Esther 3

Haman is highly advanced by the King, v.1, &c. All the Courtiers how themselves before him, except Mordechai, 2. At this Haman is greatly incensed, 5. He seeketh to destroy not only Mordechai, but all the Jews likewise, 6. And he causeth the lot to be cast for this end, 7. He accuseth the Jews unto King, 8. And requestest that all the Jews might be destroy, 9. Whereunto the king consenteth, 10. This is written to all the Princes in all the countries, 12. And posts are sent abroad with this precept, 13. The king and Haman sit down to drink, but the city of Susan is perplexed, 15.

1. After these things did king Ahasuerus make Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite [Some conceive that Haman came of the race of Agag King of the Amalekites, of whom we may read, 1 Sam.15.8. See likewise Exod.14.17. and Numb.24.7. and 2 Kings 25:28.] great, [that is, he promoted him above all the Princes and Peers of his Realm, as is shewed in the following words of the verse] and he advanced him: And he set his seat above all the Princes that were with him. [That is, above the seats of all the Princes.]

2. And all the kings servants [Understand here, all the Courtiers, or those that were of the Kings life-guard] that were in the kings gate, bended and bowed themselves down before Haman, [giving undecent and unlawful Persian honor unto him] for the king had so commanded of him: [That is, concerning him] but Mordechai bended himself not, nor bowed himself down before him. [Merdochai made conscience of imitating Ahasuerus his Courtiers in giving unmet and unlawful Persian honor Haman. And the rather, because (as some conceive) he knew that this Haman was an Amalekite.]

3. Then the kings servants, which were in the kings gate, said unto Mordechai; why transgresses thou the kings commandment? [See above v.2.]

4. Now it came to pass, when they spake (this) to him from day to day, and he hearkened not unto them: [that is, obeyed them not, nor was any whit moved by their speaking to him, or admonishing of him] then they made it known unto Haman, to see whether the words of Mordechai would stand, [that is, whether he would continue stedfast in his Religion, and whether he would hence forward refuse to how before Haman] for he had told them [to wit, when they asked him why he obeyed not the Kings commandment, in bowing down before Haman] that he was a Jew. [to whom it was unlawful to worship a man; for God had forbidden to worship the creature, Deut.6.13. and 10.v.12,20. And 17.v.3. Mat.4.10. Luke 4:8.]

5. When Haman saw that Mordechai bowed not himself, nor stooped down before him: then was Haman filled with wrath.

6. Howbeit, he disdained in his eyes, to lay hand on Mordechai alone, [To wit, to kill him. So above ch.22.vers. 21. That is, he thought it too mean and contemptible a thing, and not worth the labour to take away only Mordechai’s life] (for they had shewed him the people of Mordechai) [That is, his countrymen: Or, of what people and nation Mordechai was descended] but Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, that were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus, (namely) the people of Mordechai.

7. In the first month (this if the month Nisan) [Agreeing partly with our March, & partly with our April] in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast pur, that is, the lot, [pur, or, phur is a Persian word, signifying a lot, below cha.9.24.] before the face of Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, [the meaning or these words is, that they cast the lot, according to the heathenish Persian superstition, know what day and what month would be the sittest time and season, to destroy and kill all the Jews every where upon one and the same day] to the twelfth month, [in the twelfth month came the lot forth, which pointed at the day on which they were to kill and murder the Jews] this is the month Adar. [this is a Syrian or Chaldean word, it is written, 2 Mac.15.37. And this month fell partly in our February, and partly in our March.]

8. For Haman had said unto king Ahasuerus, [To wit, before he cast the lot: For this would have been labour in vain, unless he had first got leave of the King to destroy the Jews] there is a people scattered ad divided among the nations in all the countries of thy kingdom: and their laws are different from (the laws) of all nations: neither keep they the kings laws; [He saith this, because Mordechai obeyed not the king in worshipping of Haman. And that wherein Mordechai alone had offended against him, the same doth Haman here lay to the charge of all the Jews, and accuseth them as if all of them together did despise and contemn the Kings laws] therefore it is not profitable for the king to suffer them to remain. [to wit, in the kingdom, or live, but they ought to be destroyed.]

9. If it seem good unto the king, let it be written, that they [To wit, all the Jews that may be found within the Kings dominion] may be destroyed: Then I will weigh out ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those that do the work, [he meaneth the Kings Treasurers, that should have the charge to receive the money] to bring (it) into the kings Treasures [or, offers of treasures, or, treasures. He promiseth to give or deliver this great treasure unto the King, that he may the sooner move him, to give way, that he may destroy the Jews.]

10. Then the King pulled (off) his ring, [To wit, his seal-ring, as may be gathered from chap.8.v.8.] from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews adversary. [the king did this, to declareand manifest the power which he gave unto Haman. See Gen.41. the annotate.on verse 42. And here below verse.12.]

11. And the king said unto Haman, Let that silver, [To wit, those ten thousand talents, which thou hast proffered to deliver into my treasury] be given unto thee: also that people, [to wit, the Jews, whom thou purposest to destroy, or hast a mind to cause them to be destroyed] to do with them according as it is good in thine eyes.

12. Then were the Kings Scribes called, in the first month, [Called Nisan, Verse 7.] on the thirteenth day of the same (month) and there was written according to all that Haman commanded, [this was, that on such a day when Haman thought good, they should perform the kings commandment concerning the destroying of all the Jews] unto the kings Lieutenants, and to the Governors that were over every country, and to the princes of each people, [Hebr. that were over country and country, people and people: so likewise frequently hereafter,] (to) each country according to the writing thereof, and (to) each people after their language; it was written in the name of king Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the kings ring.

13. Now the letters were sent by the hand of the runners unto all the kings countrys, to destroy, kill, and cut off all the Jews, from the young to the old, the little children and the woman in one day, upon the thirteenth (day) of the twelfth month (this is the month Adar) and to taste the spoil of them for a prey. [That is, to take away their goods, which are here called the spoil, or prey, or the Jews, which is not so to be understood, as if they had stolen, and or taken them away from others; But because others (to wit, Haman with his crew) would take them away from them, and rob them of them.]

14. The contents [Or, copy] of the writing was, that there should be a law given [To wit, by the Princes and Governors, every one in all countries [Hebr. in all (or every) country and country] manifest unto all nations that they should be ready [to wit, to fall upon the Jews, to kill and destroy them, and to rob and plunder their goods, verse 13.] against that day. [to wit, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month.]

15. The runners went out, being by the word of the king [That is, by the kings decree concerning the destroying of the Jews, which decree or proclaimation was first in Castle of Susan, as the following words declare] and the law the was given out in the Castle of Susan, And the king and Haman sat and drank, [Hebr. sat to drink, or drinking] but the city of Susan [that is the inhabitants of the city of Susan: but especially the Jews that dwelt it, whose stake. See below. Chap.8.on verse 15.] was troubled. [or perplexed, as we use to say.]