Est 3:10, 12, 6:7-12, 8:2, 8, 10, 15, 10:3, Dan 2:46-47, 5:7, 29, Luk 15:22 | TSK | STEP

the horse.Herodotus relates, that the kings of Persia had horses peculiar to themselves, which were brought from Armenia, and were remarkable for their beauty; and if the same law prevailed in Persia as in Judea, no man, under the penalty of death, might ride on the king's horse, any more than sit on his throne, wear his crown, or hold his sceptre.

1Ki 1:33

bring him. Heb. cause him to ride. proclaim.

Ge 41:43; 1Ki 1:33,34; Zec 9:9

Make haste.

Da 4:37; Lu 14:11; Re 18:7

let nothing fail. Heb. suffer not a whit to fall.

2Ki 10:10

took Hamon.

Ezr 6:13; Isa 60:14; Lu 1:52; Re 3:9

and arrayed.

8:15; 9:3

the street.Pitts gives a similar account of the mode of honouring a person who turns a Mohammedan, at Algiers: "The apostate is to get on a stately steed, with a rich saddle and fine trappings: he is also richly habited, and has a turban on his head, but nothing of this is to be called his own; only there are given him about two or three yards of broad cloth, which is laid before him on the saddle. The horse, with him on his back, is led all round the city, which he is several hours in doing. The apostate is attended with drums and other music, and twenty or thirty serjeants. They march in order on each side of the horse, with naked swords in their hands. The crier goes before, with a loud voice giving thanks to God for the proselyte that is made."

came again.

2:19; 1Sa 3:15; Ps 131:1,2

hasted to his house.

2Sa 17:23; 1Ki 20:43; 21:4; 2Ch 26:20; Job 20:5

having.

7:8; 2Sa 15:30; Job 9:24; Jer 14:3,4

Esther 8:2

his ring.

3:10; Ge 41:42; Isa 22:19-22; Lu 15:22

Esther set.

2Sa 9:7-10; Ps 37:34; Ec 2:18,19-26; 5:13,14; Da 2:48

Esther 8:8

in the king's name.

3:12; 1Ki 21:8

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.

5; 1:19; Da 6:8,12-15; 2Ti 2:19; Heb 6:17,18

Esther 8:10

in the king.

1Ki 21:8; Ec 8:4; Da 4:1

by posts.

3:13; 2Ch 30:6; Job 9:25; Jer 51:21

mules.{Rechesh,} in Syriac, {rechesha,} probably denotes a swift horse.

camels.{Achashteranim,} from the Persian {akhash,} large, and {aster,} a mule, probably, as Bochart supposes, denotes a large mule.

young dromedaries.{Beney harammachim,} "the sons of mares," as the word {ramakat} denotes in Arabic; probably an expletive of the preceeding word.

Isa 60:6; 66:20; Jer 2:23

Esther 8:15

royal apparel.

5:1; 6:8,11; Ge 41:42; Mt 6:29; 11:8; Lu 16:19

blue. or, violet.

1:6

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.

the city.Haman was too proud to be popular: few lamented his fall.

3:15; Pr 29:2

Esther 10:3

next unto king.

Ge 41:44; 1Sa 23:17; 2Ch 28:7; Da 5:16,29

accepted.

3:2; Ro 14:18

seeking.

Ne 2:10; Ps 122:6-9; Ro 9:2,3; 10:1 REMARKS ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER. This Book, which derives its name from the person whose history it chiefly relates, is termed in Hebrew, [megillâh 'Ectêr ,] 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.