Esther 9

(Esther 9), Ver. 1—32. The Jews retaliate severely on their enemies, and the feast of Purim is appointed in memorial of the event.—The advancement of Mordecai of course gave predominance to the Jewish interest, notwithstanding all the hatred that Haman had stirred up against them. The rulers of the provinces and their deputies now helped the Jews, and great was the slaughter of their enemies, for no less than 75,000 of them were slain; though it is to be hoped the Jews confined themselves to their commission, and acted only on the defensive. It is especially mentioned to their honour, that “they laid not their hand upon the prey;” which showed sufficiently that their object was, by no means, plunder.

Still it is evident beyond all reasonable doubt that there was a spirit of revenge indulged, which cannot be recommended to Christians; and we are sorry to see a sense of it in the queen herself, who not only demanded the life of Haman’s sons, but seems to have been gratified in their being hung up to public view, even after they were _ The feast of Purim was now solemnly appointed, and though it was not a divine command, no divine festival, perhaps, has been so regularly and universally observed among them to the present day. The following, according to David Levi and others, is the manner in which the feast is now observed:— “During this festival, the Book of Esther is solemnly read in the synagogues; and whenever the name of Haman occurs the whole congregation clap their hands, stamp their feet, and vociferate, ‘Let his name and memory be blotted out.’—‘The name of the wicked shall rot.’ It is also customary for the children, who have little wooden hammers, to knock against the wall, as a memorial that they should endeavour to destroy the whole seed of Amalek. The prayers for the deliverance of their nation, are accompanied with curses on Haman and his wife, and blessings on Mordecai and Esther. This is a time of peculiar gayety. Alms are given to the poor; relations and friends send presents to each other; all furnish their tables with every luxury they can command; and they indulge themselves largely in their cups, in memory of Esther’s banquet of wine, at which she succeeded in defeating the designs of Haman.”

Chap. X. Ver. 1—3. The book closes with an appeal to the Persian records, and a short character of Mordecai.—Of the former we know nothing, except that they are lost: but the latter calls for a few brief observations. We have already seen that Mordecai was raised to the station from which Haman fell, namely, that of Prime Minister. This made him rank, as Joseph did with Pharaoh, the second person in the kingdom. We have no reason to call in question his probity and justice, and the text describes him as a Jew patriot, “seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.” We are disappointed, however, in coming to the end of a narrative, which so remarkably displays the interference of Providence in the behalf of the Jewish nation, without a syllable of acknowledgment either from Esther or from Mordecai, who had been both rescued from an untimely death thereby.

We read much, indeed, of their fasting in their trouble, and of their feasting afterwards; but not a word of either prayer or thanksgiving. This leads us to suspect that neither Mordecai nor Esther were personally devout, however morally virtuous and patriotic. This circumstance, and this only, seems sufficient to account for the remarkable and evidently intentional omission of, not only the peculiar name Jehovah, but of all the names of Deity, and of any reference to Divine Providence throughout the whole book. The latter part of the last chapter, are written in prose, and form an introduction and conclusion to the poetical part, which is a poem of the highest order; dealing with the east.

Chap. I. Ver. 1—22. The character of Job, and the history of his trials.—‘Job’s character is that of “a perfect and upright man;” but his history sufficiently shows that this is not meant of an absolute perfection, “for there is no man that sinneth not,” but of that sterling integrity, which distinguishes “one that feareth God and escheweth,” that is, fleeth or carefully avoideth “evil.” Job was also rich, and his substance consisted in his family and his cattle, as was the case with all the patriarchs; and the multitude of the latter clearly indicate him to have been an Arab prince, of the first rank in the country—the prince or chief magistrate of Uz. This man had a family of children grown up, and living in harmony, as appears by their holding feasts in turns at each of their houses on their own respective birth-days.

Job, who in no instance appears to have been present, conscious that too often excess or levity mingle in the enjoyments, even of domestic circles, sent for and sanctified his sons, by offering sacrifices on their behalf (at which they were, doubtless, enjoined to attend) on the morning following their convivial meetings. “It may be (said he) that my sons may have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Some think that this expression only means that they might have omitted to implore the divine blessing; others, that they might have fallen into idolatry, and “blessed the gods” of the heathen. This book, however, furnishes no allusions to any species of idolatry, but that of the heavenly bodies; and the offering of a solemn propitiatory sacrifice seems to imply something more than a mere omission of the forms of devotion.

Piety, we know, is not hereditary; and profaneness could not be more incredible in the sons of Job than in those of Aaron and Eli, especially considering the character of Job’s wife. Job’s sons also appear to have been disposed to conviviality, and men in their cups are too apt to forget God, or to blaspheme him, the crime (as we conceive) here intended; and a crime, we lament to say, not unfrequent even among professing Christians, who but too often dishonour their profession by associating with infidel and profane persons in their festivals. A new scene now opens upon us, and we have a view into the spiritual world, which is thus beautifully introduced by Dr.

Notes on the verses

Chap. IX. Ver. 13. Let Haman’s ten sons be hanged.—{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.]—Eag. ster. It was the custom of the Jews to hang criminals after they had been put to death. (Joshua 10:26).

Ver. 19. 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. J—Bagster.

Ver. 20. Mordecai wrote these things.—{That is, as the words imply, the history contained in this book; and not merely the letters afterwards mentioned, as some understand it.]—Bagster.

Ver. 24. Pur.—{Pur seems to be derived either from the Persian bahr, and bar, a part, portion, lot, or, paré, 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.}—B.