Esther 2:1--3:15
remembered <02142> [A.M. 3543. B.C. 461. he remembered.]
decided <01504> [what was decreed.]
king's servants ............. king's <05288 04428> [king's servants.]
attractive <02896> [Let there be.]
provinces <04082> [in all the provinces.]
gather <06908> [that they may gather.]
This was the usual way in which the harem, or {seraglio,} was furnished; the finest women in the land, whether of high or low birth, were sought out and brought to the harem. They all became the king's concubines; but one was raised as chief wife, or sultana, to the throne; and her issue was especially entitled to inherit.
authority <03027> [the custody. Heb. the hand. Hege.]
[Hegai. the king's chamberlain.]
{Saris hammelech,} "the king's eunuch:" so the LXX., Vulgate, Targum, and Syriac.
cosmetics <08562> [their things.]
young woman <05291> [let the maiden.]
idea <01697> [the thing.]
Susa <07800> [Shushan.]
Jewish man <03064 0376> [a certain Jew.]
son ..... son ... Shimei ... son <01121 08096> [the son of Shimei.]
Jeconiah <03204> [Jeconiah.]
[Jeboiachin.]
[Coniah.]
guardian <0539> [brought up. Heb. nourished.]
Hadassah <01919> [Hadassah.]
uncle <01730> [his uncle's.]
beautiful <02896 03303> [fair and beautiful. Heb. fair of form and good of countenance.]
raised <03947> [took.]
Hegai ................ Hegai <01896> [Hegai.]
One of Dr. Kennicott's MSS., instead of Hegai has Heg‚, as in ver. 3.
found <05375> [she obtained.]
cosmetics <08562> [her her things.]
rations <04490> [such things. Heb. her portions. preferred her. Heb. changed her.]
disclosed <05046> [had not shewed.]
Mordecai <04782> [for Mordecai.]
Mordecai <04782> [Mordecai.]
The apartments of the women are accounted so inviolable, that it is even a crime to enquire what passes within their walls. A man, says Chardin, may walk a hundred days, one after the other, by the house where the women are, and yet know no more what is done there than at the farther end of Tartary. This sufficiently explains the conduct of Mordecai.
walk <01980> [walked.]
Esther <0635 07965> [how Esther did. Heb. the peace of Esther.]
arrived <0935> [A.M. 3546. B.C. 458. to go in.]
months .................................. six months ....... six months <02320 08337> [six months.]
pleased <02654> [delighted.]
requested <07121> [she were called.]
her <03947> [who had taken.]
Esther ............................................. Esther <0635> [Esther.]
tenth month ..... month <02320 06224> [the tenth month.]
seventh <07651> [the seventh.]
loving approval <02617> [favour. or, kindness. in his sight. Heb. before him. so that he set.]
Bishop Patrick observes, that those who suggest that Esther committed a great sin to come at the dignity of queen of Persia, do not consider the custom of those times and countries. Every one that the king took to his bed was married to him, and was his wife of a lower rank, as Hagar was to Abraham.
prepared ... large ................. set aside <06213 01419> [A.M. 3547. B.C. 457. made a great.]
prepared ................... set aside <06213> [he made.]
We learn from Herodotus and Athen‘us, that the Persian monarchs were accustomed to give their wives distinct cities and provinces for the purpose of supplying them with different articles of dress: one was assigned for ornamenting the head and neck; another provided robes, zones, etc.; and the city of Anthilla was given to a Persian queen, we read, to supply her with shoes and sandals. It is probable, therefore, that, at the desire of Esther, Ahasuerus relieved those cities and provinces that had before paid it, from this expense.
holiday <02010> [release. Heb. rest. gave gifts.]
young women <01330> [the virgins.]
sitting .... king's gate <03427 04428 08179> [sat in the king's gate.]
divulging <05046> [had not yet shewed.]
Esther ................. Esther <0635> [for Esther.]
Bigthan <0904> [Bigthan.]
[Bigthana. door. Heb. threshold. and sought.]
conspiracy <01697> [the thing.]
Esther ... Esther told <0635 0559> [and Esther certified.]
Mordecai ................ Mordecai's behalf <08034 04782> [Mordecai's name.]
hanged <08518> [hanged.]
<05612> [the book.]
promoted Haman <01431 02001> [A.M. 3551. B.C. 453. promote Haman.]
Agagite <091> [Agagite.]
officials <08269> [above all the princes.]
king's servants ...... king's ............ king <05650 04428> [the king's servants.]
Dr. Shaw, speaking of the cities in the East, says, "If we quit the streets, and enter into any of the principal houses, we shall first pass through a porch, or gate-way, with benches on each side, where the master of the family receives visits, and despatches business; few persons, not even the nearest relations, having admission any farther, except upon extraordinary occasions." These servants were probably officers who here waited the king's call; and it is likely that Mordecai was one of them.
paying ..................... homage <03766> [bowed.]
bowing ... paying ............... bow ....... homage <03766 07812> [bowed not.]
{YichrÆ’ welo yishtachaweh,} "bowed not down, nor prostrated himself," or worshipped him. Had this meant only civil reverence the king would not have needed to command it; nor would Mordecai have refused it; there was, therefore, some kind of divine honour intended, such as was paid to the Persian kings, and which even the Greeks refused, as express adoration.
violating <05674> [Why.]
spoken <0559> [when they spake.]
informed <05046> [that they told.]
informed <05046> [he had told.]
Mordecai <04782> [that Mordecai.]
filled ... rage <04390 02534> [full of wrath.]
sought <01245> [sought.]
first month ..... month ............................. month ......... month ..... month <02320 07223> [the first month.]
twelfth <08147> [in the twelfth.]
pur ....... cast <05307 06332> [they cast Pur.]
Adar <0143> [Adar.]
particular <06340> [scattered abroad.]
laws ................ laws <01881> [their laws.]
King ...................................... king's ......... king ..... haven <07737 04428> [for the king's profit to. Heb. meet, or equal for the king to, etc.]
destroy <06> [that they may be destroyed. Heb. to destroy them. and I will pay. Heb. and I will weigh.]
Here Haman is obliged to acknowledge that there would be a loss to the revenue, which he was willing to make up out of his own property. Ten thousand talents of silver, counted by the Babylonish talent, amount to 2,119,000Å“.; but reckoned by the Jewish talent, they amount to double that sum. In those days, silver and gold were more plentiful than at present; and we have many instances of individuals possessing almost incredible riches. Herodotus relates, that when Xerxes went into Greece, Pythius the Lydian had 2,000 talents of silver, and 4,000,000 of gold darics, which unitedly amount to nearly 5,500,000Å“. Plutarch tells us, that after Crassus had dedicated the tenth of all he had to Hercules, he entertained the Roman people at 10,000 tables, and distributed to every citizen as much corn as was sufficient for three months; and, after all these expenses, he had 7,100 Roman talents left, which amount to more than 1,500,000Å“. Lentulus the augur is said to have possessed no less than 3,333,333Å“. 6s. 8d. Apicius was worth more than 916,671Å“ 13s. 4d.; and, after having spent in his kitchen 833,333Å“ 6s. 8d. he considered the remainder too little for his support, and poisoned himself!
ten thousand <06235 0505> [ten thousand.]
removed <05493> [took.]
hostile <06887> [enemy. or, oppressor.]
do <06213> [to do.]
royal ....................... king's .................................... King .......... king's <04428> [Then were.]
scribes <05608> [scribes. or, secretaries. according.]
name <08034> [in the name.]
sealed <02856> [sealed.]
by ... runners <03027 07323> [by posts.]
youth <05288> [both young.]
a ... day <0259 03117> [in one day.]
loot ... plunder <07998> [the spoil.]
copy <06572> [The copy.]
scurried <01765> [hastened.]
sat down <03427> [sat down.]
city <05892> [the city.]
