Esther 3 commentary

Mordecai refused to reverence Haman. The religion of a Jew forbade him to give honours to any mortal man which savoured of idolatry, especially to so wicked a man as Haman. By nature all are idolaters; self is our favourite idol, we are pleased to be treated as if every thing were at our disposal. Though religion by no means destroys good manners, but teaches us to render honour to whom honour is due, yet by a citizen of Zion, not only in his heart, but in his eyes, such a vile person as Haman was, is contemned, Ps 15:4. The true believer cannot obey edicts, or conform to fashions, which break the law of God. He must obey God rather than man, and leave the consequences to him. Haman was full of wrath. His device was inspired by that wicked spirit, who has been a murderer from the beginning; whose enmity to Christ and his church, governs all his children.

Without some acquaintance with the human heart, and the history of mankind, we should not think that any prince could consent to a dreadful proposal, so hurtful to himself. Let us be thankful for mild and just government. Haman inquires, according to his own superstitions, how to find a lucky day for the designed massacre! God's wisdom serves its own purposes by men's folly. Haman has appealed to the lot, and the lot, by delaying the execution, gives judgment against him. The event explains the doctrine of a particular providence over all the affairs of men, and the care of God over his church. Haman was afraid lest the king's conscience should smite him for what he had done; to prevent which, he kept him drinking. This cursed method many often take to drown convictions, and to harden their own hearts, and the hearts of others, in sin. All appeared in a favourable train to accomplish the project. But though sinners are permitted to proceed to the point they aim at, an unseen but almighty Power turns them back. How vain and contemptible are the strongest assaults against Jehovah! Had Haman obtained his wish, and the Jewish nation perished, what must have become of all the promises? How could the prophecies concerning the great Redeemer of the world have been fulfilled? Thus the everlasting covenant itself must have failed, before this diabolical project could take place.

CHAPTER 3

Es 3:1-15. Haman, Advanced by the King, and Despised by Mordecai, Seeks Revenge on All the Jews.

1. After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman ... set his seat above all the princes--that is, raised him to the rank of vizier, or prime confidential minister, whose pre-eminence in office and power appeared in the elevated state chair appropriated to that supreme functionary. Such a distinction in seats was counted of vast importance in the formal court of Persia.

2. all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman--Large mansions in the East are entered by a spacious vestibule, or gateway, along the sides of which visitors sit, and are received by the master of the house; for none, except the nearest relatives or special friends, are admitted farther. There the officers of the ancient king of Persia waited till they were called, and did obeisance to the all-powerful minister of the day.

But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence--The obsequious homage of prostration not entirely foreign to the manners of the East, had not been claimed by former viziers; but this minion required that all subordinate officers of the court should bow before him with their faces to the earth. But to Mordecai, it seemed that such an attitude of profound reverence was due only to God. Haman being an Amalekite, one of a doomed and accursed race, was, doubtless, another element in the refusal; and on learning that the recusant was a Jew, whose nonconformity was grounded on religious scruples, the magnitude of the affront appeared so much the greater, as the example of Mordecai would be imitated by all his compatriots. Had the homage been a simple token of civil respect, Mordecai would not have refused it; but the Persian kings demanded a sort of adoration, which, it is well known, even the Greeks reckoned it degradation to express. As Xerxes, in the height of his favoritism, had commanded the same honors to be given to the minister as to himself, this was the ground of Mordecai's refusal.

7. In the first month ... they cast Pur, that is, the lot--In resorting to this method of ascertaining the most auspicious day for putting his atrocious scheme into execution, Haman acted as the kings and nobles of Persia have always done, never engaging in any enterprise without consulting the astrologers, and being satisfied as to the lucky hour. Vowing revenge but scorning to lay hands on a single victim, he meditated the extirpation of the whole Jewish race, who, he knew, were sworn enemies of his countrymen; and by artfully representing them as a people who were aliens in manners and habits, and enemies to the rest of his subjects, he procured the king's sanction of the intended massacre. One motive which he used in urging his point was addressed to the king's cupidity. Fearing lest his master might object that the extermination of a numerous body of his subjects would seriously depress the public revenue, Haman promised to make up the loss.

9. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver ... into the king's treasuries--This sum, reckoning by the Babylonish talent, will be about £2,119,000; but estimated according to the Jewish talent, it will considerably exceed £3,000,000, an immense contribution to be made out of a private fortune. But classic history makes mention of several persons whose resources seem almost incredible.

10. the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman--There was a seal or signet in the ring. The bestowment of the ring, with the king's name and that of his kingdom engraven on it, was given with much ceremony, and it was equivalent to putting the sign manual to a royal edict.

12-15. Then were the king's scribes called ... and there was written--The government secretaries were employed in making out the proclamation authorizing a universal massacre of the Jews on one day. It was translated into the dialects of all the people throughout the vast empire, and swift messengers were sent to carry it into all the provinces. On the day appointed, all Jews were to be put to death and their property confiscated; doubtless, the means by which Haman hoped to pay his stipulated tribute into the royal treasury. To us it appears unaccountable how any sane monarch could have given his consent to the extirpation of a numerous class of his subjects. But such acts of frenzied barbarity have, alas! been not rarely authorized by careless and voluptuous despots, who have allowed their ears to be engrossed and their policy directed by haughty and selfish minions, who had their own passions to gratify, their own ends to serve.

Haman - the Agagite - Perhaps he was some descendant of that Agag, king of the Amalekites, spared by Saul, but destroyed by Samuel; and on this ground might have an antipathy to the Jews.

Set his seat above all the princes - Made him his prime minister, and put all the officers of state under his direction.

The king's servants, that were in the king's gate - By servants here, certainly a higher class of officers are intended than porters; and Mordecai was one of those officers, and came to the gate with the others who were usually there in attendance to receive the commands of the king.

Mordecai bowed not - לאיכרע lo yichra. "He did not bow down;" nor did him reverence, ולא ישתחוה velo yishtachaveh, "nor did he prostrate himself." I think it most evident, from these two words, that it was not civil reverence merely that Haman expected and Mordecai refused; this sort of respect is found in the word כרע cara, to bow. This sort of reverence Mordecai could not refuse without being guilty of the most inexcusable obstinacy, nor did any part of the Jewish law forbid it. But Haman expected, what the Persian kings frequently received, a species of Divine adoration; and this is implied in the word שחה shachah, which signifies that kind of prostration which implies the highest degree of reverence that can be paid to God or man, lying down flat on the earth, with the hands and feet extended, and the mouth in the dust.

The Targum, says that Haman set up a statue for himself, to which every one was obliged to bow, and to adore Haman himself. The Jews all think that Mordecai refused this prostration because it implied idolatrous adoration. Hence, in the Apocryphal additions to this book, Mordecai is represented praying thus: "Thou knowest that if I have not adored Haman, it was not through pride, nor contempt, nor secret desire of glory; for I felt disposed to kiss the footsteps of his feet (gladly) for the salvation of Israel: but I feared to give to a man that honor which I know belongs only to my God."

The first month - That is, of the civil year of the Jews.

The month Nisan - Answering to a part of our March and April.

The twelfth year of king Ahasuerus - According to the chronology in our Bibles, about five hundred and ten years before Christ.

They cast Pur, that is, the lot - This appears to be the Hebrew corruption of the pure Persian word pari, which signifies any thing that happens fortuitously. There is an addition here in the Greek text that was probably in the original, and which makes this place very plain. I shall set down the whole verse, and give the Greek in a parenthesis, that it may be read consecutively with what is in the Hebrew: "In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month." (ὡστε απολεσαι εν μιᾳ ἡμερᾳ το γενος Μαρδοχαιου, και επεσεν ὁ κληρος εις την τεσερακαιδεκατην του μηνος ὁς εστιν Αδαρ "that they might destroy in one day the people of Mordecai; and the lot fell on the fourteenth day of the month Adar.")

We see plainly intimated by the Hebrew text that they cast lots, or used a species of divination, to find which of the twelve months would be the most favorable for the execution of Haman's design; and, having found the desired month, then they cast lots, or used divination, to find out which day of the said month would be the lucky day for the accomplishment of the enterprise. But the Hebrew text does not tell us the result of this divination; we are left to guess it out; but the Greek supplies this deficiency, and makes all clear. From it we find that, when they cast for the month, the month Adar was taken; and when they cast for the day, the fourteenth (Heb. thirteenth) of that month was taken.

Some have questioned whether Pur may not have signified also some game of chance, which they played before or with Haman, from day to day, to divert him from his melancholy, till the lucky time came in which he was to have the gratification of slaying all the people who were objects of his enmity; or they cast lots, or played, who should get the property of such and such opulent families. Holinshed, one of our ancient historians, informs us that, previously to the battle of Agincourt, the English army, under Henry V., were so thinned and weakened by disease, and the French army so numerous, that "Frenchmen, in the mean while, as though they had been sure of victory, made great triumphe, for the captaines had determined before how to divide the spoil; and the souldiers, the night before, had plaied the Englishmen at dice." To this the chorus of Shakspeare alludes: - "Proud of their numbers, and secure of soul,

The confident and over-lusty French

Do the low-rated English play at dice. - The poor condemned English,

Like sacrifices by their watchful fires,

Sit patiently and inly ruminate

The morning's danger; and their gestures sad,

Investing lank-lean cheeks, and war-worn coats,

Presenteth them unto the gazing moon

So many horrid ghosts.

Hen. V.

Monstrelet, who is an impartial writer, does not mention this.

Did Haman and his flatterers intend to divide the spoils of the designed-to-be-massacred Jews in some such manner as this?

Their laws are diverse from all people - Such they certainly were; for they worshipped the true God according to his own laws; and this was not done by any other people then on the face of the earth.

Let it be written that they may be destroyed - Let it be enacted that they may all be put to death. By this he would throw all the odium off himself, and put it on the king and his counsellors; for he wished the thing to pass into a law, in which he could have but a small share of the blame.

I will pay ten thousand talents of silver - He had said before that it was not for the king's profit to suffer them; but here he is obliged to acknowledge that there will be a loss to the revenue, but that loss he is willing to make up out of his own property.

Ten thousand talents of silver is an immense sum indeed; which, counted by the Babylonish talent, amounts to two millions one hundred and nineteen thousand pounds sterling; but, reckoned by the Jewish talent, it makes more than double that sum.

Those who cavil at the Scriptures would doubtless call this one of the many absurdities which, they say, are so plenteously found in them, supposing it almost impossible for an individual to possess so much wealth. But though they do not believe the Bible, they do not scruple to credit Herodotus, who, lib. vii., says that when Xerxes went into Greece, Pythius the Lydian had two thousand talents of silver, and four millions of gold darics, which sums united make near five millions and a half sterling.

Plutarch tells us, in his life of Crassus, that after this Roman general had dedicated the tenth of all he had to Hercules, he entertained the Roman people at ten thousand tables, and distributed to every citizen as much corn as was sufficient for three months; and after all these expenses, he had seven thousand one hundred Roman talents remaining, which is more than a million and a half of English money.

In those days silver and gold were more plentiful than at present, as we may see in the yearly revenue of Solomon, who had of gold from Ophir, at one voyage, four hundred and fifty talents, which make three millions two hundred and forty thousand pounds sterling; and his annual income was six hundred and sixty-six talents of silver, which make four millions seven hundred and ninety-five thousand two hundred pounds English money.

In addition to the above I cannot help subjoining the following particulars: -

Crassus, who was mentioned before, had a landed estate valued at one million six hundred and sixty-six thousand six hundred and sixty-six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence.

C. Coecilius Ridorus, after having lost much in the civil war, left by will effects amounting to one million forty-seven thousand one hundred and sixty pounds.

Lentullus, the augur, is said to have possessed no less than three millions three hundred and thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three pounds six shillings and eight pence.

Apicius was worth more than nine hundred and sixteen thousand six hundred and seventy-one pounds thirteen shillings and four pence; who, after having spent in his kitchen eight hundred and thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three pounds six shillings and eight pence, and finding that he had no more left than eighty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three pounds six shillings and eight pence, considered it so little for his support, that he judged it best to put an end to his life by poison!

The superfluous furniture of M. Scaurus, which was burnt at Tusculum, was valued at no less than eight hundred and thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-two pounds thirteen shillings and four pence.

Anthony owed, at the ides or March, the sum of three hundred and thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three pounds six shillings and six pence, which he paid before the calends of April.

None of these men were in trade, to account for the circulation of such immense sums through their hands. See Dickson's Husband. of the Anc.

The king took his ring - In this ring was no doubt included his privy seal, and he gave this to Haman, that when he had formed such a decree as he thought fit, he might seal it with this ring, which would give it its due force and influence among the rulers of the provinces. The privy seal of many of our sovereigns appears to have been inserted in their rings; and the seals of Eastern potentates were worn in rings upon their fingers. One such seal, once the property of the late Tippoo Sultan, lies before me; the inscription is deeply cut in silver, which is set in a massy carriage of gold. This, as fitted to the finger, he probably kept always on his hand, to be ready to seal despatches, etc., or it might be carried by a confidential officer for the same purpose, as it seems to refer to one of the chief cutcheries, or military officers.

Unto the king's lieutenants - אחשדרפני achashdarpeney. This is in all probability another Persian word, for there is nothing like it in the Hebrew language, nor can it be fairly deduced from any roots in that tongue. The Vulgate translates ad omnes satrapas regis, to all the satraps of the king. It is very likely that this is the true sense of the word, and that the אחשדרפני achsadrapani, as it may be pronounced, is the Chaldee or Hebrew corruption of the Persian word satraban, the plural of satrab, a Persian peer, though the word is now nearly obsolete in the Persian language; for since the conquest of Persia by Mohammedanism, the names of officers are materially changed, as something of Islamism is generally connected with the titles of officers both civil and military, as well as religious.

To destroy, so kill, and to cause to perish - To put the whole of them to death in any manner, or by every way and means.

Take the spoil of them for a prey - Thus, whoever killed a Jew had his property for his trouble! And thus the hand of every man was armed against this miserable people. Both in the Greek version and in the Latin the copy of this order is introduced at length, expressing "the king's desire to have all his dominions in quiet and prosperity; but that he is informed that this cannot be expected, while a certain detestable people are disseminated through all his provinces, who not only are not subject to the laws, but endeavor to change them; and that nothing less than their utter extermination will secure the peace and prosperity of the empire; and therefore he orders that they be all destroyed, both male and female, young and old," etc.

The posts - Literally, the couriers, the hircarrahs, those who carried the public despatches; a species of public functionaries, who have been in use in all nations of the world from the remotest antiquity.

The decree was given at Shushan - It was dated from the royal Susa, where the king then was.

The city Shushan was perplexed - They saw that in a short time, by this wicked measure the whole city would be thrown into confusion; for, although the Jews were the only objects of this decree, yet, as it armed the populace against them, even the Persians could not hope to escape without being spoiled, when a desperate mob had begun to taste of human blood, and enrich themselves with the property of the murdered. Besides, many Persian families had, no doubt, become united by intermarriages with Jewish families, and in such a massacre they would necessarily share the same fate with the Jews. A more impolitic, disgraceful, and cruel measure was never formed by any government; and one would suppose that the king who ordered it must have been an idiot, and the counsellors who advised it must have been madmen. But a despotic government is ever capable of extravagance and cruelty; for as it is the bane of popular freedom and happiness, so is it the disgrace of political wisdom and of all civil institutions. Despotism and tyranny in the state are the most direct curses which insulted justice can well inflict upon a sinful nation.

Agagite - An Amalekite of the royal seed of that nation, whose kings were successively called Agag. All the princes - Gave him the first place and seat, which was next to the king.

But, &c. - Probably the worship required was not only civil, but Divine: which as the kings of Persia arrogated to themselves, so they did sometimes impart this honour to some of their chief favourites, that they should be adored in like manner. And that it was so here, seems more than probable, because it was superfluous, to give an express command to all the kings servants, to pay a civil respect to so great a prince, which of course they used, and therefore a Divine honour must be here intended. And that a Jew should deny this honour, is not strange, seeing the wise Grecians did positively refuse to give this honour to the kings of Persia themselves, even when they were to make their addresses to them: and one Timocrates was put to death by the Athenians for worshipping Darius in that manner.

To see - What the event of it would be. For, &c. - And therefore did not deny this reverence out of pride, but merely out of conscience.

Scorn - He thought that vengeance was unsuitable to his quality. Destroy - Which he attempted, from that implacable hatred which, as an Amalekite, he had against them; from his rage against Mordecai; and from Mordecai's reason of this contempt, because he was a Jew, which as he truly judged, extended itself to all the Jews, and would equally engage them all in the same neglect. And doubtless Haman included those who were returned to their own land: for that was now a province of his kingdom.

They cast - The diviners cast lots, according to the custom of those people, what day, and what month would be most lucky, not for his success with the king (of which he made no doubt) but for the most effectual extirpation of the Jews. Wherein appears likewise both his implacable malice, and unwearied diligence in seeking vengeance of them with so much trouble to himself; and God's singular providence in disposing the lot to that time, that the Jews might have space to get the decree reversed.

The silver - Keep it to thy own use; I accept the offer for the deed.

The city - Not only the Jews, but a great number of the citizens, either because they were related to them, or engaged with them in worldly concerns; or out of humanity and compassion toward so vast a number of innocent people, appointed as sheep for the slaughter.

AFter these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite ▪ and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him .

i. e. An Amalekite of the royal seed of that nation, whose Kings were commonly and successively called Agag, as hath been observed before. It is true, he is called a Macedonia[illegible: 1+ letters] in the Apocryphal additions to this book, and so he might be by his birth or habitation in that place, though by his original he was of another people.

Gave him the first place and seat, which was next to the King. Compare 2 Kings 25. 28.

Marginal references: See Est. 3▪ 10.

2 And all the kings servants that were in the kings gate bowed, and reverenced Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him: but Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence .

The reason of which obstinate refusal, was either 1. The quality of the person; that he was not only an infamously wicked man, and an heathen, but of that nation, which God had obliged the Israelites to abhor and oppose from generation to generation; and therefore he durst not shew outward respect to a man whom he did, and ought inwardly to contemn. Or, rather 2. The nature of the thing; for the worship required was not only civil, but divine: which as the Kings of Persia did undoubtedly arrogate to themselves, and expect and receive from their subjects and others who came into their presence, as is affirmed by divers authors, so they did sometimes impart this honour to some of their chief favourites, that they should be adored in like manner. And that it was so here, seems more than probable, because it was wholly superfluous, and almost ridiculous to give an express and particular command to all the Kings Servants that were in the Kings Gate, as here it was, to pay a civil respect to so great a Prince, which of course they used, and were ever obliged to do: and therefore a divine honour must be here intended. And that a Jew should deny this honour, or the outward expressions of it, to such a person, is not strange, seeing the wise and sober Graecians did positively refuse to give this honour to the Kings of Persia themselves, even when they were to make their addresses to them, and one Timocrates was put to death by the Athenians for worshipping Darius in that manner.

Marginal references: Gr▪ [illegible: 1 word]; See E[illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1+ letters]. 19.

4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai his matters would stand , for he had told them that he was a Jew ▪

i. e. Whether he would persist in his refusal, and what the event of it would be.

And therefore did not deny this reverence to Human out of pride, or any personal grudge against him, much less out of a rebellious mind and contempt of the Kings Authority and Command, but meerly out of conscience, because he was a Iew, who was obliged to give this honour to none but to God only.

6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai▪ wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews , that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

He thought that particular vengeance was unsuitable to his quality, and to the greatness of the injury.

Which he attempted, partly from that implacable hatred, which, as an Amalekite, he had against them: partly from his rage against Mordecai: and partly from Mordecai's reason of this contempt, because he was a Iew, which as he truly judged, extended itself to all the Jews, and would equally ingage them all in the same neglect and hatred of his person.

7 In the first month (that is the month Nisan) in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, & from month to month , to the twelfth month , that is, the month Adar.

The diviners cast lots, according to the custom of those ancient, and eastern people, what day, and what month would be most lucky, not for his success with the King (of whose compliance with his request he made no doubt) but for the most effectual and universal extirpation of the Jews.

Wherein appears both his implacable malice, and unwearied diligence in seeking vengeance of them with so much, and so long trouble to himself; and Gods singular providence in disposing the lot to that time, that so the Jews might have sufficient space of time to get the decree reversed, as they did.

Marginal references: Chap. 9. 24.

8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad, and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom , and their laws are divers from all people , neither keep they the kings laws ; therefore it is not for the kings profit to suffer them .

Mean and contemptible, not worthy to be named.

Who therefore, if tolerated, may poyson all thy subjects with their pernicious principles; and whom thou mayest easily crush without any great noise or difficulty.

For though many of their brethren were returned to their own land, yet great numbers of them stayed behind, either because they preferred their ease and worldly commodities before their spiritual advantages: or because they wanted conveniency or opportunity for a remove; which might happen from divers causes.

They have peculiar and fantastical rites, and customs, and religion; and therefore are justly offensive to all thy people, and may either infect them with their conceits, or occasion great dissensions and distractions among them.

As is manifest by Mordecai's bold contempt of thy late Edict concerning me, which being done by him as a Iew, the whole nation are involved in his crime▪ and are prepared to do so when they have occasion.

To live in his kingdom. I do not seek herein so much my own revenge as thy service.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 4▪ 13. [illegible: 1 word] 16. 20.; [illegible: 1 span]

9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business : to bring it into the kings treasuries.

Let there be a written Edict from the King.

Whether these were Hebrew, or Babylonish, or Graecian talents we cannot certainly know. But whichsoever they were, it was a vast sum to be paid out of his own estate, which he was willing to sacrifice to his revenge.

Either 1. Of this business, to wit, of destroying the Jews: which as soon as they have procured to be done, I will pay the mony into their hands, that by them it may be paid into the Kings Exchequer. Or rather 2. Of the Kings business, or of the treasures, as is implied in the following words. I will pay it to the Kings receivers, that they may put it into the Kings treasures.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. to de [illegible: 1+ letters].; [illegible: 1 word]. weigh.

10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews enemy .

That he might keep it as a badge of his supreme authority under the King, and that he might use it for the sealing of this decree which now he desired, or of any other as hereafter he should see fit. Compare ch. 8. 2, 8. and Gen. 41. 42.

So he was both by inclination, as he was an Amalekite, and especially by this malicious and destructive design and resolution.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word], oppres [illegible: 1+ letters].

11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee , the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

Keep it to thy own use, I do not desire it, I accept thy offer for the deed.

12 Then were the kings scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the kings lieutenants, and to the governours that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the kings ring.

This he did so speedily, though it was a year before the intended execution, lest the King should change his mind, either by his own clemency; or by the persuasion of others.

Marginal references: Or, secretaries.

13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the kings provinces, to destroy, to kill, & to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (which is the month Adar) and to take the spoil of them for a prey .

Which was to oblige them to the greater severity and readiness to execute this Edict for their own advantage.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word].

15 The posts went out, being hastened by the kings commandment , and the decree was given in Shushan the palace: and the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city Shushan was perplexed.

Either by this Decree made in the Kings name: or by some particular and succeeding command, which Haman could easily obtain from the King.

Not only the Jews, but a greater number of the Citizens, either because they were related to them, or engaged with them in worldly concerns: or out of humanity and compassion towards so vast a number of innocent people now appointed as sheep for the slaughter: or out of a fear either of some sedition and disturbance which might arise by this means; or of some damage which might accrue to themselves or friends, who happily under this pretence might be exposed to rapine or slaughter; or of a publick judgment of God upon them all for so bloody a decree.

Est 3:1

The elevation of Haman above all the princes of the kingdom is said in a general manner to have taken place “after these things,” i.e., after the matters related in Est 2. גּדּל, to make great, to make any one a great man; נשּׂא, elevated, is more precisely defined by the sentence following: he set his seat above all the princes that were with him, i.e., above the seat of all the princes about the king; in fact, advanced him to the highest post, made him his grand vizier. Haman is called the son of Hammedatha האגגי, the Agagite, or of the Agagites. אגגי recalls אגג kings of the Amalekites, conquered and taken prisoner by Saul, and hewn in pieces by Samuel, 1Sa 15:8, 1Sa 15:33. Hence Jewish and Christian expositors regard Haman as a descendant of the Amalekite king. This is certainly possible, though it can by no means be proved. The name Agag is not sufficient for the purpose, as many individuals might at different times have borne the name אגג, i.e., the fiery. In 1 Sam 15, too, Agag is not the nomen propr. of the conquered king, but a general nomen dignitatis of the kings of Amalek, as Pharaoh and Abimelech were of the kings of Egypt and Gerar. See on Num 24:7. We know nothing of Haman and his father beyond what is said in this book, and all attempts to explain the names are uncertain and beside the mark.

Est 3:2

All the king’s servants that were in the gate of the king, i.e., all the court officials, were to kneel before Haman and bow themselves to the earth. So had the king commanded concerning him. This mark of reverence was refused by Mordochai.

Est 3:3-4

When the other officials of the court asked him from day to day, why he transgressed the king’s commandment, and he hearkened not unto them, i.e., gave no heed to their words, they told it to Haman, “to see whether Mordochai’s words would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.” It is obvious from this, that Mordochai had declared to those who asked him the reason why he did not fall down before Haman, that he could not do so because he was a Jew, - that as a Jew he could not show that honour to man which was due to God alone. Now the custom of falling down to the earth before an exalted personage, and especially before a king, was customary among Israelites; comp. 2Sa 14:4; 2Sa 18:28; 1Ki 1:16. If, then, Mordochai refused to pay this honour to Haman, the reason of such refusal must be sought in the notions which the Persians were wont to combine with the action, i.e., in the circumstance that they regarded it as an act of homage performed to a king as a divine being, an incarnation of Oromasdes. This is testified by classical writers; comp. Plutarch, Themist. 27; Curtius, viii. 5. 5f., where the latter informs us that Alexander the Great imitated this custom on his march to India, and remarks, §11: Persas quidem non pie solum, sed etiam prudenter reges suos inter Deos colere; majestatem enim imperii salutis esse tutelam. Hence also the Spartans refused, as Herod. 7.136 relates, to fall down before King Xerxes, because it was not the custom of Greeks to honour mortals after this fashion. This homage, then, which was regarded as an act of reverence and worship to a god, was by the command of the king to be paid to Haman, as his representative, by the office-bearers of his court; and this Mordochai could not do without a denial of his religious faith.

Est 3:5-6

When, then, Haman, whose attention had been called to the fact, saw, when next he went in unto the king, that Mordochai did not fall down before him, he was full of wrath, and (Est 3:6) thought scorn, i.e., in his pride esteemed it too contemptible, to lay hands on Mordochai alone, i.e., to execute him alone, for this opposition to the royal commands; for they had showed him the people of Mordochai, i.e., had told him that as a Jew Mordochai had refused this act of worship, and that the whole Jewish nation thought and acted accordingly. Therefore he sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahashverosh, the people of Mordochai. The subject Haman is repeated before ויבקּשׁ for the sake of clearness, because it was not expressly named with ויּבן. מרדּכי עם is in apposition to כּל־היּהוּדים: all the Jews as the people of Mordochai, because they were the people of Mordochai and shared his sentiments.

To ensure the success of this great undertaking, viz., the extermination of all the Jews in the kingdom, Haman had recourse to the lot, that he might thus fix on a propitious day for the execution of his project. Astrology plays an important part among all ancient nations, nothing of any magnitude being undertaken without first consulting its professors concerning a favourable time and opportunity; comp. rem. on Eze 21:26.

Est 3:7 “In the first month, i.e., Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahashverosh, they cast Pur, i.e., the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to the twelfth month, i.e., the month Adar.” The subject of הפּיל is left indefinite, because it is self-evident that this was done by some astrologer or magician who was versed in such matters. Bertheau tries unnaturally to make Haman the subject, and to combine the subsequent המן לפני with הגּורל: ”Haman cast Pur, i.e., the lot, before Haman,” which makes Pur signify: the lot before Haman. המן לפני means in the presence of Haman, so that he also might see how the lot fell. פּוּר is an Old-Persian word meaning lot (sors); in modern Persian, bâra signifies time, case (fois , cas), pâra or pâre, piece (morceau, pièce), and behr , behre , and behre , lot, share, fate; comp. Zenker, Turco-Arabic and Persian Lexicon, pp. 162 and 229. The words ”from day to day, from month to the twelfth month,” must not be understood to say, that lots were cast day by day and month by month till the twelfth; but that in the first month lots were at once cast, one after the other, for all the days and months of the year, that a favourable day might be obtained. We do not know the manner in which this was done, “the way of casting lots being unknown to us.” The words: from month to the twelfth month, are remarkable; we should expect from month to month till the twelfth month. Bertheau supposes that the words לחדשׁ ויּ פּל הגּורל על יום שׁלשׁה עשׂר were omitted after וּמחדשׁ through the eye of the transcriber passing on from the first לחדשׁ to the second. The text of the lxx actually contains such words, and the possibility of such an oversight on the part of a transcriber must certainly be admitted. In the book of Esther, however, the lxx translation is no critical authority, and it is just as possible that the author of the Hebrew book here expresses himself briefly and indefinitively, because he was now only concerned to state the month determined by lot for the undertaking, and intended to mention the day subsequently.

Est 3:8-9

Haman having by means of the lot fixed upon a favourable day for the execution of the massacre, betook himself to the king to obtain a royal decree for the purpose. He represented to the monarch: “There is a people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom, and their laws are different from all other people (i.e., from the laws of all other people), and they keep not the laws of the king, and it is not fitting for the king to leave them alone. Est 3:9. If it seem good to the king, let it be written (i.e., let a written decree be published) to destroy them; and I will weigh ten thousand talents of silver to those who do the business, that they may bring them into the treasuries of the king.” This proposal was very subtilly calculated. First Haman casts suspicion on the Jews as a nation scattered abroad and dwelling apart, and therefore unsociable, - as refractory, and therefore dangerous to the state; then he promises the king that their extermination will bring into the royal treasury a very considerable sum of money, viz., the property of the slaughtered. Ten thousand talents of silver, reckoned according to the Mosaic shekel, are £3,750,000, according to the civil shekel £1,875,000; see rem. on 1Ch 22:14. המּלאכה עשׁי, those who execute a work, builders in 2Ki 12:12, are here and Est 9:3 the king’s men of business, who carry on the king’s business with respect to receipts and disbursements, the royal financiers.

Est 3:10

The king agreed to this proposal. He drew his signet ring from his hand, and delivered it to Haman, that he might prepare the edict in the king’s name, and give it by the impression of the royal seal the authority of an irrevocable decree; see rem. on Est 8:8. “To the enemy of the Jews” is added emphatically.

Est 3:11

Lest it should appear as though the king had been induced by the prospect held out of obtaining a sum of money, he awards this to Haman. “The silver be given to thee, and the people to do to them (let it be done to them) as seemeth good to thee.” והעם precedes absolutely: as for the people of the Jews, etc.

Est 3:12-15

Haman, without delay, causes the necessary writings to be prepared, and sent into all the provinces of the kingdom. Est 3:12. “Then were called the king’s scribes in the first month, on the thirteenth day of it (בּו, in it, in the said month); and there was written according to all that Haman commanded, to the satraps of the king, and to the governors who (were placed) over every province, and to the rulers of every people, to each several province according to its writing, and to each different people according to their language (comp. rem. on Est 1:22); in the name of King Ahashverosh was it written, and sealed with the king’s seal.” אחשׁדּרפּנים and פּחות placed in juxtaposition, as in Ezr 8:36, are the imperial officials. Beside these are also named the שׂרים of every people, the native princes of the different races. The writing was finished on the thirteenth day of the month, because this day of the month had been fixed upon as propitious by the lot.

Haman's Malignant Proposal. (b. c. 510.)

1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. 2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. 3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? 4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. 6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had showed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

Here we have,

I. Haman advanced by the prince, and adored thereupon by the people. Ahasuerus had lately laid Esther in his bosom, but she had no such interest in him as to get her friends preferred, or to prevent the preferring of one who she knew was an enemy to her people. When those that are good become great they still find that they cannot do good, nor prevent mischief, as they would. This Haman was an Agagite (an Amalekite, says Josephus), probably of the descendants of Agag, a common name of the princes of Amalek, as appears, Num. xxiv. 7. Some think that he was by birth a prince, as Jehoiakim was, whose seat was set above the rest of the captive kings (2 Kings xxv. 28), as Haman's here was, v. 1. The king took a fancy to him (princes are not bound to give reasons for their favours), made him his favourite, his confidant, his prime-minister of state. Such a commanding influence the court then had that (contrary to the proverb) those whom it blessed the country blessed too; for all men adored this rising sun, and the king's servants were particularly commanded to bow before him and to do him reverence (v. 2), and they did so. I wonder what the king saw in Haman that was commendable or meritorious; it is plain that he was not a man of honour or justice, of any true courage or steady conduct, but proud, and passionate, and revengeful; yet was he promoted, and caressed, and there was none so great as he. Princes' darlings are not always worthies.

II. Mordecai adhering to his principles with a bold and daring resolution, and therefore refusing to reverence Haman as the rest of the king's servants did, v. 2. He was urged to it by his friends, who reminded him of the king's commandment, and consequently of the danger he incurred if he refused to comply with it; it was as much as his life was worth, especially considering Haman's insolence, v. 3. They spoke daily to him (v. 4), to persuade him to conform, but all in vain: he hearkened not to them, but told them plainly that he was a Jew, and could not in conscience do it. Doubtless his refusal, when it came to be taken notice of and made the subject of discourse, was commonly attributed to pride and envy, that he would not pay respect to Haman because, on the score of his alliance to Esther, he was not himself as much promoted, or to a factious seditious spirit and a disaffection to the king and his government; those that would make the best of it looked upon it as his weakness, or his want of breeding, called it a humour, and a piece of affected singularity. It does not appear that any one scrupled at conforming to it except Mordecai; and yet his refusal was pious, conscientious, and pleasing to God, for the religion of a Jew forbade him, 1. To give such extravagant honours as were required to any mortal man, especially so wicked a man as Haman was. In the apocryphal chapters of this book (ch. xiii. 12-14) Mordecai is brought in thus appealing to God in this matter: Thou knowest, Lord, that it was neither in contempt nor pride, nor for any desire of glory, that I did not bow down to proud Haman, for I could have been content with good will, for the salvation of Israel, to kiss the soles of his feet; but I did this that I might not prefer the glory of man above the glory of God, neither will I worship any but thee. 2. He especially thought it a piece of injustice to his nation to give such honour to an Amalekite, one of that devoted nation with which God had sworn that he would have perpetual war (Exod. xvii. 16) and concerning which he had given that solemn charge (Deut. xxv. 17), Remember what Amalek did. Though religion does by no means destroy good manners, but teaches us to render honour to whom honour is due, yet it is the character of a citizen of Zion that not only in his heart, but in his eyes, such a vile person as Haman was is contemned, Ps. xv. 4. Let those who are governed by principles of conscience be steady and resolute, however censured or threatened, as Mordecai was.

III. Haman meditating revenge. Some that hoped thereby to curry favour with Haman took notice to him of Mordecai's rudeness, waiting to see whether he would bend or break, v. 4. Haman then observed it himself, and was full of wrath, v. 5. A meek and humble man would have slighted the affront, and have said, "Let him have his humour; what am I the worse for it?" But it makes Haman's proud spirit rage, and fret, and boil, within him, so that he becomes uneasy to himself and all about him. It is soon resolved that Mordecai must die. The head must come off that will not bow to Haman; if he cannot have his honours, he will have his blood. It is as penal in this court not to worship Haman as it was in Nebuchadnezzar's not to worship the golden image which he had set up. Mordecai is a person of quality, in a post of honour, and own cousin to the queen; and yet Haman thinks his life nothing towards a satisfaction for the affront: thousands of innocent and valuable lives must be sacrificed to his indignation; and therefore he vows the destruction of all the people of Mordecai, for his sake, because his being a Jew was the reason he gave why he did not reverence Haman. Herein appear Haman's intolerable pride, insatiable cruelty, and the ancient antipathy of an Amalekite to the Israel of God. Saul the son of Kish, a Benjamite, spared Agag, but Mordecai the son of Kish, a Benjamite (ch. ii. 5), shall find no mercy with this Agagite, whose design is to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus (v. 6), which, I suppose, would include those that had returned to their own land, for that was now a province of his kingdom. Come and let us cut them off from being a nation, Ps. lxxxiii. 4. Nero's barbarous wish is his, that they had all but one neck.

Haman Obtains Leave to Slay the Jews. (b. c. 510.)

7 In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar. 8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them. 9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries. 10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. 11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. 12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. 13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. 14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day. 15 The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

Haman values himself upon that bold and daring thought, which he fancied well became his great spirit, of destroying all the Jews—an undertaking worthy of its author, and which he promised himself would perpetuate his memory. He doubts not but to find desperate and bloody hands enough to cut all their throats if the king will but give him leave. How he obtained leave, and commission to do it, we are here told. He had the king's ear, let him alone to manage him.

I. He makes a false and malicious representation of Jews, and their character, to the king, v. 8. The enemies of God's people could not give them such bad treatment as they do if they did not first give them a bad name. He would have the king believe, 1. That the Jews were a despicable people, and that it was not for his credit to harbour them:"A certain people there is," without name, as if nobody knew whence they came and what they were; "they are not incorporated, but scattered abroad and dispersed in all the provinces as fugitives and vagabonds on the earth, and inmates in all countries, the burden and scandal of the places where they live." 2. That they were a dangerous people, and that it was not safe to harbour them. "They have laws and usages of their own, and conform not to the statutes of the kingdom and the customs of the country; and therefore they may be looked upon as disaffected to the government and likely to infect others with their singularities, which may end in a rebellion." It is no new thing for the best of men to have such invidious characters as these given of them; if it be no sin to kill them, it is no sin to belie them.

II. He bids high for leave to destroy them all, v. 9. He knew there were many that hated the Jews, and would willingly fall upon them if they might but have a commission: Let it be written therefore that they may be destroyed. Give but orders for a general massacre of all the Jews, and Haman will undertake it shall be easily done. If the king will gratify him in this matter, he will make him a present of ten thousand talents, which shall be paid into the king's treasuries. This, he thought, would be a powerful inducement to the king to consent, and would obviate the strongest objection against him, which was that the government must needs sustain loss in its revenues by the destruction of so many of its subjects; so great a sum, he hoped, would be equivalent for that. Proud and malicious men will not stick at the expenses of their revenge, nor spare any cost to gratify it. Yet no doubt Haman knew how to re-imburse himself out of the spoil of the Jews, which his janizaries were to seize for him (v. 13), and so to make them bear the charges of their own ruin; while he himself hoped to be not only a saver but a gainer by the bargain.

III. He obtains what he desired, a full commission to do what he would with the Jews, v. 10, 11. The king was so inattentive to business, and so bewitched with Haman, that he took no time to examine the truth of his allegations, but was as willing as Haman could wish to believe the worst concerning the Jews, and therefore he gave them up into his hands, as lambs to the lion: The people are thine, do with them as it seemeth good unto thee. He does not say, "Kill them, slay them" (hoping Haman's own cooler thoughts would abate the rigour of that sentence and induce him to sell them for slaves); but "Do what thou wilt with them." And so little did he consider how much he should lose in his tribute, and how much Haman would gain in the spoil, that he gave him withal the ten thousand talents: The silver is thine. Such an implicit confidence likewise he had in Haman, and so perfectly had he abandoned all care of his kingdom, that he gave Haman his ring, his privy-seal, or sign-manual, wherewith to confirm whatever edict he pleased to draw up for this purpose. Miserable is the kingdom that is at the disposal of such a head as this, which has one ear only, and a nose to be led by, but neither eyes nor brains, nor scarcely a tongue of its own.

IV. He then consults with his soothsayers to find out a lucky day for the designed massacre, v. 7. The resolve was taken up in the first month, in the twelfth year of the king, when Esther had been his wife about five years. Some day or other in that year must be pitched upon; and, as if he doubted not but that Heaven would favour his design and further it, he refers it to the lot, that is, to the divine Providence, to choose the day for him; but that, in the decision, proved a better friend to the Jews than to him, for the lot fell upon the twelfth month, so that Mordecai and Esther had eleven months to turn themselves in for the defeating of the design, or, if they could not defeat it, space would be left for the Jews to make their escape and shift for their safety. Haman, though eager to have the Jews cut off, yet will submit to the laws of his superstition, and not anticipate the supposed fortunate day, no, not to gratify his impatient revenge. Probably he was in some fear lest the Jews should prove too hard for their enemies, and therefore durst not venture on such a hazardous enterprise but under the smiles of a good omen. This may shame us, who often acquiesce not in the directions and disposals of Providence when they cross our desires and intentions. He that believeth the lot, much more that believeth the promise, will not make haste. But see how God's wisdom serves its own purposes by men's folly. Haman has appealed to the lot, and to the lot he shall go, which, by adjourning the execution, gives judgment against him and breaks the neck of the plot.

V. The bloody edict is hereupon drawn up, signed, and published, giving orders to the militia of every province to be ready against the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, and, on that day, to murder all the Jews, men, women, and children, and seize their effects, v. 12-14. Had the decree been to banish all the Jews and expel them out of the king's dominions, it would have been severe enough; but surely never any act of cruelty appeared so barefaced as this, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the Jews, appointing them as sheep for the slaughter without showing any cause for so doing. No crime is laid to their charge; it is not pretended that they were obnoxious to the public justice, nor is any condition offered, upon performance of which they might have their lives spared; but die they must, without mercy. Thus have the church's enemies thirsted after blood, the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus, and drunk of it till they have been perfectly intoxicated (Rev. xvii. 6); yet still, like the horse-leech, they cry, Give, give. This cruel offer is ratified with the king's seal, directed to the king's lieutenants, and drawn up in the king's name, and yet the king knows not what he does. Posts are sent out, with all expedition, to carry copies of the decree to the respective provinces, v. 15. See how restless the malice of the church's enemies is: it will spare no pains; it will lose no time.

VI. The different temper of the court and city hereupon. 1. The court was very merry upon it: The king and Haman sat down to drink, perhaps to drink "Confusion to all the Jews." Haman was afraid lest the king's conscience should smite him for what he had done and he should begin to wish it undone again, to prevent which he engrossed him to himself, and kept him drinking. This cursed method many take to drown their convictions, and harden their own hearts and the hearts of others in sin. 2. The city was very sad upon it (and the other cities of the kingdom, no doubt, when they had notice of it): The city Shushan was perplexed, not only the Jews themselves, but all their neighbours that had any principles of justice and compassion. It grieved them to see their king so abused, to see wickedness in the place of judgment (Eccl. iii. 16), to see men that lived peaceably treated so barbarously; and what would be the consequences of it to themselves they knew not. But the king and Haman cared for none of these things. Note, It is an absurd and impious thing to indulge ourselves in mirth and pleasure when the church is in distress and the public are perplexed.

CHAP. III. Verſe 3. After theſe things did King Ahaſhuerus promote Haman.]

FOure yeares after his marriage with Eſther, (or near upon) did Ahaſhuerus magnifie and exalt Haman, Hominem profanum & ſceleratum, as one ſaith, a profane wicked perſon: meerly for his minde ſake, Alexander the Great made Abdolominus a poor Gardiner King of Siden. to ſhew his Soveraignity, and that he would, like ſome petty god upon earth, ſet up whom he would, and whom he would, put down, Dan. 4.19. Whether it were alſo by flattery or ſycophancy, or ſome new projects for eſtabliſhing his tyranny, and increaſing his tributes, that Haman had inſinuated himſelf into this Kings favour, it is uncertain. Sure it is, that Mordecai, a better man, lay yet unlook't upon; like good corne he lay in the bottome of the heap, when this vileſt of men was exalted, Pſal. 12.8. Thus oft empty veſſels ſwim aloft, rotten poſts are gilt with adulterate gold, the worſt weeds ſpring up braveſt; and when the twins ſtrive in Rebecca's womb, profane Eſau comes forth firſt, and hath the primogeniture, Gen. 25.25. But whiles they ſeek the greateſt dignities, they moſtly meet with the greateſt ſhame, like Apes, while they be climing, they the more ſhew their deformities. They are lifted up alſo, ut lapſu graviore ruant that they may come down again with the greater poiſe. It was therefore well and wiſely ſpoken by Alvarez de Luna, when he told them who admired his fortune and favour with the King of Caſtile. You do wrong to commend the building before it be finiſhed, and until you ſee how it will ſtand.

The ſonne of Amedatha the Agagite] i.e. The Amalekite, of the Stock-royal: ſo that Haman was the natural enemy of the Jewes, like as Annibal was of the Romanes. An old grudge there was, an inveterate hatred: Amalek was Eſau's grand-childe, and the enmity betwixt theſe two peoples was, as we ſay of runnet, the older the ſtronger.

And advanced him] Set him aloft upon the pinacle of higheſt preferment, as Tiberius did Sejanus, as Lewis the eleventh of France did his Barber, as our Henry the eighth did Wolſey; and our late Kings, Buckingham. But Princes Favourites ſhould conſider with themſelves, that honour is but a blaſt, a magnum nihil, a glorious fancie, a rattle to ſtill mens ambition, and that as the Paſſenger looketh no longer upon the dial, then the Sun ſhineth upon it: So it is here.

And ſet his ſeat above all the Princes] This cup of honour his weak head could not beare: this blaſt ſo blew up the bubble, that it burſt again. Sejanus-like, he now began to ſacrifice to himſelfe, little thinking of that utter ruine to the which he was ha[illegible: 1 letter]ting. Phyſicians uſe to ſay, that ultimus ſanitatis gradus eſt morbo vicinus. Sure it is, that when the wicked are near unto miſery, they have greateſt preferment and proſperity. When Tiberius was deſirous to rid his hands of Sejanus, he made him his Colleague in the Conſulſhip, and ſet him above all his Courtiers. Ahaſhuerus intended not any hurt to Haman, when he raiſed him to this pitch of preferment; but it puffed him up, and proved his bane. None are in ſo great danger, as thoſe that walk upon pinacles: even height it ſelfe makes mens braines to ſwim. Every man is not a Joſeph, or a Daniel. They were ſet above all the Princes, and could not only beare it, but emprove it for the glory of God, and the good of his people. Sed ô quàm hoc non eſt omnium! High ſeats are not only uneaſie, but dangerous, and how few are there that do not (as Iſ[illegible: 1 letter]s her aſſe) think themſelves worſhipful for the burthen they bear?Hones onus.

Verſe 2. And all the Kings ſervants] His Courtiers and others; not his menial ſervants only.

That were in the Kings gate] Where the Courtiers uſed to walk, that they night be at a call: and where others attended, that had buſineſſe at the Court.

Bowed and reverenced Haman] Not with ſo much readineſſe and diligence, as impudence and baſeneſſe: for ſhould men bow to a molten calfe, becauſe made up of golden eare-rings? Many of theſe cringing Courtiers could not but hate Haman in their hearts, and were as ready to wiſh him hang'd, and to tell the King ſhortly after where he might have a fit gallowes for him. So Sejanus his greateſt friends, who had deified him before, when once he fell out of the Emperours favour, ſhewed themſelves moſt paſſionate againſt him, ſaying, that if Caeſar had clemency, he ought to reſerve it for men, not uſe it toward monſters.

For the King had ſo commanded concerning him] And if the King had commanded theſe ſervile foules to worſhip a dog or a cat, as the Egyptians did a golden image, as Nebuchadnezzars ſubjects did; to turne the glory of the incorruptible God into the ſimilitude of a corruptible man, of foure-footed beaſts or creeping things, as Rom. 1.23. they would have done it. Moſt people are of King Harry's religion, as the proverb is, reſolving to do as the moſt do, though thereby they be undone for ever. This is to be worſe then ſome Heathens. See the note on Acts 4.10. But why ſhould Ahaſhuerus be ſo haſty to heap ſuch honours upon ſo worthleſſe and wicked a perſon, but that he had a minde to proclaime his own folly to all his Kingdome?

But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence] He did not, he durſt not, though preſſed and urged to it with greateſt importunity. And why? not becauſe Haman wore a picture openly in his boſome, as the Chaldee Paraphraſt and Aben Ezra give the reaſon, Nor meerly (if at all, which ſome doubt of) becauſe he was a curſed Amalekite; But becauſe the Perſian Kings required, that themſelves and their chief Favourites (ſuch as proud Haman was,) ſhould be reverenced with a kinde of divine honour,Herod. l 1. Valer. l. 7 c. 3. Curt. l 3. & 5. more then was due to any man. This the Jewes were flatly forbidden by their Law to do. The Lacedemonians alſo were reſolute againſt it, as Herodotus in his ſeventh book relateth. Pelopidas the Thebane would not be drawn to worſhip the Perſian Monarch in this ſort.Plut. in Artax. Juſtin. l 6. Val. l. 6. c. 33. No more would Conon the Athenian General. And when Timagoras did, the Athenians condemned him to die for it. It was not therefore pride or ſelf-willedneſſe that made Mordecai ſo ſtiffe in the hams that he would not bend to Haman; but feare of ſinne,Nihil praeter peccatum timeo. Baſil. and conſcience of duty. He knew, that he had better offend all the world, then God and his own conſcience.

Verſe 3. Then the Kings ſervants, &c.] See verſe 2.

Said unto Mordecai] Tempting his piety and conſtancy not once, but often, alledging the Kings commandment, together with his aloneneſſe in refuſing to obey it, Hamans power, diſpleaſure, &c. Thus they preſented to Mordecai both Irritamenta and Terriculamenta, i.e. Allurements and Affrightments, according to that of the Apoſtle, Heb. 11.37. they were tempted on both hands, but all in vaine. Sapientis virtus, perea quibus petitur, illuſtratur. This conſtancy wicked men call obſtinacy, but they ſpeak evil of that they know not, viz. the power of the Spirit, and the privy armour of proof, that the Saints have about their hearts.

Why tranſgreſſeſt thou the Kings Commandment] Right or wrong, it matters not with many; if the King or State have commanded a thing, done it muſt be. But what ſaid that Martyr to the Popiſh Biſhop, preſſing him with this Argument, and affirming, that the Kings Lawes muſt be obeyed, whether they agree with the Word of God or not, yea, though the King were an infidel? If Shedrach, Meſhech and Abednego had been of your minde, my Lord,Act & M[illegible: 1 letter]n. 1550. (ſaid Roger Coo, Martyr) Nebuchadnezzar had not confeſſed the living God. True it is, that we muſt give unto Caeſar the things that are Caeſars. But withal, we muſt ſee to it, that we give unto God the things that are Gods, Matth. 22.21. where the three articles uſed in the Original are very emphatical. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. And it is a ſaying of Chryſoſtome, If Caeſar will take to himſelf Gods part, by commanding that which is ſinful, to pay him ſuch a tribute is not tributum Caeſaris, but ſervitium diaboli, an obſerving of Caeſar, but a ſerving of the devil.

Verſe 4. Now it came to paſſe, when they ſpake daily unto him] This if they did of good-will, (as at firſt perhaps they did) it was a friendly office, and may ſhame many of us who are ſo backward to Chriſtian admonition, (See my common places) that ſpiritual Almes, that we are bound freely to diſtribute. Jude 22.23. But if (as is likely, at length at leaſt) they did it to ingratiate with Haman, and out of envy to Mordecai, becauſe he did not comply and comport with them, what did they elſe but act the devils part; and the rather, becauſe they were importunate and impudent as not to take an anſwer?

And he hearkened not unto them] They did but ſurdo fabulam (as they ſay) beat upon cold iron;Act. & Mon. John Ardley. this matter was not malleable, this man not to be prevailed with, to do ought againſt his conſcience. The Heavens ſhall ſooner fall, then I will alter mine opinion, ſaid that Martyr. This the Perſecutours called obſtinacy: ſed pro hac obſtinatione fi[illegible: 1 letter]ei mor[illegible: 1 letter]mar, ſaith Tertullian, but for this obſtinacy of faith we gladly die: and the ſtronger any are in faith, the more reſolute in warrantable purpoſes. The ſtrength of Iſrael repenteth not, 1 Sam. 10.29. Unconſtancy comes from weakneſſe.

That they told Haman] Purpoſely to pick a thank and curry favour. Go not about as a tale-bearer, Levit. 19.16. The word ſignifieth as a pedler, that firſt filleth his pack with tales and ſlanders, and then venteth them to the hurt of others. Such are fitly joyned with flatterers. Prov. 20.19. and with murtherers, Ezek. 22.9. Such a wretched Pedler was Doeg, and ſuch were theſe evil inſtruments in the text, whoſe tongues were as ſharp as the quills of a Porcupine, the poiſon of aſpes was under their lips. And although it was truth they told Haman, yet becauſe they did it not for any love to the truth, nor for reſpect to juſtice, nor for the bettering of either party, but only to undo the one, and to incenſe the other, they were no better then flanderers.

To ſee whether Mordecai's matters would ſtand] Whether he would ſtick to his principles, and not ſtart aſide for any terrour, Phil. 1.28.

For he had told them that he was a Jew] That is, by Interpretation, a Confeſſour: yea more, he was a ſtout Profeſſour of the truth: and though he had hitherto concealed himſelf, yet now (ſith they will needs have it ſo) he plainly tells them, his countrey and his conſcience, the true cauſe of his peremptorineſſe, which they held and call'd pr[illegible: 1 letter]de and ſtubbornneſſe.

Verſe 5. And when Haman ſaw] Stirred up by theſe peſtilent pick-thanks, qui crabronem furioſum magìs irritaverant (as one ſaith) he took ſpecial notice of Hamans irreverence, which with more diſcretion he might have diſſembled. When an inconſiderate fellow had ſtricken Cato in the Bath, and afterwards cried him mercy, he replied, I remember not that thou didſt ſtrike me; Tis a ſigne of weakneſſe to be too ſoft and ſenſible of an indignity;Sen. de it. l. 1. I was as a deafe man that heard not, and as one dumbe, in whoſe mouth is no reproof, Pſal. 38.13, 14. The beſt apology to words and carriages of ſcorne and petulancy, is that of Iſaac to Iſhmael, viz. patience and ſilence.

That Mordecai bowed not, &c.] A great buſineſſe to mad him ſo much, but that he was ſet on by that old man-ſlayer.

Sic leve, ſic parvum eſt animum quod laudis avarum Subruit, aut reficit—

A ſmall winde raiſeth a bubble, ambition rideth without reines, and hath inhabitatorem Draconem Apoſtatam, the devil at inne with it.

Then was Haman full of wrath] He ſwell'd like a toad, glow'd like a devil; being transform'd as it were, into a breathing devil, he ſeeks the utter extirpation of that people, of whom, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. as corcerning the fleſh; Chriſt was to come, Rom. 9.5. wiſhing the ſame to them which Caligula in a rage did to the people of Rome, I would ye had all but one neck, that I might cut you all off at one blow. Joſephus tells us, that he brake out into this bluſtering ſpeech, Liberi Perſae me adorant. Hic autem, ſervus cùm ſit, tamen hoc fa[illegible: 1 letter]ere dedignatur. The Perſians, though free-men, reverence me, and yet this ſlave thinks himſelfe too good to do it. This he uttered no doubt with a very harſh and hateful intention of the voice, ſuch as was that of the two brethren in evil, (whoſe anger was fierce; and their wrath cruel) when Gen. 34.31. they anſwered their aggrieved father. Should he deal with our ſiſter as an harlot? where the word Z[illegible: 1 letter]nab (Harlot) hath a great letter,Gen. 49.5, 7. to note their vehemency, rage and rudeneſſe.

Verſe 6. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. And he thought ſcorne to lay hands on Mordecai alone] He thought it a ſmall matter, ſaith Joſephus, a thing below him, too little for his revenge, which like fire burneth all it can lay hold upon, eſpecially when as here it ariſeth from ambition, which like choler a duſt, if obſtructed and ſtopped in its courſe, is a dangerous paſſion▪ and endeth in burning fevers and madneſſe. Haman thought ſcorne, (contempſit in oculis ſuis, ſo the Hebrew) to foule his fingers with Mordecai alone, the whole Nation muſt periſh, and all the children of God that were ſcattered abroad, as he once ſaid, John 11.50, 52. Semblably, noſtri temporis Hamanus (ſaith Merlin upon this text,) the Haman of our time, (meaning the Duke of Guiſe, as I ſuppoſe) when as by the Kings favour he was promoted, and promiſed himſelf the Crown, there being but one family only that ſtood in his way, he deſired together with it to overturn all the Reformed Religion, and to root out all the remembrance of the Churches in France. Hence the Pariſian Maſſacre, (wherein Merlin had his part, being houſhold-Chaplaine to the Admiral, and by a miracle of Gods mercy eſcaping thoſe helliſh cut-throates.) The firſt occaſion of that bloody Maſſacre, I have ſomewhere read, was this. (Other things I know were pretended, as if the Proteſtants had, plotted and practiced againſt the King, Queen-mother, and the Princes of the blood,Camd. Eliz. and coine ſtamped with this Inſcription, Virtus in rebelles, &c.) The Pope ſent to the Cardinal of Lorraine, (brother to the Duke of Guiſe) a Table, wherein was painted our Lady with a little childe in her armes, by the moſt excellent Painter in Chriſtendome, and conſecrated with his own hands, and encloſed it in a caſe of ſilk, and a letter withal giving him high commendation and thanks for his zeal againſt the Huguenots. The meſſenger that carried the Preſent fell ſick by the way, and finding one going into France, entreated him to deliver the Preſent to the Cardinal. The Cardinall read the letter, and laid the Table on his bed, for he would not open it, till he might do it with greater ſolemnity. For this purpoſe he invited the Duke of Guiſe to dinner with many other great Perſonages. In the mean while, one that liked not the Cardinal, found meanes to change the Table, &c. At dinner the letter was read, and the Table taken out of the caſe in the ſight of the Cardinal, and all his gueſts, wherein was painted in place of our Lady and her childe, the Cardinal of Lorraine ſtark naked, the Queen-Mother, the young Queen of Scots, and the old Dutcheſſe of Guiſe naked alſo, hanging about the Cardinals neck, and their legges wrapped between his legges. I cannot ſay much for the man that did this prank: but that the Cardinal and his Complices ſhould thereupon deſign all the French Proteſtants to deſtruction, ſhould butcher thirty thouſand of them in a moneth, one hundred thouſand of them in one year, ſome ſay three hundred thouſand: that upon the newes of it the Pope ſhould proclaim a Jubilee for joy,Act. & Mon. and the Cardinal of Lorraine give the meſſenger a thouſand Crownes, &c. This was matchleſſe immanity, this was Haman-like hatred, this was cruelty beyond that of Simeon and Levi, which made good Jacob in a deep deteſtation of that dirity, cry out, O my ſoul, come not thou into their ſecret, &c. Gen. 49.6.

For they had ſhewed him the people of Mordecai] Viz. That he was a Jew. Joſephus his note upon this text is. Haman naturally hated the Jewes, as thoſe that had anciently deſtroyed the Amalekites his Countreymen. He might eaſily call to minde what Saul had done to them, and David, and laſtly the tribe of Simeon. God had ſentenced them long ſince to utter deſtruction; and yet deferred the firſt execution for about foure hundred yeares ſpace: and now again, after more then five hundred yeares, Haman the Agagite is thus exalted, but for a miſchief, as the Eagle carrieth the Tortoiſe on high in her talons, that ſhe may break it in the fall, and feed upon it.

Patientia laeſa fit furor.

Wherefore Haman ſought to deſtroy all the Jewes] Ʋt ſanguineam famem expleret, as a wolfe breaking into the folde kills all the flock: as fowlers take away the young and the dammes together putting both into the bag (which God forbade, Deut. 22.6.) as Eſau, that rough man, came with foure hundred cut-throats at his heels, to deſtroy the mother with the children, Gen. 32.11.Turk. hiſt. 369. as Ʋladus, Prince of Valachia, was wont, together with the offendor, to execute the whole family, yea, ſometimes the whole kindred as Selimus the great Turk in revenge of the loſs he received at the battel of Lepanto, reſolv'd to put to death all the Chriſtians in his dominions,Ibid. 885. in number infinite: As Philip of Spaine ſailed out of the Low-countreyes homewards, vowing to root out all the Lutherans there.Hiſt. of Counc. of Tr[illegible: 1 letter]us. 417. and proteſting that he had rather have no ſubjects then ſuch; As cruel Doctor Story a great Perſecutor in Queen Maries reign,Anno 1571. Camd. Eliz. and hang'd for a Traitour in Queen Elizabeths, whoſe death he had conſpired, curſing her daily in his Grace at board, and greatly repenting that he and others had laboured only about the young ſprigs and twigs (as he phraſed it) while they ſhould have ſtriken at the root,Act. & Mon. 1925. and clean rooted it out. Laſtly, as the Gun-powder Papiſts, who had prepared by Proclamations to father that horrid plot (if it had taken effect) upon the Puritanes, and under that name to have murthered all thoſe that had but look't toward Religion.

That were throughout the whole Kingdome] Herein he ſhewed himſelf a right Amalekite, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. De Tib. Theodor. Gadareus. Mali corvi malum [illegible: 2 letters]um, dirt kneaded with blood, as one ſaid of Tiberius, He preſumed he might have what he pleaſed of the King, and therefore made account to make but a Breakfaſt of his enemies the Jewes, to whom he ſaid in his heart, as once Caligula did to the Romane Conſuls, Rideo, quòd uno nutu meo jugulare vos omnes poſſim. I cannot but laugh to think, that I can nod you all to death.

Even the people of Mordecai,] Who were more renowned by him then Co was by Hippocrates, Thebes by Epaminondas, Stagira by Ariſtotle, Hyppo by Auguſtine. &c.

Verſe 7. In the firſt moneth] The time is thus noted, ad majorem hiſtoriae fidem & lucem, to give more credit to the Hiſtory, and to lend ſome light to it.

That is the moneth Niſan] The Chaldees call it Abib, from the new fruits or eares of corne then firſt appearing. It was the firſt moneth unto Iſrael, (in reſpect of ſacred, not civil affaires) becauſe of their coming out of Egypt therein. It anſwereth to part of March with us, and part of April.

In the twelfth yeare of King Ahaſhuerus] When Eſther had now been Queen above foure yeares, and being greatly beloved, was in a capacity to do her people good. This was a ſweet Providence, the remedy was ready before the diſeaſe brake out. No Countrey hath more venemous creatures then Egypt, none more Antidotes. So godlineſſe hath many troubles, and as many helpes againſt trouble.

They caſt Pur, that is, the Lot] The old Interpreter addeth in urnam, into the pitcher. And the new Annotations tell us, that about caſting lots, there was a pitcher into which papers, with names of the ſeveral moneths written on them, and rolled up were caſt, yea, alſo papers with the names of every day, and of every moneth were caſt in: then one blind-folded put in his hand and pulled out a paper, and according to the marks which they had ſet down, ſuch a moneth proved lucky, and ſuch a day in the moneth; and by Gods Providence it ſo fell out, that their ſuppoſed luckie day was on the twelfth moneth, whereby it came to paſſe, that their plot was defeated, before the time of accompliſhing thereof, chap. 9.1, &c.

From day to day, &c.] This is not to be taken as if they had continued twelve moneths about in caſting of theſe lots: but as in the Note next above.

That is the moneth Adar] In all which time that wicked Haman might have bethought himſelf (as one noteth) and returned to a better minde toward Gods people. But he, after the hardneſſe of his heart, that could not repent, treaſured up unto himſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, &c. Rom. 2.5.

Verſe 8. And Haman ſaid unto King Ahaſhuerus] After that by ſortilegy, (or ſorcery, for it is no better, as the very name ſheweth, and Varro affirmeth,) he had light upon a luckie day, wherein to ſpeak to the King, and a black day, wherein to do execution, he taketh the boldneſſe to move the King in it. Now Mr. Perkins affirmeth, that as men do put confidence in lot-ſorcery, or the like diabolical divinations, or elſe they cannot attaine to any foreknowledge by them; ſo therein, explicitely or implicitely, they have confederacy with the devil, Oh, that this were well conſidered!

There is a certain people] Not worth the naming.

Scattered abroad] But was that their fault? was it not their miſery rather, according to that God had threatened them, Deut. 3 2. and were they not therefore to be pitied, and not preyed upon? It is ſaid of Queen Elizabeth, Camd Eliz. 531. that ſhe hated, no leſſe then did Mithridates, ſuch as maliciouſly perſecuted vertue forſaken of fortune.

And diſperſed among the people] And therefore the more dangerous, ſith every ſect ſtrives to ſpread their opinions, and theſe, being Antimagiſtratical, may do much hurt, and draw many from their obedience, prove ſeedſmen of ſedition. It may very well be that the ſect of the Eſſenes were now beginning among the Jewes, who taught,Joſeph. l. 18. c. 2. that God alone, and no mortal man was to be acknowledged for Lord and Prince. Hence they were called Eſſeni or Haſhoni, that is, Rebels, Weems. and for their ſakes the whole Nation might be the worſe thought of (as if they were all ſuch) like as the Proteſtants were in France for the Anabaptiſts ſake, in the reigne of King Francis. Scultet. An. 454.

In all the Provinces of thy Kingdome] Quarum proventu gaudet, alitur, inſoleſcit. Where they do no good, but devoure graine as vermine, as excrements in humane ſociety, and deſerve to be knockt on the head, which may eaſily be done, becauſe they are disjected, and not able to make head againſt an adverſary.

And their Lawes are diverſe from all people] So they were, and better, their enemies themſelves being Judges, Deut. 4.6, 7, 8. Proſpers conceit was, that they were called Judaei, becauſe they received Jus Dei, their Lawes from God, who might ſay to them, as once Joſeph did to his brethren, Gen. 45.12. Behold, your eyes ſee, that it is my mouth that ſpeaketh unto you. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. And therefore if Demoſthenes could ſay of Lawes in general, that they were the invention of Almighty God; And if Cicero could ſay of the Lawes of the twelve Tables in Rome, that they farre exceeded and excelled all the Libraries of all the Philoſophers, how much more true was all this of the Lawes of the Jews given by God, and ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour, Moſes? Seneca (though he jeared the Jewes for their weekly Sabbath, as thoſe that loſt the ſeventh part of their time, yet) he could not but ſay, that being the baſeſt people, they had the beſt Lawes, and gave Lawes unto all the world. Thoſe holy Levites, Nehem. 9.13. acknowledge with all thankfulneſſe, that God had given them right judgements, true Lawes, good Statutes and Commandments, whereby he ſevered them from all other people, as his own peculiar, and this was their glory whereever they came; though the Sycophant in the text turneth their glory into ſhame, as one that loved vanity, and ſought after leaſing, Pſal. 4.2.

Neither keep they the Kings Lawes] Mordecai indeed would not do him reverence, becauſe it went againſt his conſcience: no more would others of them keep the Kings Lawes in like caſe, but obey God rather then man, where they could not do both. Otherwiſe they were charged, Jer. 29.7. to ſeek the peace of the cities where they abode, and to ſubmit to their civil and municipal Lawes: and ſo they did doubtleſſe, for the generality of them. But this impudent liar repreſents them to the King as Refractaries and Rebels, &c. The devil began his Kingdome by a lie, and by lies he upholdeth it. He was a liar and a murtherer from the beginning; but firſt a liar, and thereby a murtherer. He cannot handſomely murther, except he ſlander firſt, Cant. 5.6. the credit of the Church muſt firſt be taken away, and then ſhe is wounded; traduced ſhe muſt be, and then perſecuted. Thus David is believed to ſeek Sauls life: Elias is the Troubler of Iſrael: Jeremy, the Trumpet of Rebellion: the Baptiſt, a Stirrer up of ſedition: Chriſt, an enemy to Caeſar: Paul, a peſtilent Incendiary; the primitive Chriſtians, a publike miſchief: the Reformed Churches, Antimagiſtratical: this colour of right, yea, of Piety was laid upon the French Maſſacre, and by Edicts a faire cloke ſought to cover that impious fraud,Camd. Eliz. as if there had been ſome horrid treaſon hatch't by the Huguenots. The primitive Perſecutours uſed to put Chriſtians into beares and dogges skins, or other ugly creatures; and then bait them; ſo wicked men put religion and its Profeſſours, into ugly conceits and reports, and then ſpeak and act againſt them.

Therefore it is not for the Kings profit] Heb. It is not meet, equal, or profitable to the King to ſuffer them, ut inſoleſcat per licentiam, ſo the Vulgar Latine rendreth it, but without warrant from the Orig. See here how this Sycophant fils his mouth with arguments, the better to atchieve his deſire. An elaborate ſet ſpeech he maketh, neither is there a word in it, but what might ſeem to have weight. He pretends the Kings profit and the publike good, concealing and diſſembling his ambition, avarice, envy, malignity, that ſet him a work. Politicians when they ſoare higheſt, are like the Eagle, which whiles aloft, hath her eye ſtill upon the prey, which by this meanes ſhe ſpies ſooner, and ſeizes upon better. In parabolâ ovis caprùs ſuas quaerunt, as the Proverb hath it, Haman holds it not fit there ſhould be more religions then one in a Kingdome, for preventing of troubles. Nebuchadnezzar was of the ſame minde, when he commanded all men to worſhip his golden image. But muſt all therefore die that will not do it? and is it for the Kings profit that the righteous be rooted out? Is not ſemen ſanctum ſtatumen terrae? the holy ſeed,Iſa. 6.13. the ſtay of the State? the beauty and bulwark of the Nation? See Jer. 5.1. Ezek. 2.2.30, 31. Abſque ſtationibus non ſtaret mundus.

Verſe 9. If it pleaſe the King] Here he ſheweth himſelf a right Courtier, and ſpeaketh ſilken words, the ſooner to inſinuate. But if Solomon had been by, he would have ſaid,Prov. 26.25. When he ſpeaketh faire, beleeve him not, for there are ſeven abominations in his heart.

Let it be written that they may be deſtroyed] As Mithridates King of Pontus, by writing one bloody letter only,Val Max. deſtroyed foureſcore thouſand Citizens of Rome, diſperſed up and down Aſia for traffick ſake. That was bad, but this was worſe that Haman motioned, and well-near effected.Rup. l. 8. de virt. verb. c. 7. And ſurely never did the old red dragon (ſaith Rupertus) lift up his head ſo fiercely and furiouſly againſt the woman, that is, againſt the Church of God, as in this place. Therefore is Haman to be reckoned among thoſe cruel enemies, who ſaid,Pſal. 83. Come and let us deſtroy them from being a Nation, that the name of Iſrael may be no more remembred. But let them rage and kill up the Saints as much as they can, the ſheep will ſtill be more in number then the wolves, the doves then the hawkes. Plures efficimur quoties metimur, Tertull. Apoll. ſaith Tertullian, the more you crop us, the faſter we grow.

And I ſhall pay ten thouſand talents of ſilver] A vaſt ſumme, three thouſand ſeven hundred fifty thouſand pound ſterling. At ſo great charge would this butcher be, to ſatisfie his luſt, and to have his penmworths upon Gods poor people. So in the Gun-powder treaſon, (beſides their paines, digging like moles in their vault of villany) Digby offered to bring in fifteen hundred pounds, Treſſam two thouſand, Piercy foure thouſand out of the Earle of Northumberlands rents: beſides ten ſwift horſes to ſtead them when the blow was paſt. But where ſhould Haman have all this money, may ſome ſay? I anſwer, Firſt if he were of the ſeed-royal of Amalek (as tis thought) he might have much left him by his Anceſtours. Secondly, being ſo great a Favourite to the King of Perſia, he had doubtleſſe many profitable offices, and ſo might lay up gold as duſt,Job 22.24. and ſilver as the ſtones of the brooks. Did not Wolſey ſo here in Henry the eighth's time? Thirdly, he had already devoured in his hopes, the goods and ſpoiles of all the ſlain Jewes, which he doubted not but the King would beſtow upon him, for his good ſervice. Like as Henry the ſecond of France, gave his Miſtreſſe Diana Valentina, all the confiſcations of goods made in the Kingdome for cauſe of hereſie. Hereupon many good men were burned for religion,Hiſt. of Counc. of Trent. 387. as it was ſaid, but indeed it was to ſatiate her covetouſneſſe.

To the hands of thoſe, &c.] Vulg. Arcarsis gazae tuae.

To bring it into the Kings treaſuries] That he might not be damnified in the tributes formerly paid by the Jewes for their liberty of conſcience. Kings uſe to take care, that their incomes and revenues be not empaired or diminiſhed. It is ſaid of Solyman the great Turk, that ſeeing a company of many thouſands of his Chriſtian ſubjects fall down before him, and hold up the forefinger (as their manner of Converſion to the Turkiſh religion is) he asked what moved them to turn? they replied, it was to be eaſed of their heavy taxations.S. H. Bl. Voyage p. 181. He not willing to loſe in tribute for an unſound acceſſion in religion, rejected their Converſion, and doubled their taxations.

Verſe 10. And the King took his ring from his hand] And thereby gave him power to do what he pleaſed, Gen. 41.42. 1 Kings 21.8. En regis bujus inertiam & imperitiam. How weak (weak as water, Gen. 49.4.) was the heart of this brutiſh Barbarian, skilful to deſtroy? Ezek. 21.31. ſeeing he did all theſe things, the work of an imperious whoriſh woman, Ezek. 16.30. rather then of an able man, (ſuch as every Magiſtrate ſhould be, Exod. 18.21.) juſt, and ruling in the feare of God, 2 Sam. 23.3. In the caſe of Vaſhti, he could referre the matter to the conſideration of a Council. In the caſe of the two Eunuches that had conſpired aganſt his life, he made inquiſition of the matter, and did all things deliberately. In this caſe of Haman after this, though deeply diſpleaſed, yet he did nothing raſhly, till he had gone into the Palace-garden, and conſidered with himſelf what was beſt to be done. But here upon the very firſt motion (without hearing them ſpeak for themſelves, or admoniſhing them to do their duty better, &c.) he gives order for the ſlaying of ſo many thouſand innocents never conſidering that every drop of their blood had a voice in it, to cry for vengeance againſt him and his, Gen. 4.10. Matth. 22.7. And when the King heard it for blood cries aloud to God, 1 Kings 9.26. Surely I have ſeen yeſterday the blood of Naboth. Murther ever bleeds freſh in the eye of Almighty God. To him many yeares, yea, that eternity that is paſt, is but yeſterday. He will give ſuch, blood again to drink, for they are worthy, Rev. 16.6. Dealt he not ſo by Herod, Julian, Attilas, Felix of Wartemburg, Farneſius, Minerius, Charles the ninth King of France, who died by exceeding bleeding at ſundry parts of his body, ſoon after the Pariſian Maſſacre, whereof he was the Authour, giving as large and as bloody a commiſſion to the Duke of Guiſe, to deſtroy, to kill, and to cauſe to periſh all the French Proteſtants, as Ahaſhuerus did here to Haman? Neither was he ſlack to execute it with greateſt inhumanity, crying out to thoſe of his party (after that he had ſlaine the Admiral) Courage, my fellowes, fall on, the King commands it, it is his expreſſe pleaſure, he commands it. But what followed ſhortly after?The Hiſte of French Maſſ. by Mr. Clark.

Quem ſitiit vivens ſceleratâ mente cruorem, Perfidus hunc moriens Carolus ore vomit. Ergo Dei tandem verbo ſubſcribite, Reges; Ne rapiant Stygiae vos Acherontis aquae.

And gave it unto Haman] Who now being his Favourite, might have any thing of him, like as it is ſtoried of Sejanus, that in all his deſignes he found in Tiberius the Emperour ſo great facility and affection to his deſire,Life of Sejan. by P.M. p. 5. that he needed only to ask and give thanks. He never denied him any thing, and oft-times prevented his requeſt, and avowed that he deſerved much more. It was not therefore without cauſe,Tertull. Apol. that the primitive Chriſtians prayed ſo hard for the Emperour, that God would ſend him good Counſellours, and deliver him from flatterers and ſlanderers, thoſe peſts of the Court.

The Jewes enemy] That was his ſtile, or rather his brand and mark of ignominy, worſe then that of Cain, Gen. 4.15. that of Dathan, Numb. 26.9. of Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28.22. It may be he affected this title, and gloried in it: as we read of John Oneale, father to the Earle of Tyrone, that rebel 1598.Camd. that he inſcribed himſelf in all places. I great John Oneale, Couſin to Chriſt, friend to the Queen of England, and foe to all the world beſides.

Verſe 11. And the King ſaid unto Haman] Whom he looked upon, as an honeſt, prudent, publike-ſpirited man, and therefore ſo eaſily impowered him to do what he would.

O vanas hominum mentes! O pectora caeca!

The ſilver is given unto thee] i. e. the ten thouſand talents that thou haſt proffered, and which Haman likely purpoſed to raiſe out of the ſpoile of the Jewes; all this is remitted, and returned to Haman as a gift again. Sic ex alieno corio gigantes iſti latiſſ[illegible: 1 letter]mas corrigias ſecant, ſaith an Interpreter here, Such large thongs cut theſe Gyants out of other mens Hides. But what meant they thus to ſell the Hide, before they had taken the beaſt? He that ſate in heaven (and had otherwiſe determined it) laughed at them, the Lord had them in deriſion. With him (alone) is ſtrength and wiſdom, the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth Counſellours away ſpoiled, and maketh the Judges fooles. He leadeth Princes away ſpoiled, and overthroweth the mighty, Job 12.16, 17, 19.Pſal. 2.

The people alſo, to do with them] Here Haman was made, here he had more then heart could wiſh, as Pſal. 73.7. and holdeth himſelf therefore, no doubt, the happieſt man under heaven. But Nihil ſanè infelicius eſt felicitate peccantium, ſaith Hierom, there cannot befall a man a greater miſery then to proſper in ſinne: for ſuch a one is ripening for ruine, as fatting cattel are fitting for the ſhambles, They proſper and live at eaſe, ſaith God, yet I am extremely diſpleaſed with them, Zech. 1.15. As they ſay of the metal they make glaſſe of, it is neareſt melting when it ſhineth brighteſt; ſo are the wicked neareſt deſtruction when at greateſt luſtre. Meane-while ſee here what, many times, is the condition of Gods deareſt children, viz. to fall into the power and pawes of Lions, Leopards, Boares, Beares, Tygers; of men more ſavage then any of theſe, whoſe tender mercies are meer cruelties. Poor blinde men they are, that offer violence to the Saints, as Sampſon laid hands upon the pillars, to pluck the houſe upon their owne heads.

To do with them as it ſeemeth good to thee] O bloody ſentence! Such words as theſe Lenitèr volant, ſed non lenitèr violant. So Diocleſian gave leave to people to kill up Chriſtians, without more ado, whereever they met them; the like was done by authority in the French Maſſacre; but though Tyrants reſtraine not their Agents, yet God will, Pſal. 76.10. And though they bandy together, and bend all their forces to root out true Religion; yet are they bounded by him, and ſhall not do what themſelves pleaſe, but what he hath appointed. My times are in thine hand, ſaith David, and Pilate had no more power to crucifie Chriſt, then what was given him from above, John 19.11.

Verſe 12. Then were the Kings Scribes called] Then, preſently upon't, ſo ſoon as the word was out of the Kings mouth, licet quod libet: the Scribes were called, and all things diſpatched with all poſſible haſte, art and induſtry. So Judas, what he did, did quickly; he was up and at it, when Peter and the reſt of the Apoſtles were ſound aſleep. The children of this world are wiſer in their generation then the children of light; for why? they have the devil to help them, and to prick them on; and hence their reſtleſneſſe.

On the thirteenth day of the firſt moneth] Soon after they had begun to caſt lots, verſe 7.

and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded] Right or wrong, that was never once queſtioned by theſe over-officious Officers. If the King command it, and Haman will have it ſo, the Secretaries and Rulers, (thoſe ſervile ſoules) are ready to ſay, as Tiberius once did to Juſtinus. Si tu volueris, ego ſum; ſi tu non vis, ego non ſum. Or as he in Lucan did to Caeſar. Juſſa ſequi, tam velle mihi, quàm poſſe, neceſſe. We are wholly at your devotion and diſpoſe. We are only your clay and wax, &c. It is not for us to take upon us as Counſellours, but only to write what is dictated unto us, &c. But this was no ſufficient excuſe for them before God: as neither was it for Doeg, that he was commanded to ſlay all the Lords Prieſts, which Abner and other of Sauls ſervants rightly and ſtoutly refuſed to do, 1 Sam. 22. A warrant once came down under ſeal for Lady Elizabeths execution, whileſt ſhe was priſoner at Woodſtock; Steven Gardiner, like another Haman, being the chief Engineer. But Mr. Bridges her Keeper, miſtruſting falſe play, preſently made haſte to the Queen, who renounced and reverſed it. So might Ahaſhuerus haply have done this bloody Edict, had his officers ſhewed him the iniquity of it. But they took not this to be any part of their buſineſſe: Or if any one of them ſhould be more conſcientious, yet he might be ſurprized by a ſudden onſet, as the Lord Cromwell, when by the inſtigation of Gardiner, he was commanded by King Henry the eighth, to reade the ſentence of death againſt Lambert the Martyr, whereof he repented afterwards, ſending for Lambert, and asking him forgiveneſſe, as Mr. Fox relateth.

And to every people after their language] See chap. 1.22.

In the name of the King Ahaſhuerus] For more authority ſake, and that Hamans malice and cruelty might lie hid under the Kings cloak. So Jezabel wrote letters in Ahabs name againſt Naboth; ſo the Egyptians oppreſſed the Iſraelites in the name of their King; the Jewes pretended to be all for Caeſar, when they ſought and ſuck't our Saviours blood. The Popiſh Perſecutours here did all in Queen Maries name, when as it might be ſaid of her, as Joſephus doth of Queen Alexandra among the Jewes, Ipſa ſolùm nomen regium ferebat, &c. She had the name only of Queen, but the Phariſees ruled the Kingdome, ſo did the Biſhops in thoſe dayes: and ſome of them would have done the like in ours, and that was their downfal; after that, as rotten teeth, they had put the King and Kingdome to a great deal of miſery.

And ſealed it with the Kings ring] Leſt it ſhould by any meanes be reverſed, Dan. 6.8, 12, 15. Of the right antiquity, uſe and matter of rings, let them that will, read Plin. lib: 33. cap. 1. & 37.1. Macrob. lib. 1. Saturn. cap. 13. Alexand. ab Alex. lib. 2. genial. dier. Rhodig. lib. 6. cap. 12.

Verſe 13. And the letters were ſent by Poſtes] Theſe, the Perſians called Angari, or (as Ruffin writeth it) Aggari. But why was this done in ſuch poſt-haſte, ſo long before the day of execution? was it not to hold them all that while on the rack, and ſo to kill them peece-meale, (as Tiberius uſed to do by his enemies,) whileſt through feare of death, and expectation of that doleful day,Heb 2.15. they were all their life-time ſubject to bondage?

To deſtroy, to kill, and to cauſe to periſh] Words written not with black, but with blood; and therefore multiplied in this ſort, to ſhew, that it mattered not how, ſo they were made away by any meanes, and the world well rid of them. Reade the Hiſtory of the French Maſſacre: and heare Reverend Merlin, (who narrowly, and indeed miraculouſly eſcaped thoſe bloody Villaines, as being Chaplaine to the Admiral, and praying with him in his Chamber a little before he was murthered,) heare him, I ſay, commenting upon this text; Sic noſtro ſaeculo, ſi ſcribenda fuerint edicta adverſus Religionem, non potuerunt ſibi Scribae ſatisfacere in excogitandis verbis ſignificantibus, quibus atrociora & magis ſanguinaria redderentur, &c. that is, in our age alſo, if any edicts are to be written againſt Religion, the Secretaries cannot ſatisfie themſelves in deviſing ſignificant words, whereby thoſe edicts may be rendred the more cruel and ſanguinary.

All Jewes, both young and old, little children and women] All ages, ſizes, and ſexes. What could the devil himſelf have added to this abhorred cruelty, if it had gone on? ſuch a ſlaughter made Doeg at Nob; the Sicilians at their bloody veſpers; the King of France with the Templars throughout his Kingdom; Minerius the Popes Champion, with the Proteſtants of Merindol and Chabriers, (beſides that of the Pariſian Maſſacre before-mentioned, and by Merlin upon this verſe graphically deſcribed, like as that of Babylon is by Jeremy, chap. 51.34.) what a woful ſlaughter had here been made, had Faux but fired the powder? What an Acheldama had this whole Land been turned into in a few dayes ſpace? Necdum interiit ſaevus Hamani animus. Neither yet is Haman dead, but reviveth daily in his bloody and blaſphemous ſucceſſors. That like as one ſaith of Cain, the devils Patriarch, there are not a few that ſtill carry about, adore and worſhip as a ſacred thing, Cains club,Bucholc. red with the blood of Abel: ſo it is here.

Even upon the thirteenth day] that it was to be no ſooner done, was by a ſpecial Providence of God, that ere that time came, it might be happily prevented, as was afore noted. See verſe 7. Hamans folly alſo was not a little ſeen in deferring the execution ſo long: for how knew he what a day might bring forth? it was indeed mirabile ſimulque miſerabile dictu, as one ſaith, a wonderful, and withal a miſerable thing, that none ſhould be found among the Perſians, Medes and Chaldees, to pity this poore people, and to intercede for them. To have ſpoken to Haman for them, might likely have been as bootleſſe, as once it was to Minerius in the behalf of the Merindolians. Of whom when a few had eſcaped his all-devouring ſword, and he was intreated to give them quarter for their lives, he ſternely anſwered, I know what J have to do,Act. & Mon. 869. not one of them ſhall eſcape my hands; I will ſend them to dwell in hell among the devils, But if Haman reſolved no better, yet what knew he, but that in time the King might relent and repent of that raſh and wretched edict, as he did?

Nam faciles motus mens generoſa capit.Ovid.

We reade in our Chronicles, that when King Henry the third had given commandment, for the apprehending of Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent, he fled into a Church in Eſſex. They to whom the buſineſſe was committed, finding him upon his knees before the High-Altar, with the Sacrament in one hand, and a Croſſe in the other, carried him away nevertheleſſe unto the Tower of London. The Biſhop taking this to be a great violence and wrong to the Church, would never leave the King, until he had ca[illegible: 1 letter] ſed the Earle to be carried to the place whence he was fetch't. This was done: and although order was taken he ſhould not 'ſcape thence; yet it gave the Kings wrath a time to coole, and himſelf leiſure to make proof of his innocency. By reaſon whereof he was afterwards reſtored to the Kings favour and former places of honour. And the like befel theſe Jewes, are the thirteenth of Adar: but Haman, blinded with pride and ſuperſtition, could not foreſee it.

And to take the ſpoile of them for a prey] To be ſure that none ſhould 'ſcape, the goods of the ſlain are propoſed for a reward to them that ſhould ſlay them, and how far that would prevaile with many covetous wretches, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. who knoweth not? Covetouſneſſe is daring and deſperate: how much more when it is encouraged, as here, by a Permiſſion, nay, a Precept from the King, and his chief Favourite? where we may be ſure, the wealthier any man was, the ſooner he ſhould have been ſent out of the world, as a tree with thick and large boughes is moſt likely to be lopped. Trithemius telleth us, that the Templars above-mentioned were maſſacred by Philip the Faire, King of France, upon pretext of hereſie: but indeed, becauſe they were rich, and Philip ſore longed after their poſſeſſions. The Cyprians for their great wealth became a ſpoile to the Romanes.

— Quid non mortalia pectora cogis, Auri ſacra fames?

Verſe 14. The copy of the writing — was publiſhed] Phathſegin, a Syriack word, ſaith R. David, and not found, but in the books about the captivity. The vulgar rendreth it Summa, R. Nathan [non-Latin text not transcribed], to the ſame ſenſe. Tranſcripts of the Original were ſent to all places, that none might be ignorant or negligent in doing execution: But why did not the Jewes upon ſuch notice ſave themſelves by flight, may ſome ſay? Alas, whither ſhould the poor ſoules flie with their families? being compaſſed about with ſo many deadly enemies, and having none that durſt own them in that diſtreſſe? It was a juſt wonder, and a ſpecial work of God, that their enemies forbear to fall upon them before the black-day came, if but for the ſpoile-ſake. We reade chap. 9. that notwithſtanding the known favour of the King, the patronage of Mordecai, and the hanging up of Haman, &c. the thirteenth of Adar is ſtill meant to be a bloody day. Hamans Abettours joyne together to performe that ſentence, whereof the Authour repented, &c. But God was ſeen in the Mount: he loveth to help thoſe that are forſaken of their hopes, as he did theſe poor Priſoners then, when it might ſeem that there was neither left unto them hope of better, or place of worſe Who would not therefore truſt in God? Deo confiſi nunquam confuſi? Truſt in God will ſurely triumph.

That they ſhould be ready againſt that day] That long-look't-for day by Haman and his Party, wherein they meant to roll themſelves, and wallow in the blood of thoſe Jewes, and to ſay as Hannibal did, when he ſaw a ditch filled with mans blood, O jucundum ſpectaculum! O pleaſant ſight! Or as Valeſus, when he had ſlain three hundred, O rem regiam! O Kingly act! Or as that Queen, who when ſhe ſaw ſome of her Proteſtant ſubjects lying dead and ſtripped upon the earth, cried out, the goodlieſt tapeſtry that ever ſhe beheld! Are not ſuch blood-ſuckers of the vulturine kinde, ſpoken of in Job, whoſe young ones glut-glut blood, (the Original word ſeemeth made from the ſound) and where the ſlain are, there is ſhe? Job 39.30.

Verſe 15. The Poſtes went out, being haſtened by the Kings commandment] As if the enemy had been at the gates, and his crown had hang'd on the one ſide of his head: he could not have been more earneſt and diligent in ſuch a caſe, then now he is. So much ſet upon't are Gods enemies, to bring their evil purpoſes to paſſe; that till then, neither themſelves nor others, can be ſuffered to reſt for them. Quicquid volunt, valdè volunt, bearing down with creſt and breaſt whatſoever ſtands in the way of their ſinful luſts. What a ſhame is it then for Saints, not to be zealous of good works, valiant for the truth, and violent for the Kingdom?

And the decree was given in Shuſhan the Palace] Pependit, ſaith the Vulgar, it hung up upon the poſts to be read of all, the King not ſhaming to have his privities ſeen, (as the phraſe is, Ezra 4.14) to traduce himſelf (as it were) in a publike theatre, for a fooliſh and oppreſſive Prince[illegible: 1 letter] neither caring what might be the evil conſequents thereof, ſo that he may ſatisfie his own luſt, and gratifie his minion.

And the King and Haman ſate down to drink] So to drown the noiſe of conſcience, (if not altogether dead and dedolent) and ſo to nouriſh their hearts as in a day of ſlaughter. Thus Joſephs brethren, when they had caſt him into the pit, ſate down to eat bread, Gen. 37.25. (when it had been fitter for them to have wept for their wickedneſſe.) So did the Iſraelites when they had made them a golden calfe, Exod. 32.6.Mat. 14. Herod feaſteth, when he had caſt the Baptiſt into priſon. The Antichriſtian rout, revel and riot, when they had ſlain the two witneſſes. Rev. 11. The Pope proclaimed a Jubilee upon the Pariſian Maſſacre. The King of France ſwore, that he never ſmelled any thing more ſweet then the Admirals carcaſſe, when it ſtank with long lying. As for his head,Epit. Hiſt. Gallic. speed. he ſent it for a preſent to the Queen-mother. And ſhe balming it, ſent it to her holy Father the Pope for an aſſurance of the death of his moſt capital enemy. Thua[illegible: 1 letter]us writeth that the Pope cauſed that Maſſacre to be painted in his Palace: Had the Powder-plot ſucceeded, it ſhould have been pourtrayed (ſurely) in his Chappel or Oratory. Faux was to get into the fields to ſee the ſport; for they made no other reckoning, but that all was their own. No more did the King and Haman here, and hence their jollity, but it proved ſomewhat otherwiſe. God oft ſuffereth his enemies to have the ball on the foot, till they come to the very goale, and yet then to make them to miſſe the game: He loveth to make fooles of them, to let them go to the utmoſt of their tedder, and then to pull them back with ſhame to their task.

But the City Shuſhan was perplexed] That is, the Jewes that dwelt there: together with the reſt that loved them, and wiſhed well to them. Theſe wept, ſaith the Vulgar Latine, were in heavineſſe, ſay others, they were intricated, inſnarled, at their wits end, ſo that they knew not what to do, (as the word here g[illegible: 1 letter]i[illegible: 2 letters]eth) only their eyes were toward the hills, from whence ſhould come their help. Their comfort was to conſider, that melior eſt triſtitia iniqua patiemis, quàm laetitia iniqua faelentes. Auguſt. Better is the perplexity of him that ſuffereth evil, then the jollity of him that doth evil. Deliverance would come they believed, chap. 4.14. but whence they knew not. Hard things may be mollified, crooked things ſtreightened, Non omnium dierum ſol occidit: Whiles there is a Sun to ſet, I will not deſpaire of a good iſſue, as Queen Elizabeth ſaid when ſhe was moſt perplexed, as being to be ſent Priſoner to the Tower,Engl. Eliz[illegible: 1 letter] then the which never went any thing nearer to her heart.