Esther 10:6

And was. Septuagint, "and there was light, and the sun and much water." The light enabled him to discern the progress of the little fountain. Yet it was not absurd that the water should appear luminous, like the sun, as it was intended to shew the wonderful exaltation of Esther. (Haydock) --- She extinguished a great fire, which threatened ruin. (Menochius)

Bugite, may refer to some town of Macedon, chap. iii. 1. --- Honour. Yet he might be still more exalted, after the conspiracy was detected; (Houbigant) as the king little suspected that he was concerned in it. (Haydock) --- Death. It is thought that they wished to place Aman, or some Macedonian, on the throne, chap. xvi. 12, 14. (Calmet) --- This reason for the malevolence of Aman, might be unknown to Mardochai, chap. xiii. 12. (Houbigant) --- The former was either a favourer of traitors, or perhaps of the same conspiracy. (Worthington)

ESTHER 13

CHAPTER XIII.

Second. Greek, "our second father." (Calmet) --- Complutensian, "the second after us, shall be all extirpated by," &c. (Haydock) --- This king is represented as very stupidly giving orders for the destruction of a nation which he never names; (Capellus) but he intimates that Aman would do it, in whom he placed the most unbounded confidence. (Haydock) --- If the latter had any suspicions of the queen's being of that nation, he might very prudently abstain from mentioning the Jews even to the king, contenting himself with describing them so that they would easily be known by his agents; and, in effect, the king sufficiently pointed out the Jews, by saying that they followed laws different from all the world. (Houbigant) --- Infidels generally represent them as a wicked race, enemies to all but their own nation. (Tacitus, &c.) --- We need not wonder if Catholics be painted in the same colours, as the devil is still the same. (Haydock) --- Fourteenth. Josephus has the same day, though the 13th is specified in Hebrew, &c., (chap. iii. 12.) and in the Greek and Vulgate, chap. xvi. 20. We must, therefore, allow that the Jews might be slaughtered on both days, or that the Greek is incorrect in this place. (Calmet) --- Salien thinks it would not be lawful to spare the Jews any longer than the 14th day; (Menochius) or the carnage was to cease on the 14th, as it did at Susa, chap. ix. 17, 19. (Tirinus)

As if. Greek, "as being delicate. But the other followed, holding up her garment. But she, blushing in the height of her beauty, with a cheerful and most lovely countenance, felt the pressure of fear on her heart."