Esther 3:15

_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 WERE OVER EVERY PROVINCE, AND TO THE RULERS OF EVERY PEOPLE OF EVERY PROVINCE ACCORDING TO THE WRITING THEREOF, AND TO EVERY PEOPLE AFTER THEIR LANGUAGE; IN THE NAME OF KING AHASUERUS WAS IT WRITTEN, AND SEALED WITH THE KING'S RING._ Then were the king's scribes called ... and there was written. The government secretaries were employed in making out the proclamation authorizing a universal massacre of the Jews on one day. It was translated into the dialects of all the people throughout the vast empire, and swift messengers sent to carry it into all the provinces, and, on the day appointed, all Jews were to be put to death, and their property confiscated-doubtless the means by which Haman hope...

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 for mild and just government. Haman inquires, according to his own superstitions, how to find a lucky day for the designed massacre! God's wisdom serves its own purposes by men's folly. Haman has appealed to the lot, and the lot, by delaying the execution, gives judgment against him. The event explains the doctrine of a particular providence over all the affairs of men, and the care of God over his church. Haman was afraid lest the king's conscience should smite him for what he had done; to prevent which, he kept him drinking. This cursed method many often take to drown convictions, and to harden their own hearts, and the hearts of others, in sin. All appeared in a favourable train to accompli...

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 world from the remotest antiquity. _THE DECREE WAS GIVEN AT SHUSHAN_] It was _dated_ from the royal Susa, where the king then was. _THE CITY SHUSHAN WAS PERPLEXED._] They saw that in a short time, by this wicked measure the whole city would be thrown into confusion; for, although the _Jews_ were the only objects of this decree, yet, as it armed the _populace_ against them, even the Persians could not hope to escape without being spoiled, when a desperate mob had begun to taste of human blood, and enrich themselves with the property of the murdered. Besides, many Persian families had, no doubt, become united by inte

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 Jews, and be disturbed at their threatened destruction. Even apart from this bond of union, the decree was sufficiently strange and ominous to “perplex” thoughtful citizens....

EXPOSITION HAMAN CASTS LOTS TO OBTAIN A LUCKY DAY FOR HIS ENTERPRISE, AND OBTAINS A DAY IN THE MONTH ADAR, THE LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR (Esther 3:7). Having determined on a general massacre of the Jews on a given day, as the best mode of ridding the empire of them, Haman thought it of supreme importance, to select for the massacre a propitious and fortunate day. Lucky and unlucky days are recognised generally throughout the East; and it is a wide-spread practice, when any affair of consequence is tak

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 his courtiers: AND THE KING AND HAMAN SAT DOWN TO DRINK; at a banquet which perhaps Haman had prepared, in gratitude to the king for what he had granted him, both being highly delighted with what had been done: BUT THE CITY SHUSHAN WAS PERPLEXED; the court was agreed, but the city was divided, as the former Targum says, with the joy of strange nations, and the weeping of the people of Israel, there being many Jews in the city; with whom no doubt there were many in connection, through affinity or friendship, or commerce, that were concerned for them; or, however, were shocked at such a barbarous scheme; and which they knew not where it would end, and how far they themselves might be involv...

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 (Esther 3:12) Esther 3:1. How long after these things the history of this chapter came to pass is not definitely stated. It probably happened after a short interval. We are now introduced to Haman, the Son of Hammedatha the Agagite. Him the king promoted and set his seat above all the princes. The tracing of this man's name is of interest. Its meaning is “A magnificent one.” Philologists derive it from the Persian god Haoma or

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 Amalekites, and even of their king Agag (1 Samuel 15). To suppose that the word Agag really means Gog, and to gather that we have here a sting for the memory of the Scythians, is a rather helpless device. The Heb. writer seems to have wished to avoid saying that Haman was a Macedonian, _i.e._ a Syrian. In ch. 8 LXX says he was so. Perhaps that was dangerous politics: those were the nations of the bloodthirsty Alexander and Antiochus. Haman, in his jealousy of Mordecai, would murder every Jewish man, woman, and child. Here is horrible blood-thirst, but it is Gentile blood-thirst. It is not Jewish, and it passes comprehension why this ferocious character of Haman has been so often attributed to the Jew...

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 (Genesis 37:25), and Herod (Matthew 14:6; Mark 6:21). So will it be (Revelation 11:7). THE CITY. Put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Adjunct), App-6, for the inhabitants. per

_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....