Esther 2 - Introduction
_ESTHER BECOMES THE WIFE OF AHASUERUS. MORDECAI, SITTING AT THE KING'S GATE, DISCOVERS A CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE PERSON OF THE KING._ _Before Christ 481._... [ Continue Reading ]
_ESTHER BECOMES THE WIFE OF AHASUERUS. MORDECAI, SITTING AT THE KING'S GATE, DISCOVERS A CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE PERSON OF THE KING._ _Before Christ 481._... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSE NAME WAS MORDECAI— Mordecai, from his attendance at the king's gate, Esther 2:19 is thought to have been one of the porters at the royal palace; but, probably, he was an officer of higher rank; for it was an order instituted by Cyrus, as Xenophon informs us, Cyropaed. lib. 8: that all persons... [ Continue Reading ]
HE BROUGHT UP HADASSAH, THAT IS, ESTHER— As she was born in Babylon, in analogy to the language of that place they gave her the name of הדסה _Hadassah,_ which in the Chaldee signifies a _myrtle;_ but her Persian name was _Esther,_ which some, a little incongruously, derive from αστηρ, _a star,_ and... [ Continue Reading ]
WHATEVER SHE DESIRED WAS GIVEN HER— _Whosoever she desired,_ &c. Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THAT HE SET THE ROYAL CROWN UPON HER HEAD— According to this account, this Persian monarch seems to have had but one wife, at least but one in chief favour and esteem with him, though it is evident that he had a vast number of secondary wives or concubines. But in behalf of Esther it may be said,... [ Continue Reading ]
HE MADE A RELEASE TO THE PROVINCES, &C.— The manner of the Persian kings was, to give their queens, at their marriages, such a city to buy them clothes, another for their hair, another for their necklaces, and so on for the rest of their expences; and as it was customary for them, according to the t... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO OF THE KING'S CHAMBERLAINS— These were two great men, who perhaps kept the door of the king's chamber; and, being either incensed at the divorce of Vashti, whose creatures they might be, or at the advancement of Esther, who they thought would in all probability raise her kinsman Mordecai above t... [ Continue Reading ]