18 Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.
Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
His father went down to the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. It happened, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. Samson said to them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you: if you can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing; but if you can't declare it to me, then shall you give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. They said to him, Put forth your riddle, that we may hear it. He said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, Out of the strong came forth sweetness. They couldn't in three days declare the riddle. It happened on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire: have you called us to impoverish us? is it not [so]? Samson's wife wept before him, and said, You do but hate me, and don't love me: you have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, and haven't told it me. He said to her, Behold, I haven't told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you? She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it happened on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be you grieved.
in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him; when he shown the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even one hundred eighty days. When these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast to all the people who were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
as the days in which the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the needy.
Go forth, you daughters of Zion, and see king Solomon, With the crown with which his mother has crowned him, In the day of his weddings, In the day of the gladness of his heart. Lover
"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,
"When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, don't sit in the best seat, since perhaps someone more honorable than you might be invited by him,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Esther 2
Commentary on Esther 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
Two things are recorded in this chapter, which were working towards the deliverance of the Jews from Haman's conspiracy:-
Est 2:1-20
How God put down one that was high and mighty from her seat we read in the chapter before, and are now to be told how he exalted one of low degree, as the virgin Mary observes in her song (Lu. 1:52) and Hannah before her, 1 Sa. 2:4-8. Vashti being humbled for her height, Esther is advanced for her humility. Observe,
Est 2:21-23
This good service which Mordecai did to the government, in discovering a plot against the life of the king, is here recorded, because the mention of it will again occur to his advantage. No step is yet taken towards Haman's design of the Jews' destruction, but several steps are taken towards God's design of their deliverance, and this for one. God now gives Mordecai an opportunity of doing the king a good turn, that he might have the fairer opportunity afterwards of doing the Jews a good turn.