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Esther Chapter
Eight
New King James Version
(NKJV)
Esther 8:1. On that day
King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And
Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told how he was related to
her.
YLT 1On that day hath the king
Ahasuerus given to Esther the queen the house of Haman, adversary of the Jews,
and Mordecai hath come in before the king, for Esther hath declared what he
[is] to her,
On that day did
the King, Ahasuerus, give the house of Haman, the Jews' enemy, unto Esther the
queen,....
That, and all the goods in
it, and estate belonging to it; which being confiscated to the king, he gave to
Esther, who would have been the sufferer, had his scheme taken place; so the
Targum adds,"and the men of his house, and all his treasures, and all his
riches:"
and Mordecai
came before the king;
was introduced into his
presence, became one of his privy counsellors, one of those that saw the king's
face, and sat first in the kingdom, Esther 1:14
for Esther had
told what he was unto her;
what relation he stood in
to her; her uncle, according to the Vulgate Latin version, and so Aben Ezra and
Josephus, but wrongly, for she was his uncle's daughter; so that they were
brother's children, or own cousins, see Esther 2:7.
Esther 8:2.
2 So the king took off his
signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther
appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman.
YLT 2and the king turneth aside
his signet, that he hath caused to pass away from Haman, and giveth it to
Mordecai, and Esther setteth Mordecai over the house of Haman.
And the king
took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai,....
which, with the Persians,
was a token of the strongest affection and strictest friendshipF26Alex.
ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 26. & l. 2. c. 19. ; the Targum calls it
his signatory ring, that with which he signed laws, edicts, letters, patents,
&c. and so hereby made him keeper of the seals:
and Esther set
Mordecai over the house of Haman;
appointed him her steward
of the estate of Haman, the king had given her.
Esther 8:3.
3 Now Esther spoke again to
the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the
evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the
Jews.
YLT 3And Esther addeth, and
speaketh before the king, and falleth before his feet, and weepeth, and maketh
supplication to him, to cause the evil of Haman the Agagite to pass away, and
his device that he had devised against the Jews;
And Esther
spake yet again before the king,....
Went into his presence,
without being called for as before, with a new petition:
and fell down
at his feet, and besought him with tears;
the more to work upon his
affections, and move him to grant her request; which she might be the more
encouraged to hope for, through the success she already had:
to put away the
mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the
Jews;
to revoke, abolish, and
make void a mischievous scheme Haman had devised against the Jews, to root out
the whole nation of them in the Persian empire.
Esther 8:4.
4 And the king held out the
golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king,
YLT 4and the king holdeth out to
Esther the golden sceptre, and Esther riseth, and standeth before the king,
Then the king
held out the golden sceptre towards Esther,....
As a token that she had
not incurred his displeasure by coming into his presence without leave, and
that she was admitted to speak and make her request; see Esther 5:3
so Esther arose
and stood before the king;
she rose from the ground
on which she lay prostrate, and stood upon her feet, in an humble manner, to
make her speech, and present her petition to the king.
Esther 8:5.
5 and said, “If it pleases
the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems
right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke
the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote
to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.
YLT 5and saith, `If to the king
[it be] good, and if I have found grace before him, and the thing hath been
right before the king, and I [be] good in his eyes, let it be written to bring
back the letters -- a device of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite -- that he
wrote to destroy the Jews who [are] in all provinces of the king,
And said, if it
please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem
right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes,....
This heap of phrases,
which signify much the same thing, are used to work upon the king's affections,
and to show how submissive she was to his will:
let it be
written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha, the
Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's
provinces.
She wisely takes no notice
of any concern the king had in them, but suggests as that she looked upon them
as forged by Haman, who put the king's name and seal to them, without his
knowledge and consent.
Esther 8:6.
6 For how can I endure to
see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the
destruction of my countrymen?”
YLT 6for how do I endure when I
have looked on the evil that doth find my people? and how do I endure when I
have looked on the destruction of my kindred?'
For how can I
endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people?....
I cannot bear it; it will
break my heart; I shall die to see all my people massacred throughout the
realm; the thought of it is shocking and shuddering; to see it, intolerable: or
"how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?" the same
thing in different words, and somewhat more express and explanative. She
explains the evil coming upon her people of the utter destruction of them, not
barely an oppression, but an extermination of them; and she makes use of a word
expressive of their relation to her, as more endearing, being her kindred; she
and they being, as it were, of the same family, and with whom she could not but
sympathize in distress.
Esther 8:7.
7 Then King Ahasuerus said
to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Indeed, I have given Esther the house of
Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay
his hand on the Jews.
YLT 7And the king Ahasuerus
saith to Esther the queen, and to Mordecai the Jew, `Lo, the house of Haman I
have given to Esther, and him they have hanged on the tree, because that he put
forth his hand on the Jews,
Then the King
Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen, and to Mordecai the Jew,....
Who was present at the
same time, either at the desire of Esther, or by virtue of his office, being
now one of those that saw the king's face, Esther 8:1,
behold, I have
given Esther the house of Haman;
See Gill on Esther 8:1,
and him they
have hanged upon the gallows;
which he had prepared for
Mordecai, Esther 7:10
because he laid
his hand upon the Jews;
intended to do so, and had
prepared for it, and wrote letters, ordering their destruction on such a day.
Now as the king had shown favour to Esther and Mordecai, and had punished Haman
for contriving mischief against them and the Jews, which was publicly known,
the people would be fearful of doing anything against them, lest they should
incur the king's displeasure, and therefore might make themselves easy about
this matter; but, however, to give them all the satisfaction he could, he
directs them to do as follows.
Esther 8:8.
8 You yourselves write a
decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it
with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and
sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”
YLT 8and ye, write ye for the
Jews, as [it is] good in your eyes, in the name of the king, and seal with the
signet of the king -- for the writing that is written in the name of the king,
and sealed with the signet of the king, there is none to turn back.'
Write ye also
for the Jews as it liketh you,....
Whatever may be thought
fit and proper for their safety and security:
in the king's
name, and seal it with the king's ring;
as the former letters
were:
for the writing
which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no
man reverse;
which is a reason both for
the writing and sealing of the present letters in this manner, and why the former
could not be reversed; nor does it appear that they were, but that, in virtue
of them, the people had power to rise and kill the Jews on the day appointed,
if they dared, or were so disposed; and these empowered the Jews to rise in
their own defence, and kill all that made any attempts upon them, for which
they had the royal authority; and these letters coming after the other, though
they did not formally reverse them, which might not be done, yet rendered them
ineffectual.
Esther 8:9.
9 So the king’s scribes were
called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on
the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai
commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the
provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in
all, to every province in its own script, to every people in their own
language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
YLT 9And the scribes of the king
are called, at that time, in the third month -- it [is] the month of Sivan --
in the three and twentieth of it, and it is written, according to all that
Mordecai hath commanded, unto the Jews, and unto the lieutenants, and the
governors, and the heads of the provinces, that [are] from Hodu even unto Cush,
seven and twenty and a hundred provinces -- province and province according to
its writing, and people and people according to its tongue, and unto the Jews
according to their writing, and according to their tongue.
Then were the
king's scribes called at that time,....
As they were to write the
former letter, Esther 3:12,
in the third
month, that is the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof;
which answers to part of
May, and part of June. This was two months and ten days after the writing of
the former letters; so long the Jews had been in distress by reason of them,
and was a just rebuke upon them for not returning to their own land when they
might, as well as for other sins:
and it was
written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews.
Mordecai dictated to the
scribes, and ordered what they should write; and which were sent to the Jews in
the first place, partly to ease them of their present distress, and partly that
they might prepare against that time for their defence, for which they had
sufficient time, it being now more than nine months to it:
and to the
lieutenants, and the deputies, and the rulers of the provinces, which are from
India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces.
The letters were directed
to the same magistrates in the several provinces as the former, giving orders
to them, that, notwithstanding them, they were to suffer the Jews to defend
themselves, and not punish them for what should be done by them in
self-defence; see Esther 1:1,
unto every
province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their
language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their
language;
some provinces spoke the
Persian language, and used the character of it, others Chaldee, others Syriac,
&c. and wrote in the usual characters, as the Jews did in Hebrew, and in
the characters of that language; and now these letters were written in the
language and character of the people of the several provinces they were sent
to, that they might be easily read and understood.
Esther 8:10.
10 And he wrote in the name
of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent
letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses bred from swift
steeds.[a]
YLT 10And he writeth in the name
of the king Ahasuerus, and sealeth with the signet of the king, and sendeth
letters by the hand of the runners with horses, riders of the dromedary, the
mules, the young mares,
And he wrote in
the King Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring,....
Which gave the letters
authority, and made them irreversible, and for this Mordecai had the king's
order, Esther 8:8
and sent
letters by post;
by runners or couriers:
on horseback;
that rode on horses that
were racers, that ran swiftly:
and riders on
mules, camels, and young dromedaries;
which were all different
creatures, and swift ones, according to our version, especially the latter; see
Jeremiah 2:23 which
were a kind of camels, but swifter, and would go more than one hundred miles a
dayF1Isidor. Origin. l. 12. c. 1. Vid. Strabo Geograph. l. 15. p. 498.
; and, as Diodorus Siculus saysF2Bibliothec. l. 19. p. 683. , not
less than 1500 furlongs or about two hundred miles: though it may be only one
sort are meant, namely, "mules", for the next word,
"ahashteranim", in the Persian language signifies mulesF3Castell.
Dictionar. Persic. col. 29. Hottinger. Smegma Oriental l. 1. c. 5. p. 75. , and
so Aben Ezra interprets it, and likewise Kimchi and Ben Melech; and the last
words may be rendered "sons of mares", so David de Pomis; that is,
such mules as are gendered by he asses and mares: and so the same writer
observes, that the word in the Arabic language signifies "mares"; and
such mules that come from them he says are stronger than those that come from
she asses; so that the whole may be rendered to this sense, "riders on
mules", (which in the Persian language are called
"ahashteranim",) namely, such as are "sons of mares"; and
which according to AelianusF4De Animal. l. 16. c. 9. and PlinyF5Nat.
Hist. l. 8. c. 44. are the swiftest; though the Persians had camels swifter
than are common elsewhere, called "revatrie", the "goer",
which trot as fast as an horse can gallopF6Universal History, vol.
5. p. 88. .
Esther 8:11. 11 By
these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to
gather together and protect their lives—to destroy, kill, and annihilate all
the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both
little children and women, and to plunder their possessions,
YLT 11that the king hath given to
the Jews who [are] in every city and city, to be assembled, and to stand for
their life, to cut off, to slay, and to destroy the whole force of the people
and province who are distressing them, infants and women, and their spoil to
seize.
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
one point, in taking the spoil, Esther 9:10, and,
since they spared that, it is highly probable they spared women and children.
Esther 8:12.
12 on one day in all the
provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month,
which is the month of Adar.[b]
YLT 12In one day, in all the
provinces of the king Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month -- it
[is] the month of Adar –
Upon one day,
in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the
twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
The day appointed and
fixed in the former letters for the destruction of the Jews, Esther 3:13.
Esther 8:13.
13 A copy of the document was
to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people, so
that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
YLT 13a copy of the writing to be
made law in every province and province is revealed to all the peoples, and for
the Jews being ready at this day to be avenged of their enemies.
The copy of the
writing, for a commandment to be given in every province, was published to all
people,....
A copy of the letters sent
to the governors of provinces; the sum and substance of them was published by
an herald, or fixed in public places, that all might know the contents thereof;
and take care not to assault the Jews, as it would be to their peril:
and that the
Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies;
Abendana thinks this is to
be restrained to those that were of the seed of Amalek, who were their principal
enemies; but no doubt it includes all that should rise up against them.
Esther 8:14.
14 The couriers who rode on
royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s command. And the
decree was issued in Shushan the citadel.
YLT 14The runners, riding on the
dromedary, [and] the mules, have gone out, hastened and pressed by the word of
the king, and the law hath been given in Shushan the palace.
So the posts
that rode upon mules and camels went out,....
Or on the mules, which in
the Persian language were called "ahashteranim"; See Gill on Esther 8:10,
being hastened
and pressed on by the king's commandment;
who gave them a special
order to make what haste they could, that the Jews might have time to prepare
for their defence, and their enemies be the more intimidated:
and the decree
was given at Shushan the palace;
the king's counsellors
agreeing to it, and perhaps signing it, as they did the former; see Esther 3:15.
Esther 8:15.
15 So Mordecai went out from
the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown
of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan
rejoiced and was glad.
YLT 15And Mordecai went out from
before the king, in royal clothing of blue and white, and a great crown of
gold, and a garment of fine linen and purple, and the city of Shushan hath
rejoiced and been glad;
And Mordecai
went out from the presence of the king,....
And walked or rode about
in the city to show himself to his friends:
in royal
apparel of blue and white;
such as the Persian kings
wore, and were not allowed to any other, as Xenophon writesF7Cyropaedia,
l. 8. c. 23. :
and with a great
crown of gold;
a coronet, such as princes
and nobles wear; the latter Targum calls it a great golden chain, and such the
eastern kings used to give to their favourites; see Daniel 5:29,
and with a
garment of fine linen and purple;
this must be an inner
garment, since it is distinct from the royal robe before mentioned; though as
the word signifies a wrap, or roll, it may design a turban, which was a roll of
linen wrapped about the head; and such was the Persian diadem, according to
CurtiusF8Hist. l. 3. c. 3. & l. 6. c. 6. Vid. Solerium de Pileo,
sect. 9. , which was of a purple colour, mixed with white; and so the
Septuagint version is, "and a diadem of fine linen, of a purple
colour"; and if so, the crown of gold was not worn on his head, nor is it
likely it should be allowed, but was carried before him; see Gill on Esther 6:8,
and the city of
Shushan rejoiced, and was glad;
not only the Jews in it,
but the native inhabitants of it, that had any sense of humanity, expressed
their joy at the sight of Mordecai thus arrayed; that so good a man was
advanced at court, and so bad a man as Haman was displaced and put to death;
see Proverbs 29:2.
Esther 8:16.
16 The Jews had light and
gladness, joy and honor.
YLT 16to the Jews hath been
light, and gladness, and joy, and honour,
And the Jews
had light,....
Prosperity, as opposed to
the darkness of adversity in which they had been, see Isaiah 8:22, or
lightsomeness and cheerfulness of spirit, as explained by the two next words:
and gladness
and joy;
at the good news of their
deliverance, so unexpected by them; thus light is explained by gladness, Psalm 97:11
and honour:
among men; from their
neighbours, who before were held in contempt, as a people doomed to
destruction.
Esther 8:17.
17 And in every province and
city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and
gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became
Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.
YLT 17and in every province and
province, and in every city and city, the place where the word of the king,
even his law, is coming, gladness and joy [are] to the Jews, a banquet, and a
good day; and many of the peoples of the land are becoming Jews, for a fear of
the Jews hath fallen upon them.
And in every
province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his
decree came,....
As they did to every
province in the realm, and to every city in the province, where there were any
Jews:
the Jews had
joy and gladness, a feast and a good day;
they expressed their joy
on this occasion by keeping a festival, which in their language is called a good
day; and such an one is annually kept by them unto this day, on account of
their deliverance; of which see Esther 9:27
and many of the
people of the land became Jews;
or were proselyted, as
both the Targums and Jarchi interpret it; they embraced the Jewish religion,
and submitted to the rites and ceremonies of it; were circumcised, as in the
Septuagint version, and so were proselytes of righteousness; and indeed no
other could they be, dwelling in their own land; many of them very probably
were serious in it, observing the wonderful manner in which the Jews were
delivered; wherein manifestly appeared to them the providence of God, the hand
of the Supreme Being, and from hence concluded their God must be the true God,
and they his favourite people, and their religion most correct; though others
might only do it to gain the favour of Esther and Mordecai, who had now such
great power and influence at court:
for the fear of
the Jews fell upon them;
lest they should be slain
by them, in virtue of this new edict.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)
a.
Esther 8:10
Literally sons of the swift horses
b.
Esther 8:12
Septuagint adds the text of the letter here.