Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Esther 3:15

went forth in haste Haman fearing lest the king should change his mind and forbid the decree to be published.

the king and Haman sat down to drink We are reminded of Gloucester's words to Buckingham (Richard III.Act iii. Sc. 1, end),

"Come, let us sup betimes, that afterwards

We may digest our complots in some form."

The writer of the Book of Esther has an eye for the literary effect of contrasts. The callousness of the Jew's enemy is contrasted with the dismay which even the Gentile city of Susa felt at the prospect of bloodshed.

Continues after advertising

See also Esther 3:15 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Esther 3:15. _THE POSTS_] Literally, the _couriers_, the _hircarrahs_, those who carried the public despatches; a species of public functionaries, who have been in use in all nations of the worl...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    SHUSHAN WAS PERPLEXED - Susa was now the capital of Persia, and the main residence of the Persians of high rank. These, being attached to the religion of Zoroaster, would naturally sympathize with the...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    HAMAN AND HIS WICKED PLOT CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The promotion of Haman and Mordecai's faithfulness (Esther 3:1)_ 2. Haman's proposal and the King's assent (Esther 3:7) 3. The proclamation of death (Esthe...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ESTHER 3. HAMAN, TO AVENGE A SLIGHT PUT ON HIM BY MORDECAI, PERSUADES THE KING TO ORDER A MASSACRE OF THE JEWS. The Grand Vizier Haman, Heb. calls a descendant of that mysterious people, the Amalekite...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    COMMANDMENT. word. Hebrew. _dabar._ See note on Esther 1:12. DECREE. Hebrew. _dath._ See notes on Esther 1:8; Esther 2:8. SAT DOWN TO DRINK. So Joseph's brethren ...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BUT THE CITY SHUSHAN WAS PERPLEXED— Not only the Jews, but a great many others in Shushan, might be concerned at this horrid decree, either because they were engaged with them in worldly concerns, or...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    C. Sentence of Xerxes TEXT: Esther 3:12-15 12 Then were the king's scribes called in the first month, on the thirteenth day thereof; and there was written according to all that Haman commanded unto...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _THEN WERE THE KING'S SCRIBES CALLED ON THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH, AND THERE WAS WRITTEN ACCORDING TO ALL THAT HAMAN HAD COMMANDED UNTO THE KING'S LIEUTENANTS, AND TO THE GOVERNORS THAT WE...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    HAMAN'S REVENGEFUL DESIGN AGAINST THE JEWS 1. The Agagite] It has been suggested that the name is an epithet meant to recall the Amalekite Agag hewn in pieces by Samuel (1 Samuel 15:33), and intended...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Was perplexed] i.e. at the magnitude and arbitrary character of the contemplated massacre....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD IS IN CONTROL Book of Esther _ROBERT BRYCE_ CHAPTER 3 V1 Some time later, King Xerxes rewarded Haman. Haman was from the family of Agag and his father was Hammedatha. The king gave more author...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    PERPLEXED. — The inhabitants of the capital were puzzled and alarmed, as well they might be, at so marvellously reckless an order. Their sympathies, too, were clearly with the Jews and against Haman....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הָֽ רָצִ֞ים יָצְא֤וּ דְחוּפִים֙ בִּ דְבַ֣ר הַ

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    RACE PREJUDICE BREEDS HATRED Esther 3:1 Josephus says that Agagite means a descendant of Agag, the common name for the kings of the Amalekites, Numbers 24:7. It is probably that something of the natu...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this section we have a picture of the procedure of government in the court of the king. Haman was promoted to supreme authority, and the portrait of the man is naturally and vividly presented to us...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the (g) city Shushan was perplexed. (g) Tha...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Jews. Hebrew, "but the city of Susan was in perplexity." Greek, "troubled." (Calmet) --- Even the pagans could not view such a cruel decree, without horror. (Haydock)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (12) Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors tha...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    REFLECTIONS IF we anticipate the history of this memorable event, as the sacred writer hath in the subsequent Chapter s given it, we shall not only derive a most blessed lesson, how to wait the LORD'S...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    Haman Ancient Day Hitler I. INTRODUCTION A. So far in our study of Esther, we have seen Queen Vashti give up her crown for not parading herself in front of the Kings drunken friends. 1. Last week w...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 1 THROUGH 10. The Book of Nehemiah has shewn us Judah reinstated in the land, but deprived of the presence of God, except as to general blessing, and unacknow...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THE POST WENT OUT, BEING HASTENED BY THE KING'S COMMAND,.... Both to set out and make as much dispatch as possible: AND THE DECREE WAS GIVEN IN SHUSHAN THE PALACE; by the king, and with the advice of...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed. Ver. 15. Th...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The copy of the writing to be given in every province_ Copies of this original decree of the king were sent into every province, and there ordered to be published, requiring the people to be ready ag...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan, the palace, issued from this residence of the king. AND THE KING AND HAMAN SAT DOWN TO DRINK, to indu...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE PLOT TO DESTROY THE JEWS...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    HAMAN'S ADVANCEMENT AND CONSPIRACY (vv. 1-15) After this (though we are not told how long after) King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, an Agagite, to a position above all the princes (v. 1).Agag had been t...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-15 Without some acquaintance with the human heart, and the history of mankind, we should not think that any prince could consent to a dreadful proposal, so hurtful to himself. Let us be thankful fo...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    BY THE KING'S COMMANDMENT; either by this decree made in the king's name, or by some particular and succeeding command, which Haman could easily obtain from the king. THE CITY SHUSHAN WAS PERPLEXED; n...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Esther 3:15 couriers H7323 (H8801) out H3318 (H8804) hastened H1765 (H8803) kings H4428 command H1697 decree...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Conspiracy of Haman. The king's decree to destroy the Jews. CHARACTERS: Ahasuerus, Haman, Mordecai. CONCLUSION: Though religion in no way stands in the way of good manners, but teaches us t...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Esther 3:1. _Haman the Agagite._ All the kings of Amalek received the name of Agag. This man is thought, by most critics, to have been of the seed- royal of that devoted nation, who bitterly hated the...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed._ SOCIETY BROKEN INTO SECTIONS Alas! how society is broken up into sections--one part caring little for another that is c...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day._ FRUITLESS PREPARATIONS I. Here is unseemly haste. II. Here are inconsistent precursory measures. Wickedness renders a man inconsistent....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ESTHER—NOTE ON ESTHER 3:1 Main Action. The plot to destroy the Jews (Esther 3:1) is foiled by the courageous actions of Esther and Mordecai ...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ESTHER—NOTE ON ESTHER 3:15 SAT DOWN TO DRINK. Haman and the king callously celebrate the forthcoming massacre. BUT... SUSA WAS THROWN INTO CONFUSION. This shows that many of Susa’s citizens did not sh...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.] ESTHER 3:15.] נָביֹכָה primarily does not mean that it was _distressed_ by terror or sorrow, but that it was _perplexed_, did not know what to think of such a terrible command. The re...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION HAMAN CASTS LOTS TO OBTAIN A LUCKY DAY FOR HIS ENTERPRISE, AND OBTAINS A DAY IN THE MONTH ADAR, THE LAST MONTH OF

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And as we get into Chapter 3, After these things the king Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. And t...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Amos 6:6; Esther 4:16; Esther 8:15; Hosea 7:5; John 16:20;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The city — Not only the Jews, but a great number of the citizens, either because they were related to them, or engaged with them in worldly concerns; or out of humanity and compassion toward so vast a...

Continues after advertising