13 Then the king H4428 said H559 to the wise men, H2450 which knew H3045 the times, H6256 (for so was the king's H4428 manner H1697 toward H6440 all that knew H3045 law H1881 and judgment: H1779
And of the children H1121 of Issachar, H3485 which were men that had understanding H998 H3045 of the times, H6256 to know H3045 what Israel H3478 ought to do; H6213 the heads H7218 of them were two hundred; H3967 and all their brethren H251 were at their commandment. H6310
Then the king H4428 commanded H559 to call H7121 the magicians, H2748 and the astrologers, H825 and the sorcerers, H3784 and the Chaldeans, H3778 for to shew H5046 the king H4428 his dreams. H2472 So they came H935 and stood H5975 before H6440 the king. H4428
Now G1161 when Jesus G2424 was born G1080 in G1722 Bethlehem G965 of Judaea G2449 in G1722 the days G2250 of Herod G2264 the king, G935 behold, G2400 there came G3854 wise men G3097 from G575 the east G395 to G1519 Jerusalem, G2414
Therefore H4481 made H7761 I H4481 a decree H2942 to bring H5954 in all H3606 the wise H2445 men of Babylon H895 before H6925 me, that they might make known H3046 unto me the interpretation H6591 of the dream. H2493 Then H116 came H5954 in the magicians, H2749 the astrologers, H826 the Chaldeans, H3779 and the soothsayers: H1505 and I H576 told H560 the dream H2493 before H6925 them; but they did not H3809 make known H3046 unto me the interpretation H6591 thereof.
The king H4430 cried H7123 aloud H2429 to bring H5954 in the astrologers, H826 the Chaldeans, H3779 and the soothsayers. H1505 And the king H4430 spake, H6032 and said H560 to the wise H2445 men of Babylon, H895 Whosoever H606 H3606 shall read H7123 this H1836 writing, H3792 and shew H2324 me the interpretation H6591 thereof, shall be clothed H3848 with scarlet, H711 and have a chain H2002 of gold H1722 about H5922 his neck, H6676 and shall be the third H8523 ruler H7981 in the kingdom. H4437
And G2532 in the morning, G4404 It will be foul weather G5494 to day: G4594 for G1063 the sky G3772 is red G4449 and lowring. G4768 O ye hypocrites, G5273 ye can G1097 discern G1252 G3303 the face G4383 of the sky; G3772 but G1161 can ye G1410 not G3756 discern the signs G4592 of the times? G2540
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Esther 1
Commentary on Esther 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Book of Esther
Chapter 1
Several things in this chapter itself are very instructive and of great use; but the design of recording the story of it is to show how way was made for Esther to the crown, in order to her being instrumental to defeat Haman's plot, and this long before the plot was laid, that we may observe and admire the foresight and vast reaches of Providence. "Known unto God are all his works' before-hand. Ahasuerus the king,
This shows how God serves his own purposes even by the sins and follies of men, which he would not permit if he know not how to bring good out of them.
Est 1:1-9
Which of the kings of Persia this Ahasuerus was the learned are not agreed. Mordecai is said to have been one of those that were carried captive from Jerusalem (ch. 2:5, 6), whence it should seem that this Ahasuerus was one of the first kings of that empire. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that he was that Artaxerxes who hindered the building of the temple, who is called also Ahasuerus (Ezra 4:6, 7), after his great-grandfather of the Medes, Dan. 9:1. We have here an account,
Est 1:10-22
We have here a damp to all the mirth of Ahasuerus's feast; it ended in heaviness, not as Job's children's feast by a wind from the wilderness, not as Belshazzar's by a hand-writing on the wall, but by is own folly. An unhappy falling out there was, at the end of the feast, between the king and queen, which broke of the feast abruptly, and sent the guests away silent and ashamed.