Est 2 | TSK | STEP | Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen. Mordecai the nursing father of Esther. Esther preferred before the rest. The manner of purification, and going in to the king. Esther best pleasing the king, is made queen. Mordecai discovering a treason, is recorded in the chronicles. A.M. 3543. B.C. 461. he remembered. what was decreed.

Esther 2

1 Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen.

5 Mordecai the nursing father of Esther.

8 Esther preferred before the rest.

12 The manner of purification, and going in to the king.

15 Esther best pleasing the king, is made queen.

21 Mordecai discovering a treason, is recorded in the chronicles.

A.M. 3543. B.C. 461. he remembered.

Da 6:14-18

what was decreed.

1:12-21

king's servants.

1:10,14; 6:14

Let there be.

Ge 12:14; 1Ki 1:2

in all the provinces.

1:1,2

that they may gather.This was the usual way in which the harem, or {seraglio,} was furnished; the finest women in the land, whether of high or low birth, were sought out and brought to the harem. They all became the king's concubines; but one was raised as chief wife, or sultana, to the throne; and her issue was especially entitled to inherit.

the custody. Heb. the hand. Hege.

Hegai. the king's chamberlain.{Saris hammelech,} "the king's eunuch:" so the LXX., Vulgate, Targum, and Syriac.

their things.

12-14; Isa 3:18-23

let the maiden.

Mt 20:16; 22:14

the thing.

1:21; 3:9,10; 2Sa 13:4-6; 16:21-23; 17:4; Mt 14:6

Shushan.

3; 1:2; 5:1

a certain Jew.

3:2-6; 10:3

the son of Shimei.

1Sa 9:1; 2Sa 16:5

Jeconiah.

2Ki 24:6,14,15; 2Ch 36:9,10,20

Jeboiachin.

Jer 22:24,28

Coniah.

Jer 24:1

brought up. Heb. nourished.

Eph 6:4

Hadassah.

Da 1:6,7

his uncle's.

15; Jer 32:7-12

fair and beautiful. Heb. fair of form and good ofcountenance.

1:11

took.

Ge 48:5; 2Co 6:18; 1Jo 3:1

Hegai.One of Dr. Kennicott's MSS., instead of Hegai has Hegé, as in ver. 3.

she obtained.

Ge 39:21; 1Ki 8:50; Ezr 7:6; Ne 2:8; Ps 106:46; Pr 16:7; Da 1:9

Ac 7:10

her her things.

3,12

such things. Heb. her portions. preferred her. Heb.changed her.

had not shewed.

3:8; 4:13,14; 7:4; Mt 10:16

for Mordecai.

7,20; Eph 6:1

Mordecai.The apartments of the women are accounted so inviolable, that it is even a crime to enquire what passes within their walls. A man, says Chardin, may walk a hundred days, one after the other, by the house where the women are, and yet know no more what is done there than at the farther end of Tartary. This sufficiently explains the conduct of Mordecai.

walked.

13,14

how Esther did. Heb. the peace of Esther.

Ge 37:14; 1Sa 17:18; Ac 15:36

A.M. 3546. B.C. 458. to go in.

1Th 4:4,5

six months.

Pr 7:17; So 3:6; Isa 57:9; Lu 7:37,38

delighted.

4:11; Ge 34:19; De 21:14; Isa 62:4,5

she were called.

Isa 43:1; 45:4

who had taken.

Esther.

So 6:9; 8:10; Ac 7:10

the tenth month.

8:9

the seventh.

1,3; Ezr 7:8

favour. or, kindness. in his sight. Heb. before him. sothat he set.

4:14; 1Sa 2:8; Ps 75:6,7; 113:7,8; Eze 17:24; Lu 1:48-52Bishop Patrick observes, that those who suggest that Esther committed a great sin to come at the dignity of queen of Persia, do not consider the custom of those times and countries. Every one that the king took to his bed was married to him, and was his wife of a lower rank, as Hagar was to Abraham.

A.M. 3547. B.C. 457. made a great.

1:3-5; Ge 29:22; Jud 14:10-17; So 3:11; 5:1; Mt 22:2; Lu 14:8

Re 19:9

he made.We learn from Herodotus and Athenæus, that the Persian monarchs were accustomed to give their wives distinct cities and provinces for the purpose of supplying them with different articles of dress: one was assigned for ornamenting the head and neck; another provided robes, zones, etc.; and the city of Anthilla was given to a Persian queen, we read, to supply her with shoes and sandals. It is probable, therefore, that, at the desire of Esther, Ahasuerus relieved those cities and provinces that had before paid it, from this expense.

release. Heb. rest. gave gifts.

9:22; 1Sa 25:8; Ne 8:11; Re 11:10

the virgins.

3,4

sat in the king's gate.

21; 3:2,3; 5:13

had not yet shewed.

for Esther.

Eph 6:1-3

Bigthan.

6:2

Bigthana. door. Heb. threshold. and sought.