Esther 8:11

_WHEREIN THE KING GRANTED THE JEWS WHICH WERE IN EVERY CITY TO GATHER THEMSELVES TOGETHER, AND TO STAND FOR THEIR LIFE, TO DESTROY, TO SLAY, AND TO CAUSE TO PERISH, ALL THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE AND PROVINCE THAT WOULD ASSAULT THEM, BOTH LITTLE ONES AND WOMEN, AND TO TAKE THE SPOIL OF THEM FOR A PREY,_ The king granted the Jews ... to stand for their life ... to slay ... all ... that would assault them. The fixed and unalterable character claimed for Persian edicts often placed the king in a very awkward dilemma; because, however bitterly he might regret things done in a moment of haste and thoughtlessness, it was beyond even his power to prevent the consequences. This was the reason on account of which the king was laid under a necessity not to reverse but to issue a contradictory edict; according to which it was enacted that, if pursuant to the first decree the Jews were assaulted, they...

3-14 It was time to be earnest, when the church of God was at stake. Esther, though safe herself, fell down and begged for the deliverance of her people. We read of no tears when she begged for her own life, but although she was sure of that, she wept for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most Christ-like. According to the constitution of the Persian government, no law or decree could be repealed or recalled. This is so far from speaking to the wisdom and honour of the Medes and Persians, that it clearly shows their pride and folly. This savours of that old presumption which ruined all, We will be as gods! It is God's prerogative not to repent, or to say what can never be altered or unsaid. Yet a way was found, by another decree, to authorize the Jews to stand upon their defence. The decree was published in the languages of all the provinces. Shall all the subjects of an...

Verse Esther 8:11. _TO DESTROY, TO SLAY, AND TO CAUSE TO PERISH_] The same words as in Haman's decree: therefore the Jews had as much authority to slay their enemies, as their enemies had to slay them. _LITTLE ONES AND WOMEN_] This was the ordinary custom, to destroy the whole family of those convicted of great crimes; and whether this was right or wrong, it was the custom of the people, and according to the laws. Besides, as this edict was to give the Jews the same power against their enemies as they had by the former decree against them, and the women and children were there included; consequently they must be included here....

This fresh decree allowed the Jews to stand on their defense, and to kill all who attacked them. It has been pronounced incredible that any king would thus have sanctioned civil war in all the great cities of his empire; but some even of the more skeptical critics allow that “Xerxes” might not improbably have done so....

EXPOSITION HAMAN'S HOUSE GIVEN TO ESTHER, AND THE KING'S SIGNET MADE OVER.TO MORDECAI (Esther 8:1, Esther 8:2). Two consequences followed immediately on Haman's execution. His property escheating to the crown, Ahasuerus made the whole of it over to Esther, either simply as a sign of favour, or in compensation of the alarm and suffering which Haman had caused her. Further, Haman's office being vacant, and Mordecai's close relationship to Esther having become known to the king, he transferred to Mordecai the confidence which he had been wont to repose in Haman, and gave him the custody of

WHEREIN THE KING GRANTED THE JEWS WHICH WERE IN EVERY CITY TO GATHER THEMSELVES TOGETHER,.... In some part of the city they should choose, and remain in a body, being sufficiently armed: AND TO STAND FOR THEIR LIFE; to defend themselves, and fight for their life, should any attack them, or attempt to take it away; in such case they might act offensively, SO AS TO DESTROY, TO SLAY, AND TO CAUSE TO PERISH, ALL THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE AND PROVINCE THAT WOULD ASSAULT THEM; every army of them, or as many as should join in a body to attack them, any mighty or powerful mob; and not men only, BUT BOTH LITTLE ONES AND WOMEN, AND TO TAKE THE SPOIL OF THEM FOR A PREY; the same words are used, and the same power is given them as were to their enemies, Esther 3:13, not that they made use of it to the utmost extremity, it is certain they did not in

MORDECAI'S EXALTATION AND THE SECOND PROCLAMATION CHAPTER 8 _ 1. Mordecai's exaltation (Esther 8:1)_ 2. Esther's second petition (Esther 8:3) 3. The second proclamation (Esther 8:9) 4. The joy of the Jews (Esther 8:15) Esther 8:1. Esther the Queen receives from the king the possessions of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Then she revealed what Mordecai was to her, her uncle and foster-father. The king had taken the signet-ring of authority from the hand of Haman. The same ring Mordecai received. Esther honoured her uncle by plac

ESTHER 8. THE KING DECREES THAT THE JEWS MAY DEFEND THEMSELVES. We come now to one of the most important parts of the tale. Esther has seen Haman pass out to death not, be it noted, at her request. Now, what does she seek further? Many have accused her of cruelty, her and her race. Not so the reality. She implores that the bloody decree be annulled (Esther 8:5), and thus, had she been heard, no blood at all would have been shed. But the Gentile mind is not of this kindly sort. Oh no. The king likes to see blood: he is a sportsman. No, no, Esther, the king answers, blood must flow. Ye Jews, defend yourselves. Fight! So they are forced to take arms, directly against their own mind. LXX gives a supposed form of the new royal order, fanciful, perhaps, but based on fact. Away out the fast posts speed, to order this anti-massaore ...

THEIR LIFE. themselves. Hebrew. _nephesh._ DESTROY... SLAY... PERISH. Figure of speech _Synonymia_, for emphasis. See note on Esther 3:13. POWER. force. Hebrew. _hayil,_ as in Esther 1:3. Not _shalat =_ mastery, as in Esther 9:1. or _tokeph =_ authority, as in Esther 9:29. LITTLE ONES. These were spared, notwithstanding. Compare Esther 9:6....

The LXX. express the permission in much gentler form, viz. -to defend themselves and to treat their adversaries and foes as they please." But the author of the Book evidently means to bring out forcibly the fact that the parts which by the first decree had been assigned respectively to the Jews and their foes are now reversed....