Esther 1:1-20
Ahasuerus ....... Ahasuerus <0325> [Ahasuerus.]
Prideaux has shewn satisfactorily that Ahasuerus was the Artaxerxes Longimanus of the Greeks, agreeably to the Septuagint and Josephus. See note on Ezr 6:14.
India <01912> [from India.]
hundred <03967> [an hundred.]
<03427> [sat.]
Susa <07800> [Shushan.]
provided <06213> [A.M. 3542. B.C. 462. he made.]
Persia <06539> [of Persia.]
nobles <06579> [the nobles.]
displayed <07200> [When he.]
riches <06239> [the riches.]
majestic <08597> [excellent.]
present <04672> [present. Heb. found. seven days.]
mother-of-pearl <02353 01858> [white.]
purple <08504> [blue. or, violet.]
couches <04296> [the beds.]
These were couches, covered with gold and silver cloth, on which the guests reclined; for the Orientals do not sit, but recline at their meals.
valuable stones <0923> [red, etc. or, of porphyre, and marble, and alabaster, and stone of blue colour.]
golden containers <02091 03627> [vessels of gold.]
Royal wine <03196 04438> [royal wine. Heb. wine of the kingdom. state of the king.]
Heb. hand of the king.
<0597> [none did compel.]
Every person drank what he pleased. Among the Greeks, however, each guest was obliged to keep the round, or leave the company: hence the proverb [E pithi, e apithi,] Drink, or begone. Mr. Herbert, in his poem entitled "The Church Porch," has severely reprobated this vile custom. In Britain, however, this demoralizing custom is now almost destroyed, and a new era of social pleasure is arising, by temperate habits, increased domestic comforts, and the spread of gospel truths.
supervisors <07227> [the officers.]
Queen <04436> [the queen.]
feeling <03820> [the heart.]
Harbona <02726> [Harbona.]
[Harbonah. chamberlains. or, eunuchs.]
Vashti <02060> [Vashti.]
attractive <04758 02896> [fair to look on. Heb. good of countenance.]
Queen <04436> [the queen.]
This refusal of Vashti's, to expose herself to the view of such a group of drunken Bacchanalians, was highly praiseworthy, and became the dignity of her rank and the modesty of her sex.
refused <03985> [refused.]
through ... eunuchs <03027 05631> [by his chamberlains. Heb. which was by the hand of his eunuchs. was the king.]
consumed <01197> [burned.]
wise <02450> [the wise.]
then ......... discerners .................. proficient <03045> [knew.]
seven <07651> [the seven.]
saw <07200> [saw.]
done <06213> [What shall we do. Heb. What to do.]
Vashti <02060> [Vashti.]
This reasoning was inconsequent and false. Vashti had not generally disobeyed the king, therefore she could be no precedent for the general conduct of the Persian women. She disobeyed only in one particular; and this, to serve a purpose, Memucan draws into a general consequence: and the rest came into the conclusion, being either too intoxicated to be able to discern right from wrong, or too intent on reducing women to a state of vassalage, to neglect the present favourable opportunity.
wrong <05753> [done wrong.]
contempt <0959> [despise.]
ladies <08282> [the ladies.]
{Saroth,} the princesses: but the meaning is well expressed by our term ladies.
king .... inclined ................................... King ......... royalty <04428 02895> [it please the king. Heb. it be good with the king.]
from him ......................... presence <06440> [from him. Heb. from before him. it be not altered. Heb. it pass not away.]
Let it be inserted among the permanent laws, and be made a part of the constitution of the empire. The Persians seem to have affected such a degree of wisdom in the construction of their laws, that they never could be amended, and should never be repealed; and this formed the ground of the saying, "The laws of the Medes and Persians that change not."
another <07468> [another. Heb. her companion. that is better.]
kingdom <04438> [throughout.]
women <0802> [all the wives.]
