Gen 41:39-57, Ezr 7:6-11, Neh 2:4-6, Est 10:3, Dan 2:46-49, 3:30 | TSK

Zaphnath-paaneah.Which in Coptic signifies a revealer of secrets, or, the man to whom secrets are revealed. Jerome says this name signified in Egyptian, {Savatorem mundi,} "the Saviour of the world;" and {Psotem-phaneh,} in Coptic, is certainly "salvation of the world," from [SOT,] for [soteria ,] salvation, {em,} the sign of the genitive case, and [PHENEH], world. If this interpretation be correct, Pharaoh must have meant Egypt by the world, or which Joseph might be justly termed the Saviour. We know that the Romans called their empire {Universis Orbis-Orbis Terrarum,} "all the world:" the Chinese say the same of their empire at the present day, and the phrase is used in the East: Nadir Shah is described on his coins as "Conqueror of the World," i.e., Persia. See the same phraseology applied to Syria, Palestine, etc.

Lu 2:1; Ac 11:28

priest of. or, prince.

14:18; Ex 2:16; *marg:

2Sa 8:18; 20:26; *Heb:

On.

46:20; Eze 30:17

Aven.

years.

37:2; Nu 4:3; 2Sa 5:4; Lu 3:23

he stood.

1Sa 16:21; 1Ki 12:6,8; Pr 22:29; Da 1:19; Lu 21:36; Jude 1:24

From A.M. 2289, B.C. 1715, to A.M. 2296, B.C. 1708.handfuls.

26:12; Ps 72:16

34-36; 47:21

22:17; Jud 6:5; 7:12; 1Sa 13:5; Job 1:3; Ps 78:27; Jer 33:22

unto Joseph.

46:20; 48:5

Asenath.

45; 46:20

priest. or, prince.

2Sa 8:18

called. A.M. 2292. B.C. 1712.

48:5,13,14,18-20; De 33:17

Manasseh. i.e., Forgetting.

30; Ps 45:10; Isa 57:16

forget.

Ps 30:5,11; Pr 31:7; Isa 65:16

A.M. 2293. B.C. 1711. called he.

29:32-35; 30:6-13; 50:23

Ephraim. i.e., Fruitful.

48:16-19; 49:22; Isa 40:1,2

the land.

Ps 105:17,18; Am 6:6; Ac 7:10

A.M. 2296. B.C. 1708.

29-31; Ps 73:20; Lu 16:25

the seven.

3,4,6,7,27; 45:11; Ps 105:16; Ac 7:11

according.

and the dearth.

42:2,5,6; 43:1; 45:11; 47:13

famished.

2Ki 6:25-29; Jer 14:1-6; La 4:3-10

Go unto.

40,41; Ps 105:20-22; Mt 3:17; 17:5; Joh 1:14-16; Php 4:19

Col 1:19

the face.

Isa 23:17; Zec 5:3; Lu 21:35; Ac 17:26

all the storehouses. Heb. all wherein was. sold.

42:6; 47:14-24

all countries.

42:1,5; 50:20; De 9:28; Ps 105:16,17

in all lands.

54,56

Ezra 7:6-11

a ready.{Sopher mahir} does not merely signify a speedy writer, or an excellent penman, but one eminently skilful in expounding the law, {sophro chochmo,} "a wise scribe," as the Syriac renders.

11,12,21; Ps 45:1; Mt 13:52

scribe.

Ne 8:4,9,13; 12:26,36; Jer 8:8; 1Co 1:20

the law.

De 4:5; 28:1; Mt 28:20; 1Co 15:1; 1Th 4:1,2

granted him.

11-26

according to.

9,28; 6:22; 8:18,22,31; Ge 32:28; Ne 1:10,11; 2:8,12,18; 4:15

Pr 3:6; Isa 50:2; 59:1

the children.

8:1-14

the Levites.

2:40,41; 8:15-20

singers.

1Ch 6:31-48; 25:1-8

porters.

2:42; 1Ch 9:17-27; Ne 7:45

Nethinims.

24; 2:43-70; 8:20; Ne 7:46-73; 10:28

Artaxerxes.

11,12; 6:14; 8:1; Ne 2:1

began he to go up. Heb. was the foundation of the going up.according to.

6; Ne 2:8,18

prepared.

1Sa 7:3; 1Ch 29:18; 2Ch 12:14; 19:3; Job 11:13; Ps 10:17; 57:7

the law.

6; Ps 1:2; 19:7; 119:45,96-100

to do it.

De 16:12; Mt 5:19; 7:24; Joh 13:17; Re 22:14

and to teach.

25; De 33:10; 2Ch 17:8,9; 30:22; Ne 8:1-9; Mal 2:7; Ac 1:1; 1Ti 3:2

2Ti 4:2; Tit 2:1,15

the copy.

4:11; 5:6

a scribe.

6; Mt 23:2,13; Mr 7:1-13

Nehemiah 2:4-6

For what.

1Ki 3:5; Es 5:3,6; 7:2; Mr 10:51

So I prayed.

1:4,11; 2Sa 15:31; Pr 3:6; Php 4:6

If it please.

Ezr 5:17; Es 1:19; 5:8; 7:3; 8:5

and if thy.

Ru 2:13; 2Sa 14:22; Pr 3:4

the queen. Heb. the wife.It was probably Esther who was present at this time, and who seconded Nehemiah's request.

So it pleased.

4; 1:11; Isa 58:12; 61:4; 65:24

I set him a time.It is probable that this time was no more than six months, or a year; after which he either returned, or had his leave of absence lengthened, as we find he was twelve years governor of the Jews.

5:14; 13:6

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.