16 The Jews H3064 had light, H219 and gladness, H8057 and joy, H8342 and honour. H3366
Light H216 is sown H2232 for the righteous, H6662 and gladness H8057 for the upright H3477 in heart. H3820
When Mordecai H4782 perceived H3045 all that was done, H6213 Mordecai H4782 rent H7167 his clothes, H899 and put on H3847 sackcloth H8242 with ashes, H665 and went out H3318 into the midst H8432 of the city, H5892 and cried H2199 with a loud H1419 and a bitter H4751 cry; H2201 And came H935 even before H6440 the king's H4428 gate: H8179 for none might enter H935 into the king's H4428 gate H8179 clothed H3830 with sackcloth. H8242 And in every province, H4082 whithersoever H4725 the king's H4428 commandment H1697 and his decree H1881 came, H5060 there was great H1419 mourning H60 among the Jews, H3064 and fasting, H6685 and weeping, H1065 and wailing; H4553 and many H7227 lay H3331 in sackcloth H8242 and ashes. H665
For his anger H639 endureth but a moment; H7281 in his favour H7522 is life: H2416 weeping H1065 may endure H3885 for a night, H6153 but joy H7440 cometh in the morning. H1242 And in my prosperity H7959 I said, H559 I shall never H5769 be moved. H4131 LORD, H3068 by thy favour H7522 thou hast made my mountain H2042 to stand H5975 strong: H5797 thou didst hide H5641 thy face, H6440 and I was troubled. H926 I cried H7121 to thee, O LORD; H3068 and unto the LORD H3068 I made supplication. H2603 What profit H1215 is there in my blood, H1818 when I go down H3381 to the pit? H7845 Shall the dust H6083 praise H3034 thee? shall it declare H5046 thy truth? H571 Hear, H8085 O LORD, H3068 and have mercy H2603 upon me: LORD, H3068 be thou my helper. H5826 Thou hast turned H2015 for me my mourning H4553 into dancing: H4234 thou hast put off H6605 my sackcloth, H8242 and girded H247 me with gladness; H8057
When it goeth well H2898 with the righteous, H6662 the city H7151 rejoiceth: H5970 and when the wicked H7563 perish, H6 there is shouting. H7440
Go, H3212 gather together H3664 all the Jews H3064 that are present H4672 in Shushan, H7800 and fast H6684 ye for me, and neither eat H398 nor drink H8354 three H7969 days, H3117 night H3915 or day: H3117 I also and my maidens H5291 will fast H6684 likewise; and so H3651 will I go H935 in unto the king, H4428 which is not according to the law: H1881 and if I perish, H6 I perish. H6
For thou wilt light H215 my candle: H5216 the LORD H3068 my God H430 will enlighten H5050 my darkness. H2822
Ye shall have a song, H7892 as in the night H3915 when a holy H6942 solemnity H2282 is kept; H6942 and gladness H8057 of heart, H3824 as when one goeth H1980 with a pipe H2485 to come H935 into the mountain H2022 of the LORD, H3068 to the mighty One H6697 of Israel. H3478 And the LORD H3068 shall cause his glorious H1935 voice H6963 to be heard, H8085 and shall shew H7200 the lighting down H5183 of his arm, H2220 with the indignation H2197 of his anger, H639 and with the flame H3851 of a devouring H398 fire, H784 with scattering, H5311 and tempest, H2230 and hailstones. H68 H1259
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Esther 8
Commentary on Esther 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
Es 8:1-6. Mordecai Advanced.
1. On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman … unto Esther—His property was confiscated, and everything belonging to him, as some compensation for the peril to which she had been exposed.
Mordecai came before the king—that is, was introduced at court and appointed one of the seven counsellors. Esther displayed great prudence and address in acknowledging Mordecai's relation to her at the moment most fitted to be of eminent service to him.
2. the king took off his ring, … and gave it unto Mordecai—By that act transferring to him all the power and authority which the ring symbolized, and promoting him to the high dignity which Haman had formerly filled.
Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman—as her steward or factor, to manage that large and opulent estate which had been assigned to her.
3. Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet—The king was then not reclining at table, but sitting on a divan, most probably in the Persian attitude, leaning back against the cushions, and one foot under him.
besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman—that is, to repeal the sanguinary edict which, at the secret instigation of Haman, had been recently passed (Es 3:12).
4. Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther—in token that her request was accepted, and that she needed no longer to maintain the humble attitude of a suppliant.
5, 6. reverse the letters devised by Haman … to destroy the Jews—The whole conduct of Esther in this matter is characterized by great tact, and the variety of expressions by which she describes her willing submission to her royal husband, the address with which she rolls the whole infamy of the meditated massacre on Haman, and the argument she draws from the king's sanction being surreptitiously obtained, that the decree should be immediately reversed—all indicate the queen's wisdom and skill, and she succeeded in this point also.
Es 8:7-14. Ahasuerus Grants to the Jews to Defend Themselves.
8. Write … in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring—Hence it is evident that the royal ring had a seal in it, which, being affixed to any document, authenticated it with the stamp of royal authority.
which … may no man reverse—This is added as the reason why he could not comply with the queen's request for a direct reversal or recall of Haman's letters; namely, that the laws of the Medes and Persians, once passed, were irrevocable.
10. sent … by posts … and riders on … camels, and young dromedaries—The business being very urgent, the swiftest kind of camel would be employed, and so the word in the original denotes the wind-camel. Young dromedaries also are used to carry expresses, being remarkable for the nimbleness and ease of their movements. Animals of this description could convey the new rescript of Ahasuerus over the length and breadth of the Persian empire in time to relieve the unhappy Jews from the ban under which they lay.
11-13. the king granted the Jews … to stand for their life … to slay … all … that would assault them—The fixed and unalterable character claimed for Persian edicts often placed the king in a very awkward dilemma; for, however bitterly he might regret things done in a moment of haste and thoughtlessness, it was beyond even his power to prevent the consequences. This was the reason on account of which the king was laid under a necessity not to reverse, but to issue a contradictory edict; according to which it was enacted that if, pursuant to the first decree, the Jews were assaulted, they might, by virtue of the second, defend themselves and even slay their enemies. However strange and even ridiculous this mode of procedure may appear, it was the only one which, from the peculiarities of court etiquette in Persia, could be adopted. Instances occur in sacred (Da 6:14), no less than profane, history. Many passages of the Bible attest the truth of this, particularly the well-known incident of Daniel's being cast into the den of lions, in conformity with the rash decree of Darius, though, as it afterwards appeared, contrary to the personal desire of that monarch. That the law of Persia has undergone no change in this respect, and the power of the monarch not less immutable, appear from many anecdotes related in the books of modern travellers through that country.
Es 8:15-17. Mordecai's Honors, and the Jews' Joy.
15. Mordecai went out … in royal apparel—He was invested with the khelaat of official honor. A dress of blue and white was held in great estimation among the Persians; so that Mordecai, whom the king delighted to honor, was in fact arrayed in the royal dress and insignia. The variety and the kind of insignia worn by a favorite at once makes known to the people the particular dignity to which he has been raised.