INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 2 By the advice of the ministers of King Ahasuerus, fair virgins were sought for throughout his dominions, and brought to his chamberlain, the keeper of the women, among whom was Esther, a Jewish virgin, Esther 2:1, who found favour with the chamberlain, and afterwards with t... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THESE THINGS, WHEN THE WRATH OF KING AHASUERUS WAS APPEASED,.... Which went off with his wine, and so was quickly after, a few days at most, unless this can be understood as after the expedition of Xerxes into Greece, from whence he returned to Shushan, in the seventh year of his reign; and if... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID THE KING'S SERVANTS THAT MINISTERED UNTO HIM,.... Fearing that, if Vashti should be restored, vengeance would be taken on them; or however to remove the grief and melancholy of the king, they gave the following advice: LET THERE BE FAIR YOUNG VIRGINS SOUGHT FOR THE KING; that he might enj... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LET THE KING APPOINT OFFICERS IN ALL THE PROVINCES OF HIS KINGDOM,.... Who best knew where beautiful virgins might be found in their respective provinces, in which they dwelt: THAT THEY MAY GATHER TOGETHER ALL THE FAIR YOUNG VIRGINS UNTO SHUSHAN THE PALACE; the metropolis of the kingdom, where... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LET THE MAIDEN WHICH PLEASETH THE KING BE QUEEN INSTEAD OF VASHTI,.... Have the royal estate, that was taken from Vashti, given to her, the crown royal set on her head, c. AND THE THING PLEASED THE KING, AND HE DID SO appointed officers in all his provinces to seek out the most beautiful virgin... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW IN SHUSHAN THE PALACE WAS A CERTAIN JEW,.... Not one of the tribe of Judah, for he was afterwards called a Benjaminite; but was so called, because he was of the kingdom of Judah, which consisted of both tribes. Jarchi says, all that were carried captive with the kings of Judah were called Jews a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO HAD BEEN CARRIED AWAY FROM JERUSALEM,.... Which, according to some f, is to be connected, not with Mordecai, but with Kish, his great-grandfather; and indeed otherwise Mordecai must be now a very old man, and Esther his first cousin, they being brothers' children, must be at an age, one would th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE BROUGHT UP HADASSAH (THAT IS ESTHER) HIS UNCLE'S DAUGHTER,.... Her Hebrew name was Hadassah, which signifies a myrtle, to which the Israelites, and good men among them, are sometimes compared, Zechariah 1:8. Her Persian name was Esther, which some derive from "satar", to hide, because hidden... [ Continue Reading ]
SO IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE KING'S COMMANDMENT AND DECREE WAS HEARD,.... In the several provinces of his kingdom: AND WHEN MANY MAIDENS WERE GATHERED UNTO SHUSHAN THE PALACE, TO THE CUSTODY OF HEGAI; Josephus o says, there were gathered to the number of four hundred: THAT ESTHER WAS BROUGHT ALSO... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MAIDEN PLEASED HIM,.... Not the king, into whose presence she was not yet introduced, but the chamberlain; her beauty and her behaviour recommended her to him, and he concluded within himself that she was the person that of all would be acceptable to the king: AND SHE OBTAINED KINDNESS OF H... [ Continue Reading ]
ESTHER HAD NOT SHOWED HER PEOPLE NOR HER KINDRED,.... What nation or family she was of; it not being asked, she was under no obligation to declare it; and being born in Shushan, as very probable, she was taken to be a Persian: FOR MORDECAI HAD CHARGED HER THAT SHE SHOULD NOT SHOW IT; lest she shoul... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MORDECAI WALKED EVERY DAY BEFORE THE COURT OF THE WOMEN'S HOUSE,.... Being one of the court, and in an high post, as Aben Ezra thinks, he might walk there without being examined, and called to an account for it: TO KNOW HOW ESTHER DID; to inquire of her health and prosperity, or peace, the word... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN EVERY MAID'S TURN WAS COME TO GO IN TO KING AHASUERUS, AFTER THAT SHE HAD BEEN TWELVE MONTHS, ACCORDING TO THE MANNER OF WOMEN,.... That were prepared in the house of the women to be presented to the king for his liking; for it seems that these virgins came in turns to him, according to the... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THUS CAME EVERY VIRGIN UNTO THE KING,.... When her twelve months were up, and she was purified in the manner before observed: WHATSOEVER SHE DESIRED WAS GIVEN HER TO GO WITH HER OUT OF THE HOUSE OF THE WOMEN UNTO THE KING'S HOUSE; whatever she commanded the chamberlain was obliged to furnish h... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE EVENING SHE WENT, AND ON THE MORROW SHE RETURNED INTO THE SECOND HOUSE OF THE WOMEN,.... Or the other apartment of the house of the women, where were kept those the king had made his concubines or secondary wives. Aben Ezra interprets it the second time, and so the Targum by "again": TO THE... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN THE TURN OF ESTHER THE DAUGHTER OF ABIHAIL,.... For this was her father's name, and not Aminadab, as the Septuagint version: THE UNCLE OF MORDECAI, WHO HAD TAKEN HER FOR HIS DAUGHTER; which makes it quite clear that Mordecai was not Esther's uncle, as Josephus, but her own cousin: now when... [ Continue Reading ]
SO ESTHER WAS TAKEN UNTO KING AHASUERUS, INTO HIS HOUSE ROYAL,.... Did not return on the morrow to the house of the women, as those who only became the king's concubines did, Esther 2:14, but she was taken to be his wife, and designed for his queen, and so was retained in his palace, and placed in a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING LOVED ESTHER ABOVE ALL THE WOMEN,.... The virgins he made his concubines, as next explained; though Jarchi interprets it of married women, for such he supposes were gathered and brought to him, as well as virgins: AND SHE OBTAINED GRACE AND FAVOUR IN HIS SIGHT MORE THAN ALL THE VIRGINS... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE KING MADE A GREAT FEAST UNTO ALL HIS PRINCES AND SERVANTS, EVEN ESTHER'S FEAST,.... A feast to all his nobles, courtiers, and ministers of state, on account of his marriage with Esther; which, according to the Greek version, was held seven days; but, according to Josephus, it lasted a whole... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE VIRGINS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER THE SECOND TIME,.... Some think this second collection is that which was made when Esther was taken and brought to the keeper of the women, called the second, in reference to a former collection of them, made when Vashti was taken and made queen; but as th... [ Continue Reading ]
ESTHER HAD NOT SHOWED HER KINDRED NOR HER PEOPLE, AS MORDECAI HAD CHARGED HER,.... As not before, so neither since she was made queen, see Esther 2:10, though, according to the Targums, she was urged to it by the king himself: FOR ESTHER DID THE COMMANDMENT OF MORDECAI, LIKE AS WHEN SHE WAS BROUGHT... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THOSE DAYS, WHILE MORDECAI SAT IN THE KING'S GATE,.... Being, as before observed, an officer at court: TWO OF THE KING'S CHAMBERLAINS, BIGTHAN AND TERESH, OF THOSE THAT KEPT THE DOOR; of the inner court, as Aben Ezra, of the doors of his bedchamber; perhaps they were the chief of his bodyguards,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE THING WAS KNOWN TO MORDECAI,.... But by what means does not appear; the Jewish writers say c, these two men were Tarsians, and spoke in the Tarsian language, which they thought Mordecai did not understand; but he, being skilled in languages, overheard them, and understood what they said; but... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN INQUISITION WAS MADE OF THE MATTER, IT WAS FOUND OUT,.... That these two men had entered into a conspiracy to take away the king's life; full proof and evidence were given of it: THEREFORE THEY WERE BOTH HANGED ON A TREE; Josephus e says they were crucified; but hanging was frequent among... [ Continue Reading ]