Esther 8

manded) unto the Jeivs. That thoy might prepare themselves for their defence the best they could; and let all men know what power the king had given them* And to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces.’] Who were commanded (as they were in Hainan’s decree, iii. 12.) to be assistant to them, and furnish them with means to defend themselves. Which are from India unto Ethiopia* a hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their tvriting, and according to their language.] This doth not prove that there were so many distinct languages spoken in his dominions, and many different ways of writing; but; as Bochartus ob- [ serves, whatsoever any people spake, or what character soever they used (which might be the very same in some provinces), there were letters wrote to them in that language and in that character, (lib. i. Phaleg. cap. 16.)’ the riches of the habit, wherein Mordecai appeared; his tunic costing four hundred and twenty talents of gold; and many such things which he saith about his sword; and the chain of gold about his neck, which it would be a vanity to mention. But one thing he saith, which is pious, if it were truly related; that Esther looking out of her window, saw him walk in this state: and he spying her, said those words of the Psalmist, (exxiv. G.) “Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given me a prey unto their teeth.” To which she replied in the words of Psal. cxxii.7. “Our help standeth in the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth.” And the city o/Shushan rejoiced and was glad.] At his advancement, and at the fall of Haman, who designed the ruin of such an excellent person.

Esther 8:1

\JNthat day did the king (Ahasuerus give the house of Haman, the Jews’ enemy, unto Esther the queen. That is, he bestowed on her the whole estate belonging to his family (for that is meant by his house); his lands, his goods, his servants, his cattle, all the money he had treasured up % For by his crime all was forfeited to the king; who could not more fitly dispose of it, than to her who would have been the greatest sufferer by him. And Mordecai came before the king.’] By Esther’s intercession. s For Esther had told what he was unto her J] Which was not known at court till now; though two eunuchs, who were her confidants, knew something of it, (ii. 21.) and he, perhaps, who carried messages between them, (iv. 5. 13.)

Esther 8:2

And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman. Which he had formerly given him, (iii. 10.) but now had resumed. And gave it unto Mordecai.] In token that he put the same confidence in him, to be the keeper of his signet. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.] Not over his family, for that was destroyed; but over his lands and goods, which the king’had given to Esther. Of which she made Mordecai her steward, that he might manage that, vast estate, which Haman, no doubt, had heaped up, for her advantage.

Esther 8:3

And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears. The danger was not yet over, and therefore she renews her petition in the most humble and most moving manner; for tears flowing from so great a person have a gTeat power to move compassion. But she had not yef delivered her petition, these words only expressing what she intended and was prepared to do. To put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.] By repealing that bloody decree which he had obtained from the king, (iii. 13.)

Esther 8:4

Then the king held out the golden sceptre toivards Esther. Who, it seems, had adventured to press into the king’s presence once more, without being called. Which he did not take ill, but graciously invited her to come to him by this token. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.] She rose from her knees, and stood before him to make her request. Ver. 5: And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes.] She uses such variety of expressions for the same thing, to insinuate herself into the king’s favour, by an entire submission to his pleasure. For she knew what an unusual thing it was that she was about to desire. JM it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in’ all the king’s provinces*] This edict which Haman procured, some think, was not made in such a manner as to become immutable, like that, i.19. but might be revoked by another edict more peremptory. But this, I think, is a mistake; for it wassealed with the king’s ring, which he himself saith, ver. 8. no man may reverse.

Esther 8:6

For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?. If she herself should be spared, she represents to him that it would break her heartto see all her kindred, nay, her whole nation, destroyed. Ver. 7; Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen, and to Mordecai the Jew.] Who, I suppose,, was sent for to hear the king’s answer to her petition. Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.] That is, intended to destroythem all. By what the king had done to shew his resentment against Haman, they might easily believe he.would deny them nothing that was necessary for their preservation. m.

Esther 8:8

Write ye also for the Jews. As Haman had done against them. As it liketh you.] In as full words as you can desire for your safety. In the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring.] To give it the same authority which the former writing had; For the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.] This seems to me to signify, that the king could not do, what Esther desired; (ver. 5.) for it was contrary to the law of tlje Medes and Persians to reverse any decree. But he promises to do what he was able to make that decree ineffectual, by giving them power to defend themselves against all that should assault them. And for that end he bade them draw up a letter," in words as strong as they could devise, which would hinder the former decree from being executed, though he could not annul it. And accordingly. we find, -by what follows, that there is not a word said of revoking Hainan’s decree; but only that they should stand for their lives, and destroy all, little and great, that should attempt to execute the decree sent by Haman. Thus he chose to fill his realm with blood, rather than revoke a rash decree; which was agreeable enough to the temper of Ochus, who is represented by Valerius Maximus as very cruel. So Jacobus Capellus observes, ad A. M. 3650. where he saith he doth not remember any heathen writer who mentions such an absurd law as this of the Medes and Persians; though ^Elian mentions one not much less unreasonable.

Esther 8:9

Then were the king’s scribes called at that time. As they had been before by Haman to write his decree, (iii. 12.) * The" author of the apocryphal additions to this book hath forged a copy of this letter; wherein the king tells his subjects, that it was not levity wbich made him change his mind, and contradict the former decree; but he found he had been deceived by the false suggestions of those whom he highly honoured; as many other great kings had-been before him. Which letter discovers the ignorance of him that wrote it, in that he calls Haman a Macedonian, who intended to dethrone him, and takeaway his life. In the third month (that is the month SivanJ,- on the three-and-twentieth day thereof] A little more than’ two months after the former decree. And itxoas written (according to alt that Mordecai com-

Esther 8:10

And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus y s name, and sealed it with the king’s ring; and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries. It is very difficult to render this verse word by word, though the sense be very plain. For the first words, bejad haratzim, seem to me to signify by the hand of couriers, as we now speak; for ratzim signifies runners or racers. And the next, bastcsim, undoubtedly signifies on horses: the former Targum saith, of horses whose spleens were cut out, and their hoofs pared;, which Bochartus shews was sometimes practised, in his Hierozoicon, par. i. lib. ii. cap. 11. Then here follows rocheve hareches, riders on a swift beast called reches. But what animal that was is very uncertain. Many feay. a dromedary; with which Drusius is unsatisfied, but leaves it in doubt, (Miscellan. cent. ii. cap. 73.) Bochartus thinks it is a word added to explain what went before, signifying that he sfcnt the posts upon the swiftest horses; for reches was a kind of horse. (See 1 Kings iv. 28.) Our translation takes it for mule&, which iElian saith, were ayav Spofialovc, exceeding swift runners, and therefore used in the Olympic races, as Bochartus observes, Hieroz. par. i. lib. ii. cap. 21. Then the next word, ahashteranim (which we translate camels), he takes to be a Persian word; for there is a word at this day in that language of the same sound and signification, viz. asthera: (see his Phaleg. lib. i. cap. 15.) Then follows bene haramachim, which wc translate young dromedaries; and the latter Targum, the foals of mares. And so Bochartus shews that ramec doth signify a mare; from whence he thinks the word marc among the ancient Gauls was derived, which Pausanias tells us signified a horse: for there was such a transposition of letters as is in the word forma, which comes from fiop(). In his Canaan, lib. i. cap. 42. there is extant a work of a very learned young man of our own (now with God), who, after that he had observed that neither the latter nor the ancient Jews, nor the Gemarists themselves, knew what to make of this word, hath made a long discourse about it. (See Guil. Guisius, in his Annotations upon that title in the Mischna, called Kelaim.) The sense of the whole is, that he sent men on horseback (naked, as the first Targum will have it, that they might be lighter), and upon other creatures as swift as horses,and upon mules both old andyoung, according as the places were nearer or farther off. So he ordered the letters to be sent with gTcat speed by too post, which carried them from stage to stage, till they came to the place whither they were directed.

Esther 8:11

Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together. Notwithstanding that former decree sent by Haman. And to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.] It must be presumed that some would obey the former order, out of their hatred to the Jews; therefore this gives them authority, if any attempt was made upon them, cither in great bodies or small parties, not only to defend themselves and repel them, but to make as great a slaughter of them as they were able (for he uses many words to express the liberty he gave them to destroy their enemies), not sparing children and women; and to possess themselves of their goods, as men used to do in war, and as Haman had procured them licence to take the goods of tho Jews, (iii. 13.)

Esther 8:12

Upon one day, in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. Which day was chosen and appointed by Haman for their destruction.

Esther 8:13

The copy of the writing, for a commandment to be given in every province. To warrant them to do what was therein commanded. * Was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to revenge themselves on their enemies.] Furnish themselves with arras, and all things necessary for their defence, and to annoy their enemies on that day. The latter Targum makes bold to insert a copy of this letter, which imports, that the king was deceived by Haman, who persuaded him to write the former letter; but now he had hanged him, because he found the Jews to be an innocent people, worthy of his protection: and especially commended Esther and Mordecai, whom he had taken into his favour: and therefore sent this new signification of his will and pleasure to them in tho behalf of the Jews. There are many expressions in it, which, no doubt, he never used; but the sense of it is good.

Esther 8:14

So the posts xvhich rode upon mules and camels went out. Here are two of. the same words used again, reches and ahashteranim; the latter of which is translated camels, as it was before; which, though they be not swift creatures, yet are very fit to travel through dry countries better than horses, being very patient of thirst and labour. Being hastened and pressed on by the king’s command* ment.] Who gave them a strict charge to make all the speed possible to disperse this new order. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.] As that sent by Haman was; (iii. 15.) and, as I there observed, signed, it is probable, by the king’s counsellors.

Esther 8:15

And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white. In such robes as the princes of Persia were wont to wear. And tvith a great crown of gold."] Not like that of the king’s; but such a coronet as was used by the greatest peers of the realm. And with a garment of fine linen and purple.] This was his inner garment, as the former was the outward. The former Targum hath made an extravagant description of

Esther 8:16

The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy. All these words signify the same thing, expressing the highest joy and satisfaction.’ And honour.] They were much respected by the people.

Esther 8:17

And in every province, and in every city; whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree catne. His commandment was, that the decree should be published with all speed; and both of them were known together: what decree the king had made, and how he pressed the delivery of it, (ver. 14.) Tlie Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day.] Not only in Shushan, but every where else, they entertained one another, and their neighbours, with good cheer, being full of joy at this unexpected alteration of their affairs. For they doubted not this hew decree of the king’s would be observed by his people; and they were resolved to defend themselves against those that did not observe it, and destroy them. And many of the people of the land became Jews.] Many of the Persians became proselytes to the Jewish religion, as both the Targums explain it; but that they were circumcised is not probable. Such persons there were in all times, especially in the days of David and Solomon, when the affairs of the Jews were very prosperous. But the Jews say they did not admit them presently, until the court of judgment approved them as sincere converts. See Seldcn, de Jure Nat. et Gent. lib. ii. cap. 2. 4. where he observes, that such persons ever after went by the name of Jews (as Dio himself takes notice), and were not reckoned gentiles if they fell to idolatry, but called apostates. (See p. 149, &c. 160.) For the fear of the Jews fell upon them.] The liberty granted them by the king’s edict, and the power of the queen and Mordecai, made the Persians stand in awe of them and of their God, who had so marvellously disposed things in their favour. (Sec the next chapter, ver. 2, 3.) But this hath made some admire that such a marvellous and memorable thing should not be related, nor so much as touched, by any exotic writer whatsoever. Of which Jacobus Capellus hath given a plain reason, that the history of Ochus is described by no writer, but only Diodorus Siculus: and he meddles with the affairs of Persia no farther than as they cohere with the affairs of Greece.