Esther 10 commentary

Many instances of the grandeur of Ahasuerus might have been given: these were written in the Persian chronicles, which are long since lost, while the sacred writings will live till time shall be no more. The concerns of the despised worshippers of the Lord are deemed more important by the Holy Spirit, than the exploits of the most illustrious monarch on earth. Mordecai was truly great, and his greatness gave him opportunities of doing the more good. He did not disown his people the Jews, and no doubt kept to the true religion. He did not seek his own wealth, but the welfare of his people. Few have it in their power to do so much good as Mordecai; but all have it in their power to do hurt, and who has it not in his power to do some good? We are not required to do what is not in our power, or is unsuited to our station; but all are bound to live under the influence of the tempers displayed in the saints, whose examples are recorded in the Bible. If we live by the faith of Christ, we shall be active according to the ability and opportunities he gives us, in promoting his glory and the best interests of men. If our faith be genuine, it will work by love. Wait in faith and prayer, and the event will be safe and glorious; our salvation is sure, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER 10

Es 10:1-3. Ahasuerus' Greatness. Mordecai's Advancement.

1. Ahasuerus laid a tribute--This passage being an appendix to the history, and improperly separated from the preceding chapter, it might be that the occasion of levying this new impost arose out of the commotions raised by Haman's conspiracy. Neither the nature nor the amount of the tax has been recorded; only it was not a local tribute, but one exacted from all parts of his vast empire.

2. the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai--The experience of this pious and excellent Jew verified the statement, "he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" [Mt 23:12; Lu 14:11; 18:14]. From sitting contentedly at the king's gate, he was raised to the dignity of highest subject, the powerful ruler of the kingdom. Acting uniformly on the great principles of truth and righteousness, his greatness rested on a firm foundation. His faith was openly avowed, and his influence as a professor of the true religion was of the greatest usefulness for promoting the welfare of the Jewish people, as well as for advancing the glory of God.

3. For Mordecai ... was next unto King Ahasuerus ... great among the Jews, &c.--The elevation of this pious and patriotic Jew to the possession of the highest official power was of very great importance to the suffering church at that period; for it enabled him, who all along possessed the disposition, now to direct the royal influence and authority in promoting the interests and extending the privileges of his exiled countrymen. Viewed in this light, the providence of God is plainly traceable in all the steps that led to his unexpected advancement. This providential interposition is all the more remarkable, that, as in the analogous case of Joseph, it was displayed in making the ordinary and natural course of things lead to the most marvellous results. To use the pious words of an eminent prelate, "though in the whole of this episode there was no extraordinary manifestation of God's power, no particular cause or agent that was in its working advanced above the ordinary pitch of nature, yet the contrivance, and suiting these ordinary agents appointed by God, is in itself more admirable than if the same end had been effected by means that were truly miraculous." The sudden advancement of individuals from obscurity and neglect to the highest stations of power and influence is, in Eastern courts, no extraordinary nor infrequent occurrence. The caprice, the weak partiality of the reigning sovereign, or, it may be, his penetrating discernment in discovering latent energy and talent, has often "raised the beggar from the dunghill, and set him among princes" [1Sa 2:8]. Some of the all-powerful viziers in modern Persia, and not a few of the beys in Egypt, have been elevated to their respective dignities in this manner. And, therefore, the advancement of "Mordecai, who was next unto Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews," was in perfect accordance with the rapid revolution of "the wheel of fortune" in that part of the world. But, considering all the circumstances of Mordecai's advancement, not only his gaining the favor of the king, but his being "accepted of the multitude of his brethren, it was beyond all controversy the doing of the Lord, and was truly marvellous in his people's eyes."

accepted of the multitude of his brethren--Far from being envious of his grandeur, they blessed God for the elevation to official power of so good a man.

speaking peace to all his seed--While his administration was conducted with a mild and impartial hand, he showed a peculiarly warm and friendly feeling to all his countrymen when asked his counsel or his aid.

Laid a tribute upon the land - On the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of which we have already heard.

The isles of the sea - Probably the isles of the Aegean sea, which were conquered by Darius Hystaspes. Calmet supposes that this Hystaspes is the Ahasuerus of Esther.

The book of the chronicles of Media and Persia? - The Persians have ever been remarkable for keeping exact chronicles of all public events. Their Tareekhs, which are compositions of this kind, are still very numerous, and indeed very important.

Was next unto king Ahasuerus - He was his prime minister; and, under him, was the governor of the whole empire.

The Targum is extravagant in its encomiums upon Mordecai: "All the kings of the earth feared and trembled before him: he was as resplendent as the evening star among the stars; and was as bright as Aurora beaming forth in the morning; and he was chief of the kings."

Seeking the wealth of his people - Studying to promote the Jewish interest to the utmost of his power.

Speaking peace to all his seed - Endeavoring to settle their prosperity upon such a basis, that it might be for ever permanent. Here the Hebrew text ends; but in the ancient Vulgate, and in the Greek, ten verses are added to this chapter, and six whole chapters besides, so that the number of chapters in Esther amounts to sixteen. A translation of these may be found in the Apocrypha, bound up with the sacred text, in most of our larger English Bibles. On any part of this work it is not my province to add any comment.

This is the last of the historical books of the Old Testament, for from this time to the birth of Christ they had no inspired writers; and the interval of their history must be sought among the apocryphal writers and other historians who have written on Jewish affairs. The most complete supplement to this history will be found in that most excellent work of Dean Prideaux, entitled The Old and New Testaments connected, in the History of the Jews and Neighbouring Nations, from the Declension of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah to the time of Christ, 4 vols. 8vo. 1725. The editions prior to this date are not so complete.

We have already seen what the Feast of Purim means, and why it was instituted; if the reader is desirous of farther information on this subject, he may find it in the works of Buxtorf, Leusden, Stehlin, and Calmet's Dictionary, article Pur.

Chronicles, &c. - These are lost long since, and buried in oblivion, while the sacred writings remain throughout the world. When the kingdoms of men, monarchs and their monarchies are destroyed, and their memorial is perished with them, the kingdom of God among men, and the records of that kingdom, shall remain as the days of heaven.

1 ANd the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea .

i. e. Upon all his Dominions, whether in the main continent, or in the Islands.

3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren , seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed .

Who did not envy his greatness, as men most commonly do in such cases, but rejoiced in it, and blessed God for it, and praised and loved him [illegible: 1+ letters]or his right & sweet management of his vast power.

Or, for all his seed, to wit, the Jews, who were of the same seed and root from which he was descended. He spoke and acted with great Kindness and Friendliness to them, when they resorted to him upon any occasion.

Est 10:1-3

And King Ahashverosh laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea. Est 10:2. And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the statement of the greatness of Mordochai to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? The Chethiv אחשׁרשׁ is a clerical error for אהשׁורשׁ. The word מס, service, here stands for tribute. As the provinces of the kingdom paid the imposts for the most part in natural produce, which they had reared or obtained by the labour of their hands, their labour (agriculture, cattle-keeping, etc.) was to a certain extent service rendered to the king. The matter of Est 10:1 seems extraneous to the contents of our book, which has hitherto communicated only such information concerning Ahashverosh as was necessary for the complete understanding of the feast of Purim. “It seems” - remarks Bertheau - “as thou the historian had intended to tell in some further particulars concerning the greatness of King Ahashverosh, for the sake of giving his readers a more accurate notion of the influential position and the agency of Mordochai, the hero of his book, who, according to Est 9:4, waxed greater and greater; but then gave up his intention, and contented himself with referring to the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia, which contained information of both the power and might of Ahashverosh and the greatness of Mordochai.” There is not, however, the slightest probability in such a conjecture. This matter may be simply explained by the circumstance, that the author of this book was using as an authority the book of the chronicles alluded to in Est 10:2, and is quite analogous with the mode observed in the books of Kings and Chronicles by historians both of Babylonian and post-Babylonian days, who quote from the documents they make use of such events only as seem to them important with regard to the plan of their own work, and then at the close of each reign refer to the documents themselves, in which more may be found concerning the acts of the kings, at the same time frequently adding supplementary information from these sources, - comp. e.g., 1Ki 14:30; 1Ki 15:7, 1Ki 15:23, 1Ki 15:32; 1Ki 22:47-50; 2Ki 15:37; 2Ch 12:15, - with this difference only, that in these instances the supplementary notices follow the mention of the documents, while in the present book the notice precedes the citation. As, however, this book opened with a description of the power and glory of King Ahashverosh, but yet only mentioned so much concerning this ruler of 127 provinces as was connected with the history of the Jews, its author, before referring to his authorities, gives at its close the information contained in Est 10:1, from the book of the chronicles of the kingdom, in which probably it was connected with a particular description of the power and greatness of Ahashverosh, and probably of the wars in which he engaged, for the sake of briefly intimating at the conclusion whence the king derived the means for keeping up the splendour described at the commencement of the book. This book of the chronicles contained accounts not only of the power and might of Ahashverosh, but also a פּרשׁה, a plain statement or accurate representation of the greatness of Mordochai wherewith the king had made him great, i.e., to which he had advanced him, and therefore of the honours of the individual to whom the Jews were indebted for their preservation. On this account is it referred to. For Mordochai was next to the king, i.e., prime minister of the king (משׁנה, comp. 2Ch 28:7), and great among the Jews and acceptable to the multitude of his brethren, i.e., he was also a great man among the Jews and was beloved and esteemed by all his fellow-countrymen (on רצוּי, comp. Deu 23:24), seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his race. This description of Mordochai’s position with respect both to the king and his own people has, as expressive of an exalted frame of mind, a rhetorical and poetic tinge. Hence it contains such expressions as אחיו רב, the fulness of his brethren, טּוב דּרשׁ; comp. Psa 122:9; Jer 38:4. On שׁלום דּבּר, comp. Psa 85:9; Psa 35:20; Psa 27:3. זרעו in parallelism with עמּו is not the descendants of Mordochai, or his people, but his race. Comp. on this signification of זרע, 2Ki 11:1; Isa 61:9. The meaning of the two last phrases is: Mordochai procured both by word and deed the good and prosperity of his people. And this is the way in which honour and fortune are attained, the way inculcated by the author of the 34th Psalm in Psa 34:13, when teaching the fear of the Lord.

The Glory of Mordecai. (b. c. 495.)

1 And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea. 2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

We are here told,

I. How great and powerful king Ahasuerus was. He had a vast dominion, both in the continent and among the islands, from which he raised a vast revenue. Besides the usual customs which the kings of Persia exacted (Ezra iv. 13), he laid an additional tribute upon his subjects, to serve for some great occasion he had for money (v. 1): The king laid a tribute. Happy is our island, that pays no tribute but what is laid upon it by its representatives, and those of its own choosing, and is not squeezed or oppressed by an arbitrary power, as some of the neighbouring nations are. Besides this instance of the grandeur of Ahasuerus, many more might be given, that were acts of his power and of his might. These however are not thought fit to be recorded here in the sacred story, which is confined to the Jews, and relates the affairs of other nations only as they fell in with their affairs; but they are written in the Persian chronicles (v. 2), which are long since lost and buried in oblivion, while the sacred writings live, live in honour, and will live till time shall be no more. When the kingdoms of men, monarchs and monarchies, are destroyed, and their memorial has perished with them (Ps. ix. 6), the kingdom of God among men, and the records of that kingdom, shall remain and be as the days of heaven, Dan. ii. 44.

II. How great and good Mordecai was.

1. He was great; and it does one good to see virtue and piety thus in honour. (1.) He was great with the king, next to him, as one he most delighted and confided in. Long had Mordecai sat contentedly in the king's gate, and now at length he is advanced to the head of his council-board. Men of merit may for a time seem buried alive; but often, by some means or other, they are discovered and preferred at last. The declaration of the greatness to which the king advanced Mordecai was written in the chronicles of the kingdom, as very memorable, and contributing to the great achievements of the king. He never did such acts of power as he did when Mordecai was his right hand. (2.) He was great among the Jews (v. 3), not only great above them, more honourable than any of them, but great with them, dear to them, familiar with them, and much respected by them. So far were they from envying his preferment that they rejoiced in it, and added to it by giving him a commanding interest among them and submitting all their affairs to his direction.

2. He was good, very good, for he did good. This goodness made him truly great, and then his greatness gave him an opportunity of doing so much the more good. When the king advanced him, (1.) He did not disown his people the Jews, nor was he ashamed of his relation to them, though they were strangers and captives, dispersed and despised. Still he wrote himself Mordecai the Jew, and therefore no doubt adhered to the Jews' religion, by the observances of which he distinguished himself, and yet it was no hindrance to his preferment, nor looked upon as a blemish to him. (2.) He did not seek his own wealth, or the raising of an estate for himself and his family, which is the chief thing most aim at when they get into great places at court; but he consulted the welfare of his people, and made it his business to advance that. His power, his wealth, and all his interest in the king and queen, he improved for the public good. (3.) He not only did good, but he did it in a humble condescending way, was easy of access, courteous and affable in his behaviour, and spoke peace to all that made their application to him. Doing good works is the best and chief thing expected from those that have wealth and power; but giving good words is also commendable, and makes the good deed the more acceptable. (4.) He did not side with any one party of his people against another, nor make some his favourites, while the rest were neglected and crushed; but, whatever differences there were among them, he was a common father to them all, recommended himself to the multitude of his brethren, not despising the crowd, and spoke peace to all their seed, without distinction. Thus making himself acceptable by humility and beneficence, he was universally accepted, and gained the good word of all his brethren. Thanks be to God, such a government as this we are blessed with, which seeks the welfare of our people, speaking peace to all their seed. God continue it long, very long, and grant us, under the happy protection and influence of it, to live quiet and peaceable lives, in godliness, honesty, and charity! <<<<

CHAP. X. Verſe 1. And the King Ahaſhuerus laid a tribute, &c,]

AN extraordinary tribute to maintain warre againſt the Grecians, who uniting together, were then grown potent and formidable. To enable himſelf therefore the better againſt them, Xerxes gathered money, the ſinews of warre, but loſt the affections of his ſubjects the joynts of peace. He became hereby ill beloved of all ſorts, and far a leſſe King, by ſtriving to be more then he was. And hence haply one letter of his name is loſt here, for the Maſurites tell us,Druſ in lo[illegible: 1 letter] that in the ancient Copies he is written, not Ahaſhuerus, but Ahaſres without a Vau.

And upon the Iſles of the ſea] Judea was an Iſle, Iſa. 20.6. (but not of the ſea, for it was part of the Continent) becauſe mediâ inſeperabilis undâ, ſeparated from other Countreyes, and encircled with Gods powerful Protection. It was, ſay ſome,Herod. l. 3. by Mordecai's meanes exempted from this great taxation. Herodotus ſaith, that a Countrey near unto Arabia was exempted. He meaneth Judea, ſaith Junius, though he name it not. It may be ſo. And it may be, ſaith an Interpreter, that this is here inſerted, as being intended only of the reimpoſing of the tribute, whereof there was granted a releaſe at Eſthers marriage. chap. 2.18. yet it may be alſo added, to ſhew how God puniſhed the Nations for their late greedy gaping after the lives and eſtates of Gods people.

Verſe 2. And all the Acts of his Power and his might] Lyra and Rikelius obſerve, that Ahaſhuerus had all this power and might given him by God, as a recompence of his courteſie to the Jewes, and juſtice done upon their enemies. No man ſerveth God for nought. He is a liberal Pay-maſter, Mal. 1.10. See the Note there.

And the declaration of the greatneſſe of Mordecai] Heb. the Expoſition. Many make large Commentaries upon their own greatneſſe, which a right Expoſition would ſhew to be rather belluine then genuine. Great men are not alwayes wiſe, ſaith Elihu, Job 32.9. But Mordecai was a great wiſe man, every way accompliſh't, one of Gods Rabbines, as Daniel calls them, fit to ſerve any Prince in the world. There is a ſpirit in man, a rational ſoule in an ordinary man: but the inſpiration of the Almighty giveth them underſtanding, Job 32.8.

Whereunto the King advanced him] Heb. wherewith the King greatned him; wherein he ſhewed himſelf a wiſe and Politick Prince; as did likewiſe Pharaoh in advancing Joſeph, Darius Daniel, Conſtantius Chlorus Chriſtian Officers, our Henry the eighth, the Lord Cromwell, whom he made his Vicar-General. Jovianus the Emperour was wont to wiſh, that he might govern wiſe men, and that wiſe men might govern him. Juſtin Martyr praiſeth this ſentence of divine Plato. Common-wealths will then be happy, when either Philoſophers reigne, or Kings ſtudy Philoſophy. Juſtin. Apol Jethro's Juſtitiary muſt be a wiſe man, fearing God, &c. Exod. 18. and that famous maxime of Conſtantius Chlorus, recorded by Euſebius, is very memorable. He cannot be faithful to me, that is unfaithful to God, Religion being the foundation of all true fidelity and loyalty to King and Countrey.

Are they not written in the book of the Chronicles] Theſe Chronicles of Media and Perſia, if they were now to be had, (as they are not) would far better acquaint us with the hiſtory of thoſe times, then the fragments of them, collected by Herodotus, Diodorus, Arrianus, Je[illegible: 1 letter]ſtin and Curtius. But better books then theſe Chronicles are now wanting to the world: as the Chronicles of the Kings of Iſrael and Iudah, the Book of the warres of the Lord, the book of Jaſher, Origens Octapla, (the loſſe which work ſaith a learned man, deplorare poſſumus, compenſare non poſſumus, bewaile we may, but make up we cannot). Chryſoſtome upon Matthew, (when promotions were offered Thomas Aquinas, his uſual anſwer was, Chryſoſtomi Commentarium in Matthaeum wallem, I had rather have Chryſoſtomes Commentary upon Matthew); and many other precious pieces, which learned men would gladly buy at as deare a rate, as Plato did thoſe three bookes that coſt him thirty thouſand Florens. That we have the holy Scriptures ſo perfect and entire, preſerved ſafe from the injuries of time, and rage of tyrants, who ſought to burne them up and aboliſh them, is a ſweet and ſingular Providence: and muſt be ſo acknowledged.

Verſe 3. For Mordecai the Jew was next unto King Ahaſhuerus] Proximus à primo, the Kings ſecond, as 2 Chron. 28.11. having the next chief ſeat to him, as Joſephus expoundeth it, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and ſet over all the Princes of that Monarchy; ſo that he might well cry out with that noble General Iphicrates, [non-Latin text not transcribed], from what mean beginnings to how great an eſtate and dignity am I raiſed! How long he held it is not recorded; all the dayes of his life it is likely, for the good and comfort of the Church, though not without the envy of many of the Courtiers, which he overcame more by patience then pertinacy.

And great among the Jewes] A kinde of King in Jeſhurun, as Moſes, as great among them, as if he had been their proper King. There is mention made of one Mordecai, Ezra 2.2. who was of the firſt that went up with Zorobabel. Aben-Ezra ſaith, that this Mordecai was he: and that when he ſaw that the building of the City and Temple went not on as was to be wiſhed, he returned again out of Judea to Shuſhan, and lived about the Kings Court, being not known to be a Jew, till Haman was in his greatneſſe; ſoon after which himſelf became much greater then Haman.

And accepted of the multitude of his brethren] He was their Corculum, (as Scipio:) their darling,Orbis deliciae Melancth, Chron. as Titus; Mundi Mirabilia, as otho the third Emperour of Germany was called. Of Mordecai it might be ſung, as Cardanus did of our Edward the ſixth.

Deliciae ſaecli & gloria gentis erat.

Seeking the wealth of his people] Farre more then his own private profit, glory and dignity, labouring their good both of ſoule and body by all meanes poſſible, that they might have Gaius's proſperity, and be as happy as heart could wiſh.

And ſpeaking peace] He was gentle and courteous to all, not like Polyphemus, who was Nec viſu facilis, nec dictu affabilis ulli.

Now affability and courteſie in high degree eaſily draweth mens mindes, as faire flowers in the Spring do Paſſengers eyes; Queen Elizabeth for inſtance, of whom before. Moreover he ſpoke good of them, and for them to the King, and promoted their proſperity to the utmoſt.

To all his ſeed] i. e. to all his Countreymen, as if they had been his own children. And here that ſweet Promiſe of God made to the good figges, was fulfiled. Jeremy had perſwaded Jehoiakim, and many others with him, to yield themſelves up into the hands of the King of Aſſyria, aſſuring them, that ſo doing they ſhould fare farre better then thoſe that ſtood out. They did ſo, and Mordecai among the reſt, as ſome will have it; and now ſee how well they ſpeed, ſee the faithfulneſſe of God in fulfilling his Promiſes; the reward of the righteous, the triumph of truſt.

Again, to all his ſeed] That is, poſteris ſuis, ſo ſome ſenſe it; he ſpoke peace to all his ſeed, [illegible: 1 letter]olocut[illegible: 1 letter]s eſt [illegible: 1 letter]ſperitatem [illegible: 1 letter]du Judaeo [illegible: 2 letters] poſterita. Merlin. that is, proſperity to all the Jewes poſterity: providing for their future happineſſe alſo, and taking courſe, that after his death too, the welfare of the Church might be continued. This was dying Davids care, 1 Chronicles 28.1, 2, &c. and Pauls, Acts 20.29. and Peters, 2 epiſt. 1.15. and Ambroſes, of whom Theodoſius ſpeaking, ſaid, Dilexi virum, I could not but love the man exceedingly for this, that when he died he was more ſolicitous of the Churches then of his own dangers. So was Calvin as is teſtified in his life. Nay, Cicero, as he could confidently ſing.

O fortunatam natam me conſule Romam.

So he elſwehere profeſſeth, that he was in no leſſe care what the Common-wealth would do when he was dead, then whiles he was yet alive.Cic. de amici

Soli Deo Gloria in aeternum.