour is moM hkely to fiul into it himself: for, in the course of the divine provi. deao^ men generally meet with those avila in lile which IbtPT have been the means of inflicting an others: and diia iacjcaotly agreeable to the seeing of our Lord, Widi what masse re ye mate, it ^11 be mc-isured to you withal. NOTES ON CHAPTER vn.
Terse 2. Ai the banquet qf wine] Poetguam tino ineahieralf after he bad been heated widi winc^ aaya Iho Vulgate. In auch « atala the king ms mors Unl/ w come into ihsowmes of the queen. _|
2 And tlie king: eaid tiffain unto Esther on the second day, ^at the banauet of wine, What is thy petition, Q,ueen Esther? and it ehull be granted thee: and what is thy request? and It shall be performed, even to the half of the fcjnfdom.
3 Then Esther the queen answered and said. If I have found fiivour m thy siglit, O king, and ir it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
4 For we are > sold, I and my people, " to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.
5 If Then the king Ahasuerua answered and said nnto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, " that durst presume in his heart to do so?
6 And Esther said, » The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid v before the king and the queen.
7 IT And the king, arising from the banquetof wine in his wrath, weni into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the Icing.
8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the pTaoa of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon <■ the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also ' before me in the house 1 As the word went out of the king's mouth, they ■ covered Haman's face.
9 And < Harbonah. one of the chamberlains, ■aid before the king, Behold also, " the * gallows, fiffy cubhie h^h, which Haman had made for Menlecai, who lud spoken good for the king, etandeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hanf him thereon.
10 So * they lianged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for MordeeaL TImo was the king's wrath pacified.
Terse 3. Ltt my l^e ba gitm Tb\» wm ver^ aitftHXj, ■> well SB very hoaestiy, nwnuedt and was hi^hr eaknlated to work on the feehoga of the king. WhatI u the queea'a life, whom I tnoat tenderly love, in any kind of daoeer I
Verse 4. To he datroyed, to be glaiti] She here repeats the worda which Hamtui pot into ibe dteree. See chap. iii. 13.
Could not emnterraU the ktna^s damage.} Evea the tot ttounatf tftluita of ailver could not bs eoDsidcrMl m a compenaatitm to the ataie for the loai of a whole natioD of people tkrmighout aU their /reneratimi:
Verse 5. Who i» Ae, and wAere w he} There is a wonderfttl obruplnew and confusion in the original worda, highly expreBBiVB of the state of mind in which the king then wai; p mfpS la*? ^kVo '^Vtt tpn nt to'n? »on 'd Mey ku zA-ve ej/zeku luher melai libbv ladtotfi km. " Who 1 He— thiflonel And where t Thiaono— bel Who hath filled his heart to do thua T' He waa at oitce struck with the horrible nature of a conspimrv so cruel aitd diabolical.
Verae 7. Haman etood up} He roae from the table to make requeat Tor his life, a* aeon lu the king had gone out; and then he fell on hie knees before the queen, she still sitting upon her couch.
verse 8. Will heforee the f^ueen] On the king's return he fouitd himatthequeen'skneea; and, professing to think that he intended to do violence to hw honour, used the above ezpressiona; though he must hsn known that, in sueh eireumatancea, the uiought of perpetnOing an ctf this kind could not poaaibly exist.
'iTiw covered H^fnan'a face] Thia waa a ngn of hja heing devoted to death: for tfie attendants mw that the king was determined on his destruetion. When a eriminol was condemned by a Roman judge; he was delivered into the bands of the aergeant with these words: /, Ikior; caput obniUnlo, arbori infeliei twpendiio, " Go, sergeant; cover hifl head, and hang him nn the accursed tree.
Terse 9. AeftoU oZto, tte gottotM] Aa if be hod aaid, Besides sll he boa detsmiined to do to the JeviL he has MMKi « very high gollowj on vhidi he hsd detwnine^
ON that day did the king AhasoerDo ^ give the liouseofHamantheJews' 'i^gj** enemy unto Esther the qtieen. And — — Mordecai came before the king; for ■ Esther had told what he vas unto her.
2 And the king took off '■.his ring, which he had taken A-omHaman,and gave it nntoMordecaLAad Esther set Mordecai over the house of Hamaa
3 H And Esther spake yet ag^ before the king, and fell down at his feet, ' and besourht him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
4 Then ■< the king held out the geldea sceptre, toward Esther. So Esther arose, and Mood before the king,
5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thin^ seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse * the letters devised by Hnvan the soa of Hamraedatha the Agagite, ' which he wrote to destroy the Jewa which are in all the king's provinces:
6 For how can 1 ' endure to see ^ the evil that shall come unto my^ peoide t or how can I endure to see the destruetion of ny kindred?
7 11 Then the king AhaMerue said unto Esther the qtieen, and to Mordecai the Jew, Behtdd. ■ I have given £^ther the house of Haman, ana him they nave hanged apon the gallows, beiaose he laid hie hand upon the Jews.
8 Write ye also for die Jews, as itliketh joa, in the kiog^s name, and seal it witfc the knv'i ring; for the writmg which is written in the king's name, and eenled with the ltiiiR*i ring, * may no man reverse.
this very day, to hang Movdsesi, who hss sowed die kia^s
Hong him Atrem} Lri him be {nstontly impaled ea the same post Harm watch, harm catch; aays the |oo> verbr Perillus was die first peraon burnt alive in the fanzenftuU, which he had made fiir the puniahnsent of odtors: hence the poet said,
Nor can there be a juater law than that die srtifiews af death should perish by their own iBVentioa.
Terse 1. ITie king — gave Ou hout Bamam] Am Haman was found guilty oi ireaaonable praoticea agadM the peace and prosperity of the king and his empire, bis life was forreited, and bis goods conwated. Andsa Moi^ deeai bad been the means of preaerving the king's life^ aad was the principal object of Homan'a moKee, it was but jsm to confer his property upon him, aa well as his digoiqr sad ofiice, as Mordecai was found deserving of the fbrmer, aad fit to discharge the duiies of the latter.
Terse 2. The king look off hi* ring] In the rimg was the Mat of the king. Giving the ring to Honlaeai was lantMnount to giving him tHe eeaUof the kingdom, ani constituting him the eame as Lord Oianrtiior eunflng as.
Versefi. 7\> tee the deelruetion qf my kindred?] She hod now informed the king that die was cotnon to Mardecai, and eonsequentty a Jcwm* t and though ber own life and that of iHorderai were no longer in danger, TIaMaa being dead, yet the decree that bad gone forth waa in full fbree against the.Knes f on^if not repealed, their deslfp tion would be inevilsble.
Terse 8. JIfay no man rsMrse] Whotenr bad poased the TOytl signet could never be revoked; no emmiMng edict Muld destroy or repeal a preceding one; bat oao or a similar nature to the Jem against the Persians^ as AoA to the Pertiani was agunst the Jewe, might be ssstred j and thus the Jaws be enabled lyiriaisfafylo defend dioeasslveoi sad, flonaeiiaendy, plosoiIoosnsqnsliBatingwidi their eoeroies.
9 I Then were the kingr's MribM caHed at that time in the third month, that i«, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereor: and it
. was written, according to ail that Mordecni commanded, onto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are " from Indiaunto Ethiopia, a hundred twenty and seven provinces.unto every province "accordiiuf to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the JewB according to their writing, and according to their language.
10 ' And he wrote in the Iting Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and eent letters by poets on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, afujjroung dromedaries:
11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every^ city to sather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all ttie power of the peo-
Ele and province that would assault them, ooth tUe ones and women, and p to take the spoil of them for a prej,
12 ' Upon one day, in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of Uie twelfth month, which t> the month Adar.
13 ■ The copy of the writing, for a command ment to be given in every province, ittu ■ published unto all people, and that the Jews shoirid be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 So the posts that rode upon moles and cameb went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commaHdment And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.
ISIT And Mordecai went outfrom the presence of the king in royal apparel of <■ blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and pur^e; and ' the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had * light, and gladness, tuid joy, and honour.
17 And in every province, and in every city,
TerM 9. T^ie mmtk Sivan] Tha tuuwers to a port of onr Mat/ mai June.
Verae 10. On nutUa, camtU, and young drmudarUt] What these beaite vara is diSeult to ht. Ilia word V3^ rafaat, whidt wtianrialantfa^dgBiaesajiBiff cAorigf-
TIm atranga word nmrnM ahuhteranim, ii prob^ly a Psraisa wcvd, but perhapa incurably corrupted. Tht most likely derivation is that of Boehaiij from the PerMian COOkl alOcaah, huge, large, rofigk, aiidjX>«l safer, a wuiUi large mulem.
The worai ff>3a^n ieney haramacinL, the ■oni of raorea, which we tranilate tuwatdarUt, is aunpoaed to aignify nutUa, produced between the he a«a and the mare, to diitingiiiah them from thoae produced between the tlal- Omi and the lut. But there la really to much conftiaion about theae matters and ao little consent among learned men aa U the aignificatioa of theae words, and even the true knowledge of them ia of such little importance; (hat wa may well rest contented with audi names aa our roodero translations have given us. They were, no doubt, the stei/I- Mfand hwdi^Mt bSuU that the aUy or couniry could produce.
Terae 11. To dutroff, to tlay, aiid to cause to perisA] The same words aa in Haman'a decree t therefore, the Jews had as much authori^ to alay their enemies, aa lhair snemies bad to slay them.
JjUtU ojiu and women] l^ia was (he ordinary custom, Is deatroy die whi^ fanUy of those coavieteu of great srimes t and, wfaedter thia was right or wrong, it was the custom of die people, and aecotding to the laws. Beatdea, as diis edict was to give the Jews the same power against their enemies aa tMy had fav the former decree against them, and iha wonao and children were diere included; MiQsei|iisatly^lhey must be incltaled here.
Yarse 14. ns daerm voa given at 8kuAmi\ Hie eontnrysfleetwhidi it was lo produce eonaidered, Ihisdeeree was ia every reqiect lika the fbrmar. Sas chi^t. iii.
Verae 15. Blue and uAits] Probably, atripe intenhsngsd with stripe } or blue &ced woA boiderad with lefttts fax.
Fino and purpla] See on Gen. sli. 42. The fo taiS) here meotiooed, is moat probably the sams with the
whithersoever the king's commandment and hia decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast ' and a good day. And many of the people of the land ' became Jews; for ■ the fear of Uie Jews.^JJ npon them.
NOW ■ in ilic twcUlh month, that is, ^" "ffthe month Adar, on the thirteenth a D c.ni. day of the same, " when the king's com- oiES^i mandment and his decree drew near to ''■«i««fas. be put in execution, in the day tluit the enemuM of the Jews hoped to have power over Uiem,
S though it was turned to the contrary, that the ews < had rule over them that hated them:)
2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throuehout all the provinces of the kio^ Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as ■ sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for ' the fear of them fell upon all people.
3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and ' officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.
4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fhme went out throughout aU the pro* vinces; for this man Hordecw ^ waxed greater and greater.
5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of ttie sword, and slaughter and d»- stmction, and did ■ what the/ woiud noto those that hated them.
6 And in Shushan the palace the Jewe slew and destroyed five hundred men.
hyamu of the ancienUt wapffmtA to be the beautiful t^fl or beard, growing out of the side of the pinna longa, a very large species of muKle, (bund on the coasts of the Haditerranean sea; of whirh there ia a pair of gloves io the British museum, lliis bynu I have described elsewhere.
iShusAan— uNw gla^ Haman was too proud to be poputar; fiaw lamentea hia fall.
Verse 17. Many — became Jew, for— fear'] Ttiese were a apeciea of eonverla not likely to bring much honour to true religion; but the sacred historian states the simple fiicL They did profess Judaism for fear of the Jews, whether they continued steady in that fiuth or not.
It ia only the Oospel which will not admit of coercion for the propagation and establishment of its doctrines, ll ia a spiritual system, and ean be propagaied only by apirltual influence. Aa it proclaima holiness ofheart and life, which nothing but the Spirit of God can produce; ao it is the Spirit of God alone, that can persuade the understanding, and change the hearL Ifthekinf^om of Christ wereof this toor/d^ then would his aervants fight But it ia not from hence.