Esther 2:22

21-23 Good subjects must not conceal any bad design they know of against the prince, or the public peace. Mordecai was not rewarded at the time, but a remembrance was written. Thus, with respect to those who serve Christ, though their recompence is not till the resurrection of the just, yet an account is kept of their work of faith and labour of love, which God is not unrighteous to forget. The servant of God must be faithful to every trust, and watchful for those who employ him. If he appear to be neglected now, he will be remembered hereafter. None of our actions can be forgotten; even our most secret thoughts are written in lasting registers, Revelation 20:12...

Verse Esther 2:22. _WAS KNOWN TO MORDECAI_] Josephus says that a Jew, named _Barnabasus_, overheard the plot, told it to Mordecai, Mordecai to Esther, and Esther to the king, in Mordecai's name; and _he_ was registered as the discoverer....

EXPOSITION MORDECAI'S DISCOVERY OF A PLOT AGAINST AHASUERUS' LIFE (Esther 2:19-17). Some time after Esther had been made queen, there was a second collection of virgins at Susa (verse 19), under circumstances which are not related, and which were probably of small importance. _At this time _(verse 21) Mordecai, still serving in his humble office at the palace gate, from which he had not been advanced, since Esther had told no one that he was her relation (verse 20), happened to detect a conspiracy against the king's life, which had been formed by two of the palace eunuchs, Bigthan and Tercsh, whom Ahasuerus had somehow offended (verse 21). Being still in the habit of holding communication with Esther, Mordecai was able to make her acquainted with th

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, according to Josephus d, it was discovered to him by Barnabazus, a servant of one of the chamberlains; the latter Targum says, it was showed unto him by the Holy Ghost: WHO TOLD IT UNTO ESTHER, AND ESTHER CERTIFIED THE KING THEREOF IN MORDECAI'S NAME; whose name she mentioned, partly as a voucher of the truth of what she reported, and partly to ingratiate Mordecai to the king, that he might be still yet more promoted in due time. c T. Bab. Megillah, fol. 13. 2. Targum prius Jarchi in loc. d Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 4....

MORDECAI DETECTS A PLOT TO MURDER THE KING. A story of the conspiracy of regicides is set here in both Heb. and LXX, because the earlier mention of it had been cut out. But this insertion is badly made; for Mordecai would surely not send his report of the conspiracy to the king through Esther, and so violate his own advice to her to conceal her relationship. Probably it was Haman that was trusted by Mordecai to carry the message; hence followed Haman's jealousy and hence also, doubtless, resulted Mordecai's contempt for Haman, and the refusal to honour him. Mordecai has often been condemned for this stiff refusal: it is called Jewish narrowness. But why condemn the man for his stern honesty and for his obedience to the Decalogue?...

WAS KNOWN. Mordecai sat in the king's gate: the very place to hear all news....

Mordecai's discovery of the plot against the king's life 19. _And when the virgins were gathered together the second time_ Render, _Now when maidens were being gathered together a second time_. There is no article attached to the word -virgins" in the original, and we have no means of knowing what kind of occasion is referred to here. It is merely a conjecture that the reference is to an effort made by the officials to supplant Esther in the king's affections by introducing to his notice such as would better support their influence. The clause is omitted in the LXX. _then Mordecai sat etc._ better, perhaps, _and when Mordecai was sitting etc._In this way we have another circumstantial clause, which is added to the first, and resumed in Esther 2:21. Mordecai occupied a place at the gate of the palace properly so called, or of that division of the women's apartment

E. Sedition Revealed TEXT: Esther 2:19-23 19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate. 20 Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. 21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those that kept the threshold, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus. 22 And the thing became known to Mordecai, who showed it unto Esther the queen; and Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai's name. 23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the

THE CHOICE OF ESTHER TO BE QUEEN. MORDECAI'S SERVICE 1. He remembered, etc.] LXX has 'he thought no more of Vashti, remembering what,' etc....

GOD IS IN CONTROL Book of Esther _ROBERT BRYCE_ CHAPTER 2 V1 Later, when the king was not still angry, he thought about Vashti. He remembered what she had done. And he remembered the law that he had made. Verse 1 Xerxes may have been sorry for what he had done to Vashti. We do not know if he was sorry soon afterwards. It may have happened much later. It was several years later that Xerxes made Esther queen. (See Esther 2:16-17.) The delay was probably because Xerxes was abroad. During this time, he fought wars against the armies of Greece. V2 Then the king’s personal servants gave him advice. ‘The king sho