Esther 8:1--10:3
gave ... estate <05414 01004> [give the house.]
come before <0935 06440> [came before.]
signet ring <02885> [his ring.]
it ..... Esther designated <07760 0635> [Esther set.]
falling <05307> [fell.]
wept ...... mercy <01058 02603> [besought him with tears. Heb. she wept and besought him.]
evil <07451> [mischief.]
extended <03447> [held out.]
[and, if I.]
<02896> [I be pleasing.]
<05612> [letters. Heb. device.]
written .... recorded ............. wrote <03789> [which he wrote. or, who wrote.]
how ............. how <0349> [For how.]
can ... watch ........... can ... watch <07200 03201> [endure to see. Heb. be able that I may see. the evil.]
given <05414> [Behold.]
hanged <08518> [him they have hanged.]
king's name ................ king's ........... king's name ...... king's <04428 08034> [in the king's name.]
rescinded <07725> [may no man reverse.]
No, not the king himself; and this was the reason that the king was forced not to reverse, but to give a contradictory decree; that if the Jews, pursuant to the first decree, were assaulted, they might legitimately, by virtue of the second, defend themselves, slay their enemies, and even take the spoil.
king's <04428> [the king's.]
satraps <0323> [and to the lieutenants.]
India <01912> [India.]
The Hebrew word {Hoddo,} in Syriac, {Hendoo,} and in Arabic, {Hind,} is rendered India by all the versions. India, or Hindostan, is a large country of the south of Asia, extending from north to south about 2,400 miles, and from east to west 1,800, between 8 degrees and 35 degrees N. lat. and 68 degrees and 92 degrees E. long.; being bounded on the west by the Indus, east by the Birman empire and Thibet, north by the Indian Caucasus, and south by the Indian Ocean. It is probable, however, that all the country east of the Indus was anciently called India.
language .............. language <03956> [and according.]
King ........ king's <04428> [in the king.]
couriers <03027 07323> [by posts.]
horses <07409> [mules.]
{Rechesh,} in Syriac, {rechesha,} probably denotes a swift horse.
royal <0327> [camels.]
{Achashteranim,} from the Persian {akhash,} large, and {aster,} a mule, probably, as Bochart supposes, denotes a large mule.
<07424 01121> [young dromedaries.]
{Beney harammachim,} "the sons of mares," as the word {ramakat} denotes in Arabic; probably an expletive of the preceeding word.
assemble <06950> [to gather.]
destroy <08045> [to destroy.]
confiscate <07998> [and to take the spoil.]
This ........ certain day <03117 0259> [one day.]
thirteenth <07969> [upon the thirteenth.]
known <01540> [published. Heb. revealed. avenge themselves.]
without delay <0926> [being hastened.]
Susa <07800> [Shushan.]
royal attire <03830 04438> [royal apparel.]
purple <08504> [blue. or, violet.]
large ... crown <01419 05850> [and with a great crown.]
Mordecai was now made the chief minister, or vizier, instead of Haman; and was accordingly invested with the "royal apparel," in conformity to the custom of the East. So we are informed, in the History of the Revolt of Ali Bey, that on the election of a new {sheikh bellet,} or chief of the country, in Egypt, the {pasha} who approves of him invests him with a robe of valuable fur. Perhaps the crown was one of the insignia of the office of vizier. Concerning the blue, fine linen, and purple, see the Notes on Ex 25:4; 39:27.
city <05892> [the city.]
Haman was too proud to be popular: few lamented his fall.
Jews <03064> [Jews.]
radiant <0219> [had light.]
That is, prosperity and hope. The dark cloud which had so long hung over them was dispelled; and again the sunshine of prosperity beamed upon them.
banquets <04960> [a feast.]
Many ..... peoples <05971 07227> [many of the people.]
fear <06343> [for the fear.]
<08147> [A.M. 3552. B.C. 452. in the twelfth.]
supposed <07663> [hoped.]
<02015> [though it was turned.]
assembled <06950> [gathered.]
seeking <01245> [as sought.]
dread <06343> [the fear.]
officials <08269> [the rulers.]
performed ... king's <04428 06213> [officers of the king. Heb. those which did the business that belonged to the king. the fear.]
high rank ....................... greater <01419> [was great.]
word about him <08089> [his fame.]
spreading .......... become greater <01980> [waxed.]
struck <05221> [smote.]
bringing death <04347> [the stroke.]
pleased <07522> [what they would. Heb. according to their will.]
The Chaldee paraphrast says that none appeared against the Jews but Amalekites only, who were infatuated, and had their hearts hardened, as Pharaoh's against Israel, to take up arms to their own destruction. Some had such an inveterate, implacable malice against the Jews, that Haman's fall and Mordecai's advancement, instead of convincing, seemed only to exasperate them the more. How have the most dreadful scourges ravaged a country, and yet the inhabitants are unmindful of the Almighty Disposer of events, and that the cause of his righteous displeasure is their continual provocation! Forty years long was he grieved with one generation, who learned not his ways, although daily fed and clothed by a miracle.
Susa <07800> [Shushan.]
ten sons .... son <01121 06235> [ten sons.]
enemy <06887> [enemy.]
property <0961> [but on the spoil.]
It does not appear that the Jews slew any person who did not rise up to destroy them: they stood for their lives; and gave full proof that they sought their own personal safety, and not the property of their enemies: though the decree in their favour gave them authority to take the property of all their adversaries.
brought <0935> [was brought. Heb. came.]
request <07596> [what is thy petition.]
king is ... inclined <02896 04428> [If it please the king.]
Esther had probably been informed by Mordecai, that there were still many enemies of the Jews who sought their destruction, who had escaped the preceding day; and therefore begged that the second day might be added to the former permission; and that the sons of Haman, who had already been slain, might be suspended on gibbets, as a terror to those who sought the destruction of the Jews.
<03117> [according unto.]
hang ... ten sons ... Haman <06235 01121 08518 02001> [let Haman's ten sons be hanged. Heb. let men hang Haman's ten sons.]
assembled <06950> [gathered themselves.]
property <0961> [but on the prey.]
assembled <06950> [gathered themselves.]
stand up <05975> [stood.]
<05118> [of the same. Heb. in it.]
thirteenth <07969> [on the thirteenth.]
happiness <08057> [gladness.]
sending gifts <04490 04916> [sending portions.]
The eastern princes and people not only invite their friends to feasts, but it is their custom to send a portion of the banquet to those that cannot well attend, especially their relations, and those in a state of mourning. Thus, when the Grand Emir found that it incommoded M. D'Arvieux to eat with him, he desired him to take his own time for eating, and sent him from his kitchen what he liked best.
Mordecai <04782> [Mordecai.]
That is, as the words imply, the history contained in this book; and not merely the letters afterwards mentioned, as some understand it.
wrote ... matters <03789 01697> [wrote these.]
provinces <04082> [in all the provinces.]
time ......................... holiday ...... days <03117> [the days.]
trouble <03015> [from sorrow.]
sending gifts <04490 04916> [sending portions.]
enemy <06887> [the enemy.]
pur <06332> [Pur.]
The word {pur} seems to be derived either from the Persian {bahr} and {bar,} a part, portion, lot, or {pari,} any thing which happens fortuitously or fortunately; whence the annual festival in commemoration of the wonderful deliverance of the Jews from their enemies was called Purim, or in Arabic and Persian, {Fuhr,} or {Lots;} which has been observed by them, in all places of their dispersion, from that day to the present time, without any interruption.
afflict <02000> [consume. Heb. crush.]
came <0935> [when Esther came. Heb. when she came.]
gave <07725> [return.]
known <07121> [they called.]
Purim ...... pur <06332> [Pur. that is, Lot. letter.]
descendants <02233> [and upon their seed.]
joined their company <03867> [all such.]
fail <05674> [fail. Heb. pass.]
remembered <02142> [remembered.]
fail <05674> [fail. Heb. pass. the memorial.]
cease .... descendants <02233 05486> [perish from their seed. Heb. be ended from their seed.]
daughter ... Abihail <01323 032> [the daughter of Abihail.]
authority <08633> [authority. Heb. strength. confirm.]
hundred <03967> [the hundred.]
words .... peace <07965 01697> [words of peace.]
themselves <05315> [themselves. Heb. their souls. and for their seed.]
fasting <06685> [the fastings.]
then imposed forced labor <07760 04522> [laid a tribute.]
coastlands <0339> [the isles.]
actions <04639> [all the acts.]
promoted ..... written <01431 03789> [advanced him. Heb. made him great.]
Book <05612> [in the book.]
Media <04074> [Media.]
Media, which comprehended the modern Azerbijan and part of Irak, was a celebrated country of Asia, bounded on the north by the Caspian Sea and Armenia, west by Assyria, south by Susiana and Persia, and east by Hyrcania and Parthia, extending from 30 degrees to 37 degrees N. lat. and 45 degrees to 53 degrees E. long.
Persia <06539> [Persia.]
Persia Proper, now Fars, was but a small province, being bounded on the north by Media, west by Susiana, south by the Persian Gulf, and east by Caramania, extending from 27 degrees to 33 degrees N. lat. and 50 degrees to 55 degrees E. long. But the Persian empire in its ancient state extended from the Hellespont to the Indus, above 2,800 miles, and from Pontus to the shores of Arabia, above 2,000 miles; comprehending a multitude of various nations.
second .... King <04428 04932> [next unto king.]
<07521> [accepted.]
enthusiastically <01875> [seeking.]
REMARKS ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER. This Book, which derives its name from the person whose history it chiefly relates, is termed in Hebrew, [megillƒh <\\See definition 04039\\> 'Ectˆr <\\See definition 0635\\>,] megillath Esther, "the volume of Esther." Concerning its author there are various opinions: some attribute it to Ezra; some to Joachim, the son of Joshua the high priest; others to the men of the great synagogue; and others to Mordecai, which seems the most probable opinion. The events here related probably refer to the time of Artaxerxes Longimanus, who, according to Prideaux, was the Ahasuerus of Esther, agreeably to Josephus, (Ant. 1 xi. c. 6,) the Septuagint version, and the apocryphal additions to this book. The history, therefore, comes in between the sixth and seventh chapters of Ezra, commencing about A.M. 3540, and continuing through a period of twelve years: it relates the royal feast of Ahasuerus; the disgrace of Vashti, (ch. 1:;) the elevation of Esther to the Persian throne; the essential service rendered to the king by Mordecai, in detecting a plot against his life, (ch. 2:;) the promotion of Haman, and his purposed destruction of the Jews, (ch. 3:;) the consequent affliction of the Jews, and the measures pursued by them, (ch. 4:;) the defeat of Haman's plot, through the instrumentality of Esther, against Mordecai, (ch. 5:-7:;) and also the defeat of his general plot against the Jews, (ch. 8:; 9:1-15;) the institution of the feast of Purim to commemorate this deliverance, (ch. 9:16-32;) and the advancement of Mordecai, (ch. 10:;) and though some Christians have hesitated to receive this book into the sacred canon, yet it has always been received by the Jews, not only as perfectly authentic, but also as one of the most excellent of their sacred books. That it is a genuine and faithful description of a real fact, the observation of the feast of Purim, to the present day, is a sufficient evidence; since it is impossible, and in fact inconceivable, that a nation should institute, and afterwards continue to celebrate without interruption, through every generation of that people, in a long succession of ages, in whatever places they may have sojourned, this solemn annual festival, merely because one of their nation had written an agreeable fable or romance. It has been remarked, as an objection to this book, that the name of God no where occurs in it: His superintending providence, however, is frequently illustrated. It is shewn, indeed, in every part of the work; disconcerting evil designs, and producing great events, by means seemingly inadequate. It also presents an interesting description of mortified pride, and of malice baffled to the destruction of its possessors; and exhibits a very lively representation of the vexations and troubles, the anxieties, treachery, and dissimulation of a corrupt court.
