Esther 1 - Introduction
_A.M. 3483. B.C. 521._ Ahasuerus feasts his great men, Esther 1:1. Sends for his queen, who refuses to come, Esther 1:10; Esther 1:11. He divorces her, Esther 1:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
_A.M. 3483. B.C. 521._ Ahasuerus feasts his great men, Esther 1:1. Sends for his queen, who refuses to come, Esther 1:10; Esther 1:11. He divorces her, Esther 1:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the days of Ahasuerus_ Many suppose this king to have been Darius Hystaspes, for his kingdom was thus vast, and he subdued India, as Herodotus reports: and one of his wives was called Atossa, differing little from Hadassah, which is Esther's other name, Esther 2:7. But the most likely opinion, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_When Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom_ Was settled in the quiet possession of it, enjoying peace and tranquillity throughout his large dominions; _which was in Shushan the palace_ “Which, after the conquest of the Medes, was made by Cyrus, and the rest of the Persian kings, the royal seat... [ Continue Reading ]
_Made a feast unto all his princes and his servants_ By his servants are meant his subjects, who were called servants in the eastern countries. And it was the manner of the Roman emperors, sometimes to feast all the people of Rome, as well as the senate. _The power of Persia and Media_ The mighty me... [ Continue Reading ]
_Many days, even a hundred and fourscore days_ Making every day a magnificent feast either for all his princes, or for some of them, who might come to the feast successively, as the king ordered them to do. The Persian feasts are much celebrated in authors for their length and luxury.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Made a feast unto all the people in Shushan_ Not only to the inhabitants of Shushan, but to all that were then present in the city out of all parts of his dominions. _In the court of the garden of the king's palace _ In the entrance of the royal palace. The Persian gardens were exceedingly large an... [ Continue Reading ]
_Where were white, green, and blue hangings_ Set up like tents. _The beds were of gold and silver_ On which they sat, or rather lay, at their meat. The beds themselves, it is probable, were of the softest wool; but the bedsteads were of gold and silver, that is, studded with gold and silver, or over... [ Continue Reading ]
_The drinking was according to the law_ The Persians were at first, before they came to have such a great dominion, sober and temperate; but afterward they fell into the manner and luxury of the Medes and Lydians, and excited one another at their feasts to drinking. But upon this occasion the king o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women_ While the king entertained the men. For this was the common custom of the Persians, that men and women did not feast together. _In the royal house_ Not in the open air, as the men were, but more privately, as was fit for women.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The queen Vashti refused to come_ Being favoured in this refusal by the law of Persia, which was, to keep men's wives, and especially queens, from the view of other men. _His anger burned in him_ It was the more immoderate, because his blood was heated with wine, which made his passion too strong f... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which knew the times_ The histories of former times, what princes had done in such cases as this was, and were well skilled in the laws and customs of their country, and were therefore able to give the king counsel in all extraordinary and perplexed cases. Inasmuch, however, as the Persian kings di... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which saw the king's face_ Who had constant freedom of access to the king, and opportunities of familiar converse with him; which is thus expressed, because the Persian kings were very seldom seen by their subjects. _Who sat the first in the kingdom_ Who were his chief counsellors and officers.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Vashti the queen hath done wrong to all the princes_, &c. By giving their wives an example and encouragement to contemn and disobey their husbands. It is a crime of a high nature, and therefore deserves an exemplary punishment.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath_ Contempt in the wives, and thereupon wrath in the husbands, and consequently strife in families, which may produce great and general mischiefs.... [ Continue Reading ]
_If it please the king_ Which this cunning politician knew it would do. _That it be not altered_ Which caution was necessary for his own security, lest the king's anger should cool, and the queen should recover her former state, and the king's favour, in which case this lord would, most likely, have... [ Continue Reading ]
_All the wives shall give to their husbands honour_, &c. None will dare to disobey, when they hear that the greatness of the queen could not preserve her from such a heavy punishment. _The saying pleased the king and the princes_ Partly because their own authority and interest were concerned in it;... [ Continue Reading ]
_That it should be published according to the language of every people_ That all sorts of persons, not men only, but women also, might understand it, and therefore be inexcusable if they did not comply with it.... [ Continue Reading ]