Esther 3:12

scribes secretaries, such as attended Xerxes in his expedition against Greece. [70]

[70] Herodotus says that "seated beneath a golden awning [in a Sidonian galley] he sailed along the prows of all his vessels … while he made enquiries again, as he had done when he reviewed the land-force, and caused the answers to be recorded by his scribes" (Herod. vii. 100). Again, "During the whole time of the battle [of Salamis] Xerxes sat at the base of the hill called Aegaleos, over against Salamis, and whenever he saw any of his own captains perform any worthy exploit, he enquired concerning him, and the man's name was taken down by his scribes, together with the names of his father and his city" (viii. 90).

in the first month, on the thirteenth day thereof The thirteenth having been found to be a lucky day for the massacre itself, Haman may have thought it advisable to choose the same day of the first month for entering upon the preparation for it.

satraps A.V. lieutenants. The original word is aḥashdarpan, a Hebraised form of the word khshatrapava, which occurs in Persian inscriptions in the sense of governor. Our word satrapcomes through the Græcised form (σατράπης) of the Persian word.

governors Heb. pakhoth, plural of pekhah. The satrap held sway over a province, the pekhahover a smaller district or petty kingdom. The latter is a loan word from the Assyrian pakhâti, lord of a district. Nehemiah was a pekhah(Nehemiah 5:14).

the princes A.V. the rulers. These were the chiefs of the conquered peoples. The Persians in this respect followed the same course which we have adopted in India, and placed a good deal of power in the hands of the existing native rulers.

in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written See on Esther 3:10.