Esther 8

Chap. VIII. Ver.1—17. The king promotes Mordecai into Haman’s place, and authorizes the Jews to stand in their own defence.—It is the law of God only, and that only so far as it is moral, that admits of no repeal. It was too common a practice, however, with heathen princes, to assume the prerogatives of Deity, as was here the case, which, instead of raising the monarch’s character, involved him in great embarrassment. The decree cannot be rescinded, nor must it be executed. The only possible way for the king to extricate himself from this dilemma, is to issue another law to oppose the execution of the former. To such miserable shifts do men reduce themselves by encroaching on the divine authority.

Mordecai is appointed in the place of Haman, and the king’s ring (which contained his seal of office) is placed on his hand. His house also, and his property, are transferred to him; and to complete the revolution, royal couriers are dispatched into every quarter to authorize the Jews to defend themselves and destroy their enemies.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 7. The king arose.—According to Tavernier, (in his Persian travels,) the sudden rising of the king in anger, was the same as if he had pronounced the sentence of death.

Ver. 8. They covered Haman’s face; not allow malefactors to look at them; as soon as Haman was so considered, his face was covered. When a criminal was condemned, he was delivered to the sergeant with these words: “Go, sergeant, cover his head, and hang him on the accursed tree.” We find from Pococke, that this custom still prevails in the East; for, speaking of the artifice by which an Egyptian bey was assassinated, he says, “malefactor just taken, with his hands behind him, as if tied, and a napkin put over his head, as malefactors commonly have, when he came into his presence, suddenly shot him dead."—Bagster. So a great number of Chap.

Vill. Ver. 5. The Jews.—‘ALL the Jews.” MSS., the Syriac and Chaldee.—De Rossi.

Ver. 9. The month Sivan answers to part of our June, and part of July.—India.—India or Hindostan is a large country of the south of Asia, extending from north to south about 2400 miles, and from east to west, 1800, between 8° and 35° N. lat. and 68° and 92° 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 also the country east of the Indus was anciently called India.—Bagster.

Ver. 15. Crown of gold.—Mordecai was now 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.—Bagster.

Ver. 16. Jews 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.—Bagster.