Esther 7:8

the word This seems to refer to the speech just preceding. It was clear to the attendants, without any more specific utterance on the king's part, that Haman was doomed to death.

they covered Haman's face Curtius in his history of Alexander the Great (vi. 8) speaks of this as done to Philotas, who had served with distinction under that monarch, when, on a confession of treason having been wrung from him by torture, he was about to be stoned to death. Livy also (i. 26) mentions it as a Roman custom. We have no authority beyond this passage for its practice among the Persians, and it is possible that, with a slight change in the Heb. word rendered -they covered," we should translate, his face became flushed(with dismay and shame). Cp. LXX. -he was utterly perturbed (confounded) in countenance." [77]

[77] διετράπη τῷ προσώπῳ.

9 Harbonah mentioned in the list of Esther 1:10.

Behold also by a fortunate coincidence. Harbonah's words indicate a malicious joy at the downfall of the favourite.

Esther 8:1. the house of Haman his goods. See on Esther 3:11. For the confiscation of the property of a condemned criminal in Persia see Herod. iii. 129, where, after a description of the death sentence carried out in the case of Oroetes, a Persian, for murder and other misdeeds, the historian mentions as a matter of course that -the treasures of Oroetes" were conveyed to Sardis.

Esther had told what he was unto her There was no longer any motive for concealing the relationship, Mordecai being now secure in the king's favour. Her own Jewish origin she had been obliged to disclose already (Esther 7:4).