18 Then the king H4428 made H6213 a great H1419 feast H4960 unto all his princes H8269 and his servants, H5650 even Esther's H635 feast; H4960 and he made H6213 a release H2010 to the provinces, H4082 and gave H5414 gifts, H4864 according to the state H3027 of the king. H4428
And Laban H3837 gathered together H622 all the men H582 of the place, H4725 and made H6213 a feast. H4960
So his father H1 went down H3381 unto the woman: H802 and Samson H8123 made H6213 there a feast; H4960 for so used the young men H970 to do. H6213 And it came to pass, when they saw H7200 him, that they brought H3947 thirty H7970 companions H4828 to be with him. And Samson H8123 said H559 unto them, I will now put forth H2330 a riddle H2420 unto you: if ye can certainly H5046 declare H5046 it me within the seven H7651 days H3117 of the feast, H4960 and find it out, H4672 then I will give H5414 you thirty H7970 sheets H5466 and thirty H7970 change H2487 of garments: H899 But if ye cannot H3201 declare H5046 it me, then shall ye give H5414 me thirty H7970 sheets H5466 and thirty H7970 change H2487 of garments. H899 And they said H559 unto him, Put forth H2330 thy riddle, H2420 that we may hear H8085 it. And he said H559 unto them, Out of the eater H398 came forth H3318 meat, H3978 and out of the strong H5794 came forth H3318 sweetness. H4966 And they could H3201 not in three H7969 days H3117 expound H5046 the riddle. H2420 And it came to pass on the seventh H7637 day, H3117 that they said H559 unto Samson's H8123 wife, H802 Entice H6601 thy husband, H376 that he may declare H5046 unto us the riddle, H2420 lest we burn H8313 thee and thy father's H1 house H1004 with fire: H784 have ye called H7121 us to take that we have? H3423 is it not so? And Samson's H8123 wife H802 wept H1058 before him, and said, H559 Thou dost but hate H8130 me, and lovest H157 me not: thou hast put forth H2330 a riddle H2420 unto the children H1121 of my people, H5971 and hast not told H5046 it me. And he said H559 unto her, Behold, I have not told H5046 it my father H1 nor my mother, H517 and shall I tell H5046 it thee? And she wept H1058 before him the seven H7651 days, H3117 while their feast H4960 lasted: H1961 and it came to pass on the seventh H7637 day, H3117 that he told H5046 her, because she lay sore H6693 upon him: and she told H5046 the riddle H2420 to the children H1121 of her people. H5971
Ask H7592 thy young men, H5288 and they will shew H5046 thee. Wherefore let the young men H5288 find H4672 favour H2580 in thine eyes: H5869 for we come H935 in a good H2896 day: H3117 give, H5414 I pray thee, whatsoever cometh H4672 to thine hand H3027 unto thy servants, H5650 and to thy son H1121 David. H1732
So the Levites H3881 stilled H2814 all the people, H5971 saying, H559 Hold your peace, H2013 for the day H3117 is holy; H6918 neither be ye grieved. H6087
In the third H7969 year H8141 of his reign, H4427 he made H6213 a feast H4960 unto all his princes H8269 and his servants; H5650 the power H2428 of Persia H6539 and Media, H4074 the nobles H6579 and princes H8269 of the provinces, H4082 being before H6440 him: When he shewed H7200 the riches H6239 of his glorious H3519 kingdom H4438 and the honour H3366 of his excellent H8597 majesty H1420 many H7227 days, H3117 even an hundred H3967 and fourscore H8084 days. H3117 And when these days H3117 were expired, H4390 the king H4428 made H6213 a feast H4960 unto all the people H5971 that were present H4672 in Shushan H7800 the palace, H1002 both unto great H1419 and small, H6996 seven H7651 days, H3117 in the court H2691 of the garden H1594 of the king's H4428 palace; H1055
As the days H3117 wherein the Jews H3064 rested H5117 from their enemies, H341 and the month H2320 which was turned H2015 unto them from sorrow H3015 to joy, H8057 and from mourning H60 into a good H2896 day: H3117 that they should make H6213 them days H3117 of feasting H4960 and joy, H8057 and of sending H4916 portions H4490 one H376 to another, H7453 and gifts H4979 to the poor. H34
Go forth, H3318 O ye daughters H1323 of Zion, H6726 and behold H7200 king H4428 Solomon H8010 with the crown H5850 wherewith his mother H517 crowned H5849 him in the day H3117 of his espousals, H2861 and in the day H3117 of the gladness H8057 of his heart. H3820
I am come H935 into my garden, H1588 my sister, H269 my spouse: H3618 I have gathered H717 my myrrh H4753 with my spice; H1313 I have eaten H398 my honeycomb H3293 with my honey; H1706 I have drunk H8354 my wine H3196 with my milk: H2461 eat, H398 O friends; H7453 drink, H8354 yea, drink abundantly, H7937 O beloved. H1730
The kingdom G932 of heaven G3772 is like G3666 unto a certain G444 king, G935 which G3748 made G4160 a marriage G1062 for his G846 son, G5207
When G3752 thou art bidden G2564 of G5259 any G5100 man to G1519 a wedding, G1062 sit G2625 not G3361 down G2625 in G1519 the highest room; G4411 lest G3379 a more honourable man G1784 than thou G4675 be G5600 bidden G2564 of G5259 him; G846
And G2532 they that dwell G2730 upon G1909 the earth G1093 shall rejoice G5463 over G1909 them, G846 and G2532 make merry, G2165 and G2532 shall send G3992 gifts G1435 one to another; G240 because G3754 these G3778 two G1417 prophets G4396 tormented G928 them that dwelt G2730 on G1909 the earth. G1093
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Esther 2
Commentary on Esther 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Es 2:1-20. Esther Chosen to Be Queen.
1-3. After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased—On recovering from the violent excitement of his revelry and rage, the king was pierced with poignant regret for the unmerited treatment he had given to his beautiful and dignified queen. But, according to the law, which made the word of a Persian king irrevocable, she could not be restored. His counsellors, for their own sake, were solicitous to remove his disquietude, and hastened to recommend the adoption of all suitable means for gratifying their royal master with another consort of equal or superior attractions to those of his divorced queen. In the despotic countries of the East the custom obtains that when an order is sent to a family for a young damsel to repair to the royal palace, the parents, however unwilling, dare not refuse the honor for their daughter; and although they know that when she is once in the royal harem, they will never see her again, they are obliged to yield a silent and passive compliance. On the occasion referred to, a general search was commanded to be made for the greatest beauties throughout the empire, in the hope that, from their ranks, the disconsolate monarch might select one for the honor of succeeding to the royal honors of Vashti. The damsels, on arrival at the palace, were placed under the custody of "Hege, the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women," that is, the chief eunuch, usually a repulsive old man, on whom the court ladies are very dependent, and whose favor they are always desirous to secure.
5. Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew—Mordecai held some office about the court. But his "sitting at the king's gate" (Es 2:21) does not necessarily imply that he was in the humble condition of a porter; for, according to an institute of Cyrus, all state officers were required to wait in the outer courts till they were summoned into the presence chamber. He might, therefore, have been a person of some official dignity. This man had an orphan cousin, born during the exile, under his care, who being distinguished by great personal beauty, was one of the young damsels taken into the royal harem on this occasion. She had the good fortune at once to gain the good will of the chief eunuch [Es 2:9]. Her sweet and amiable appearance made her a favorite with all who looked upon her (Es 2:15, last clause). Her Hebrew name (Es 2:7) was Hadassah, that is, "myrtle," which, on her introduction into the royal harem, was changed to Esther, that is, the star Venus, indicating beauty and good fortune [Gesenius].
11. Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house—The harem is an inviolable sanctuary, and what is transacted within its walls is as much a secret to those without as if they were thousands of miles away. But hints were given him through the eunuchs.
12. Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus—A whole year was spent in preparation for the intended honor. Considering that this took place in a palace, the long period prescribed, together with the profusion of costly and fragrant cosmetics employed, was probably required by state etiquette.
17. the king loved Esther above all the women—The choice fell on Esther, who found favor in the eyes of Ahasuerus. He elevated her to the dignity of chief wife, or queen. The other competitors had apartments assigned them in the royal harem, and were retained in the rank of secondary wives, of whom Oriental princes have a great number.
he set the royal crown upon her head—This consisted only of a purple ribbon, streaked with white, bound round the forehead. The nuptials were celebrated by a magnificent entertainment, and, in honor of the auspicious occasion, "he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king." The dotation of Persian queens consisted in consigning to them the revenue of certain cities, in various parts of the kingdom, for defraying their personal and domestic expenditure. Some of these imposts the king remitted or lessened at this time.
Es 2:21-23. Mordecai, Discovering a Treason, Is Recorded in the Chronicles.
21. In those days … two of the king's chamberlains … were wroth and sought to lay hand on the king, &c.—This secret conspiracy against the king's life probably arose out of revenge for the divorce of Vashti, in whose interest, and at whose instigation, these eunuchs may have acted. Through the vigilance of Mordecai, whose fidelity, however, passed unnoticed, the design was frustrated, while the conspirators were condemned to be executed and as the matter was recorded in the court annals, it became the occasion afterwards of Mordecai's preferment to the place of power and influence for which, in furtherance of the national interests of the Jews, divine providence intended him.