Esther 9:1
IX. (1) DREW NEAR. — Arrived, came, as in Esther 8:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
IX. (1) DREW NEAR. — Arrived, came, as in Esther 8:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO LAY HAND ON SUCH AS SOUGHT THEIR HURT. — How far the Jews acted according to the strict letter of the edict, and “stood for their lives” only when attacked, is perhaps to be doubted. They had on their side all the executive of the empire (Esther 9:3), and evidently to all intents and purposes the... [ Continue Reading ]
HELPED. — Literally, _lifted up._ The same Hebrew verb is rendered _furthered_ (Ezra 8:36).... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PALACE. — Doubtless the whole royal city, rather than the palace strictly so called. It is obvious that even Xerxes would hardly have allowed bloodshed, otherwise than by his direct orders, within the precincts of the palace.... [ Continue Reading ]
(7-9) The names of the ten sons of Haman are, except Adalia, all readily traceable to old Persian roots. It may be noted that in a Hebrew Bible the ten names are written vertically, one under the other, in a column; and the Targum or Chaldee paraphrase says that the ten sons were hanged one above th... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE SPOIL LAID THEY NOT THEIR HAND. — This they might have done, according to the edict (Esther 8:11).... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID ESTHER ... — In the terse words of the heading, “Ahasuerus, at the request of Esther, granteth another day of slaughter, and Hainan’s sons to be hanged.” It seems impossible here to acquit Esther of simple blood - thirstiness. Before the slaughter of the 13th of Adar was actually over, it... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE JEWS ... — Translate, _And the Jews. _... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVENTY AND FIVE THOUSAND. — The number as given in the LXX. is fifteen thousand, perhaps a more probable number. On the whole history, Bishop Wordsworth well remarks, “It shows the recklessness of human life, even of their own subjects, which then prevailed among the sovereigns of the most celebrat... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY... THEY RESTED. — Both the fourteenth and fifteenth days are now kept as the festival of Purim, the former day being the chief.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWS OF THE VILLAGES... THE UNWALLED TOWNS. — Virtually the same Hebrew word is used in both these cases (_perazim, perazoth_). The meaning is that of country towns, undefended by bulwarks, or, at any rate, not in the sense in which the capital would be. We find the word used in contrast with “f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE SAME. — The Jews in the provinces had already made the fourteenth day a day of gladness and feasting. Mordecai now bids that the fifteenth also be so kept.... [ Continue Reading ]
PUR. — See above on Esther 3:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
ESTHER. — It will be seen that in the English Version this word is printed in italics. The Hebrew is literally, _and on her_ (or _its_)_ coming._ To make the pronoun refer to Esther seems harsh, seeing that she has not been mentioned for some time, and we therefore prefer to make it impersonal, “whe... [ Continue Reading ]
PURIM. — As we have already stated, the festival of Purim is still observed by the Jews, on the 14th and 15th of Adar, the day preceding being kept as a fast. At Purim, the whole Book of Esther is read through in the service in the synagogues, a custom that can be traced back at any rate to the Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS SECOND LETTER. — It seems to us that the first letter must be that extracted from the king by Esther (Esther 8:8), and consequently this “second letter “is Mordecai’s (Esther 9:20), which is now confirmed in a more authoritative way.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LETTERS. — Omit the article.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO CONFIRM... ENJOINED... DECREED. — The same Hebrew verb stands for the three different English verbs; it is also the _stablish_ of Esther 9:21. To _fix_ or _settle_ represents the meaning. THE MATTERS OF THE FASTINGS AND THEIR CRY. — These words come in rather awkwardly, and hence, and because th... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE BOOK. — It is doubtful what “the book” here means. The Vulgate explains it of the Book of Esther itself, and so many modern scholars. Still “the book” hardly seems a natural Hebrew way of referring to a work on the part of its author as he writes it, and no similar case is adducible. Others t... [ Continue Reading ]