THE BOOK OF ESTHER Chronological Notes relative to this Book -Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3540. -Year before the birth of Christ, 460. -Year before the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 464. -Year of the Julian Period, 4250. -Year since the flood of Noah, 1904. -Year... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:2. _SAT ON THE THRONE OF HIS KINGDOM_] Having subdued all his enemies, and brought universal peace to his empire. See the commencement of the _introduction_. _SHUSHAN THE PALACE_] The ancient city of Susa, now called [Persian] _Shuster_ by the Persians. This, with Ecbatana and Babylo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:4. _THE RICHES OF HIS GLORIOUS KINGDOM_] Luxury was the characteristic of the Eastern monarchs, and particularly of the _Persians_. In their feasts, which were superb and of long continuance, they made a general exhibition of their wealth, grandeur, c., and received the highest encomi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:5. _A FEAST UNTO ALL THE PEOPLE_] The first was a feast for the _nobles_ in general; this, for the _people_ of the city at large. _IN THE COURT OF THE GARDEN_] As the company was very numerous that was to be received, no apartments in the palace could be capable of containing them; t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:6. _WHITE, GREEN_, AND _BLUE_ HANGINGS] It was customary, on such occasions, not only to hang the place about with elegant curtains of the above colours, as Dr. Shaw and others have remarked, but also to have a _canopy_ of rich stuffs suspended on cords from side to side of the place... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:7. _VESSELS BEING DIVERSE_] They had different services of _plate_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:8. _NONE DID COMPEL: FOR SO THE KING HAD APPOINTED_] Every person drank what he pleased; he was not obliged to take more than he had reason to think would do him good. Among the Greeks, each guest was obliged to _keep the round_, or leave the company: hence the proverb ηπιθιηαπιθι; _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:9. _ALSO VASHTI THE QUEEN_] [Persian] _Vashti_ is a mere _Persian_ word; and signifies a _beautiful_ or _excellent woman_. _MADE A FEAST FOR THE WOMEN_] The king, having subdued all his enemies, left no competitor for the kingdom; and being thus quietly and firmly seated on the thron... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:10. _HE COMMANDED MEHUMAN_] All these are doubtless _Persian_ names; but so disguised by passing through a Hebrew medium, that some of them can scarcely be known. [Persian] _Mehuman_ signifies a _stranger_ or _guest_. We shall find other names and words in this book, the Persian etymo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 11. _TO BRING VASHTI THE QUEEN_] The Targum adds _naked_. _FOR SHE_ WAS _FAIR TO LOOK ON._] Hence she had her name [Persian] _Vashti_, which signifies _beautiful_. See Esther 1:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 12. _VASHTI REFUSED TO COME_] And much should she be commended for it. What woman, possessing even a common share of _prudence_ and _modesty_, could consent to expose herself to the view of such a group of drunken Bacchanalians? Her _courage_ was equal to her modesty: she would resist the roya... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 13. _TO THE WISE MEN_] Probably the _lawyers_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _AND THE NEXT UNTO HIM - THE SEVEN PRINCES_] Probably, the privy counsellors of the king. _Which saw the king's face _- were at all times admitted to the royal presence.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 16. _VASHTI - HATH NOT DONE WRONG TO THE KING ONLY_] This reasoning or arguing was inconsequent and false. Vashti had not _generally_ disobeyed the king, therefore she could be no _precedent_ for the general conduct of the Persian women. She disobeyed only in one _particular_; and this, to ser... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:18. _THE LADIES OF PERSIA_] שרות _saroth_, the _princesses_; but the meaning is very well expressed by our term _ladies_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:19. _THAT IT BE NOT ALTERED_] Let it be inserted among the _permanent laws_, and made a part of the _constitution_ of the empire. Perhaps the Persians affected such a degree of _wisdom_ in the construction of their laws, that they _never could be amended_, and should never be _repeate... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Esther 1:22. _THAT EVERY MAN SHOULD BEAR RULE IN HIS OWN HOUSE_] Both God's law and common sense taught this from the foundation of the world. And is it possible that this did not obtain in the Persian empire, previously to this edict? The _twentieth_ verse has another clause, _That all wives... [ Continue Reading ]