CRITICAL NOTES.]
ESTHER 3:1. AFTER THESE THINGS] After the events related in the former
chapter. The twelfth year of the reign of Ahasuerus, five years after
Esther 2:16, but here somewhat sooner. “The name _Haman_ is probably
the same which is found in the classical writers under the form of
Omanes... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.]
ESTHER 3:7.] The first month Nisan corresponds nearly with our April.
The twelfth month Adar with our March. An interval of eleven months.
פּוּור is an old Persian word meaning lot (_sors_). The words
“from day to day, from month to the twelfth month,” must not be
understood to say... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.]
ESTHER 3:8.] The Jews were at this time a people scattered abroad.
From the fall of Samaria the tribes of Israel had become more and more
dispersed among the people in all the provinces of the East, until
their tribe divisions could be now but faintly recognized. Seneca
says, “Such... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.]
ESTHER 3:12.] The scribes of Xerxes are mentioned more than once by
Herodotus. They appear to have been in constant attendance on the
monarch, ready to indite his edicts, or to note down any occurrences
which he desired to have recorded.—_Rawlinson_.
אַתַשְדַּוְפָנִים and פַחוֹת ar... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.]
ESTHER 3:15.] נָביֹכָה primarily does not mean that it was
_distressed_ by terror or sorrow, but that it was _perplexed_, did not
know what to think of such a terrible command. The remark that
“Shushan was perplexed” has been attributed to Jewish conceit, but
without reason. Susa w... [ Continue Reading ]