Esther 2:18

_THEN THE KING MADE A GREAT FEAST UNTO ALL HIS PRINCES AND HIS SERVANTS, EVEN ESTHER'S FEAST; AND HE MADE A RELEASE TO THE PROVINCES, AND GAVE GIFTS, ACCORDING TO THE STATE OF THE KING._ The king made a great feast, х_ WAYA`AS_ (H6213) _ HAMELEK_ (H4428) _ MISHTEH_ (H4960) _ GAADOWL _ (H1419); Septuagint, epoieese tous gamous] - made the marriage feast. The nuptials were celebrated by a magnificent entertainment; and, in honour of the auspicious occasion, "he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king." The dotation of Persian queens consisted in consigning to them the revenue of certain cities, in various parts of the kingdom for defraying their personal and domestic expenditure: one city, for instance, to furnish head-dres

1-20 We see to what absurd practices those came, who were destitute of Divine revelation, and what need there was of the gospel of Christ, to purify men from the lusts of the flesh, and to bring them back to the original institution of marriage. Esther was preferred as queen. Those who suggest that Esther committed sin to come at this dignity, do not consider the custom of those times and countries. Every one that the king took was married to him, and was his wife, though of a lower rank. But how low is human nature sunk, when such as these are the leading pursuits and highest worldly happiness of men! Disappointment and vexation must follow; and he most wisely consults his enjoyment, even in this present life, who most exactly obeys the precepts of the Divine law. But let us turn to consider the wise and merciful providence of God, carrying on his deep but holy designs in the midst of...

Verse 18. _MADE A RELEASE TO THE PROVINCES_] Remitted some kind of _tribute_ or _impost_, in honour of Esther, at her coronation, as our kings generally do when they are crowned, ordering a discharge from prison of many who are confined for minor offenses. As it was the custom of the Persian kings to give their queens something like what is called with us the _aurum reginae_, "queen gold," which was a tenth of all fines, c., above what was given to the king (for they gave them such a city to buy them _clothes_, another for their _hair_, a third for their _necklaces_, a fourth for their _pearls_, c.) it is probable that, on this occasion, Esther so wishing, he relieved those cities and provinces which had before paid this _queen gold_ from all these expenses; and this would tend greatly to make the queen _popular_....

A RELEASE - Either remission of taxation, or of military service, or of both....

EXPOSITION THE QUEST FOR MAIDENS, AND THE CHOICE OF ESTHER TO BE QUEEN IN VASHTI'S PLACE (Esther 2:1). Vashti having ceased to be queen, Ahasuerus appears to have been in no haste to assign her dignity to any one else. Probably there was no one among his other (secondary) wives of whom he was specially fond, or who seemed to him pre-eminent above the rest. And he may even have begun to relent in Vashti's favour (as seems to be somewhat obscurely intimated in Esther 2:1), and to wish to take her back. Under these circumstances the officers of his cour

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 month t: AND HE MADE A RELEASE TO THE PROVINCES; of taxes and tribute due to him, as was the custom of the kings of Persia when they came to the throne, as Herodotus u relates; so Smerdis the magus, that mounted the throne after Cambyses, pretending to be his brother, released them for three years to come w; and Grotius says kings used to do it at their marriage, but gives no instance of it: AND GAVE GIFTS: according to the latter Targum, to the provinces, all of them, that he might be sure that the people of Esther shared his favours, who were as yet unknown; but rather these gifts were gi...

ESTHER CHOSEN QUEEN. Ere long Ahasuerus longs for his lost queen's comradeship. He is moved to issue a summons throughout all his territories, commanding all fair maidens to appear as candidates for the queenship. This command removes the fancy that a Jewess had no right to come. She had to come. Among the assembled fair ones was the cousin and ward of Mordecai, called Hadassah, _i.e._ Myrtle. Let us notice that this name is the same as that of the place Adasah in Judah where, on Adar 13th, 161 B.C., the Maccabees defeated Nicanor, the general of the armies of Syria (p. 607). That final victory set Judah free from foreign rule, so that the throne of David was established again after its destruction about 600 B.C. (see 1Ma_7:39 ff.). The maiden seems intended by our writer as a symbol of that victory. She surpasses all her rivals, and is chosen by Ahasuerus as his queen; and now she recei...

RELEASE. a holiday. Hebrew. _hanahah._...

_a release_ Heb. _a rest_, an exemption for a certain time from taxation and from military service. Such e.g. had been granted by the Pseudo-Smerdis on his usurpation (Herod. iii. 67). _gifts_ The Heb. word was used in older times for a portion of food sent from the table (Genesis 43:34; 2 Samuel 11:8), and afterwards for a contribution or tax imposed for sacred purposes (2 Chronicles 24:6), or a present such as largess from a superior (Jeremiah 40:5 and here). _according to the bounty of the king_ See on Esther 1:7....

HE MADE A RELEASE TO THE PROVINCES, &C.— The manner of the Persian kings was, to give their queens, at their marriages, such a city to buy them clothes, another for their hair, another for their necklaces, and so on for the rest of their expences; and as it was customary for them, according to the testimony of Herodotus, upon their accession to the throne, to remit the tribute which was then due to them from all the cities; so Ahasuerus, upon this occasion, out of his abundant joy, might _make a release to the provinces,_ and forgive them some of the duties and imposts which they were wont to pay him....