1 After H310 these things, H1697 when the wrath H2534 of king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 was appeased, H7918 he remembered H2142 Vashti, H2060 and what she had done, H6213 and what was decreed H1504 against her.
So they hanged H8518 Haman H2001 on the gallows H6086 that he had prepared H3559 for Mordecai. H4782 Then was the king's H4428 wrath H2534 pacified. H7918
But the queen H4436 Vashti H2060 refused H3985 to come H935 at the king's H4428 commandment H1697 by H3027 his chamberlains: H5631 therefore was the king H4428 very H3966 wroth, H7107 and his anger H2534 burned H1197 in him. 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 the next H7138 unto him was Carshena, H3771 Shethar, H8369 Admatha, H133 Tarshish, H8659 Meres, H4825 Marsena, H4826 and Memucan, H4462 the seven H7651 princes H8269 of Persia H6539 and Media, H4074 which saw H7200 the king's H4428 face, H6440 and which sat H3427 the first H7223 in the kingdom;) H4438 What shall we do H6213 unto the queen H4436 Vashti H2060 according to law, H1881 because she hath not performed H6213 the commandment H3982 of the king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 by H3027 the chamberlains? H5631 And Memucan H4462 answered H559 before H6440 the king H4428 and the princes, H8269 Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 hath not done wrong H5753 to the king H4428 only, but also to all the princes, H8269 and to all the people H5971 that are in all the provinces H4082 of the king H4428 Ahasuerus. H325 For this deed H1697 of the queen H4436 shall come abroad H3318 unto all women, H802 so that they shall despise H959 their husbands H1167 in their eyes, H5869 when it shall be reported, H559 The king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 commanded H559 Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 to be brought in H935 before H6440 him, but she came H935 not. Likewise shall the ladies H8282 of Persia H6539 and Media H4074 say H559 this day H3117 unto all the king's H4428 princes, H8269 which have heard H8085 of the deed H1697 of the queen. H4436 Thus shall there arise too much H1767 contempt H963 and wrath. H7110 If it please H2895 the king, H4428 let there go H3318 a royal H4438 commandment H1697 from him, H6440 and let it be written H3789 among the laws H1881 of the Persians H6539 and the Medes, H4074 that it be not altered, H5674 That Vashti H2060 come H935 no more before H6440 king H4428 Ahasuerus; H325 and let the king H4428 give H5414 her royal estate H4438 unto another H7468 that is better H2896 than she. And when the king's H4428 decree H6599 which he shall make H6213 shall be published H8085 throughout all his empire, H4438 (for it is great,) H7227 all the wives H802 shall give H5414 to their husbands H1167 honour, H3366 both to great H1419 and small. H6996 And the saying H1697 pleased H3190 H5869 the king H4428 and the princes; H8269 and the king H4428 did H6213 according to the word H1697 of Memucan: H4462
Then H116 the king, H4430 when he heard H8086 these words, H4406 was sore H7690 displeased H888 with himself, and set H7761 his heart H1079 on H5922 Daniel H1841 to deliver H7804 him: and he laboured H1934 H7712 till H5705 the going down H4606 of the sun H8122 to deliver H5338 him. Then H116 these H479 men H1400 assembled H7284 unto H5922 the king, H4430 and said H560 unto the king, H4430 Know, H3046 O king, H4430 that the law H1882 of the Medes H4076 and Persians H6540 is, That no H3606 decree H633 nor statute H7010 which the king H4430 establisheth H6966 may be changed. H8133 Then H116 the king H4430 commanded, H560 and they brought H858 Daniel, H1841 and cast H7412 him into the den H1358 of lions. H744 Now the king H4430 spake H6032 and said H560 unto Daniel, H1841 Thy God H426 whom thou H607 servest H6399 continually, H8411 he will deliver H7804 thee. And a H2298 stone H69 was brought, H858 and laid H7761 upon H5922 the mouth H6433 of the den; H1358 and the king H4430 sealed H2857 it with his own signet, H5824 and with the signet H5824 of his lords; H7261 that the purpose H6640 might not H3809 be changed H8133 concerning Daniel. H1841 Then H116 the king H4430 went H236 to his palace, H1965 and passed the night H956 fasting: H2908 neither H3809 were instruments H1761 of musick brought H5954 before H6925 him: and his sleep H8139 went H5075 from him. H5922
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.