Esther 9 commentary

The enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them by the former edict. If they had attempted nothing against the people of God, they would not themselves have suffered. The Jews, acting together, strengthened one another. Let us learn to stand fast in one spirit, and with one mind, striving together against the enemies of our souls, who endeavour to rob us of our faith, which is more precious than our lives. The Jews, to the honour of their religion, showed contempt of wordly wealth, that they might make it appear they desired nothing except their own preservation. In every case the people of God should manifest humanity and disinterestedness, frequently refusing advantages which might lawfully be obtained. The Jews celebrated their festival the day after they had finished their work. When we have received great mercies from God, we ought to be speedy in making thankful returns to him.

The observance of the Jewish feasts, is a public declaration of the truth of the Old Testament Scriptures. And as the Old Testament Scriptures are true, the Messiah expected by the Jews is come long ago; and none but Jesus of Nazareth can be that Messiah. The festival was appointed by authority, yet under the direction of the Spirit of God. It was called the feast of Purim, from a Persian word, which signifies a lot. The name of this festival would remind them of the almighty power of the God of Israel, who served his own purposes by the superstitions of the heathen. In reviewing our mercies, we should advert to former fears and distresses. When our mercies are personal, we should not by forgetfulness lose the comfort of them, or withhold from the Lord the glory due to his name. May the Lord teach us to rejoice, with that holy joy which anticipates and prepares for the blessedness of heaven. Every instance of Divine goodness to ourselves, is a new obligation laid on us to do good, to those especially who most need our bounty. Above all, redemption by Christ binds us to be merciful, 2Co 8:9.

CHAPTER 9

Es 9:1-19. The Jews Slay Their Enemies with the Ten Sons of Haman.

1. in the twelfth month, ... on the thirteenth day of the same--This was the day which Haman's superstitious advisers had led him to select as the most fortunate for the execution of his exterminating scheme against the Jews [Es 3:7].

2. The Jews gathered themselves ... no man could withstand them--The tables were now turned in their favor; and though their enemies made their long meditated attack, the Jews were not only at liberty to act on the defensive, but through the powerful influence enlisted on their side at court together with the blessing of God, they were everywhere victorious.

the fear of them fell upon all people--This impression arose not alone from the consciousness of the all-powerful vizier being their countryman, but from the hand of God appearing so visibly interposed to effect their strange and unexpected deliverance.

5-16. Thus the Jews smote all their enemies--The effect of the two antagonistic decrees was, in the meantime, to raise a fierce and bloody war between the Jews and their enemies throughout the Persian empire; but through the dread of Esther and Mordecai, the provincial governors universally favored their cause, so that their enemies fell in great numbers.

19. a day of ... feasting ... of sending portions one to another--The princes and people of the East not only invite their friends to feasts, but it is their custom to send a portion of the banquet to those who cannot well come to it, especially their relations, and those who are detained at home in a state of sorrow or distress.

Es 9:20-32. The Two Days of Purim Made Festival.

20. Mordecai wrote these things--Commentators are not agreed what is particularly meant by "these things"; whether the letters following, or an account of these marvellous events to be preserved in the families of the Jewish people, and transmitted from one generation to another.

26. they called these days Purim after the name of Pur--"Pur," in the Persian language, signifies "lot"; and the feast of Purim, or lots, has a reference to the time having been pitched upon by Haman through the decision of the lot. In consequence of the signal national deliverance which divine providence gave them from the infamous machinations of Haman, Mordecai ordered the Jews to commemorate that event by an anniversary festival, which was to last for two days, in accordance with the two days' war of defense they had to maintain. There was a slight difference in the time of this festival; for the Jews in the provinces, having defended themselves against their enemies on the thirteenth, devoted the fourteenth to festivity; whereas their brethren in Shushan, having extended that work over two days, did not observe their thanksgiving feast till the fifteenth. But this was remedied by authority, which fixed the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar. It became a season of sunny memories to the universal body of the Jews; and, by the letters of Mordecai, dispersed through all parts of the Persian empire, it was established as an annual feast, the celebration of which is kept up still. On both days of the feast, the modern Jews read over the Megillah or Book of Esther in their synagogues. The copy read must not be printed, but written on vellum in the form of a roll; and the names of the ten sons of Haman are written on it a peculiar manner, being ranged, they say, like so many bodies on a gibbet. The reader must pronounce all these names in one breath. Whenever Haman's name is pronounced, they make a terrible noise in the synagogue. Some drum with their feet on the floor, and the boys have mallets with which they knock and make a noise. They prepare themselves for their carnival by a previous fast, which should continue three days, in imitation of Esther's; but they have mostly reduced it to one day [Jennings, Jewish Antiquities].

Now in the twelfth month - What a number of providences, and none of them apparently of an extraordinary nature, concurred to preserve a people so signally, and to all human appearance so inevitably, doomed to destruction! None are ever too low for God to lift up, or too high for God to cast down. Must not these heathens have observed that the uncontrollable hand of an Almighty Being had worked in behalf of the Jews? And must not this have had a powerful tendency to discredit the idolatry of the country?

And all the rulers of the provinces - Mordecai being raised to the highest confidence of the king, and to have authority over the whole realm, these officers assisted the Jews, no doubt, with the troops under their command, to overthrow those who availed themselves of the former decree to molest the Jews. For it does not appear that the Jews slew any person who did not rise up to destroy them. See Est 9:5.

And in Shushan - It is strange that in this city, where the king's mind must have been so well known, there should be found five hundred persons to rise up in hostility against those whom they knew the king befriended!

The ten sons of Haman - Their names are given above. And it is remarked here, and in Est 9:16, where the account is given of the number slain in the provinces, that the Jews laid no hands on the spoil. They stood for their lives, and gave full proof that they sought their own personal safety, and not the property of their enemies, though the decree in their favor gave them authority to take the property of all those who were their adversaries, Est 8:11.

Let Haman's ten sons be hanged - They had been slain the preceding day, and now she requests that they may be exposed on posts or gibbets, as a terror to those who sought the destruction of the Jews.

And slew three hundred men - Esther had probably been informed by Mordecai that there were still many enemies of the Jews who sought their destruction, who had escaped the preceding day; and, therefore, begs that this second day be added to the former permission. This being accordingly granted, they found three hundred more, in all eight hundred. And thus Susa was purged of all their enemies.

The Jews - assembled - on the thirteenth - and on the fourteenth - These two days they were employed in slaying their enemies; and they rested on the fifteenth.

The Jews of the villages - They joined that to the preceding day, and made it a day of festivity, and of sending portions to each other; that is, the rich sent portions of the sacrifices slain on this occasion to the poor, that they also might be enabled to make the day a day of festivity; that as the sorrow was general, so also might the joy be.

It is worthy of remark that the ancient Itala or Ante-hieronymian version of this book omits the whole of these nineteen verses. Query, Were they originally in this book?

Mordecai wrote these things - It has been supposed that thus far that part of the book of Esther, which was written by Mordecai extends: what follows to the end, was probably added either by Ezra, or the men of the Great Synagogue; though what is said here may refer only to the letters sent by Mordecai to the Jews of the provinces. From this to the end of the chapter is nothing else than a recapitulation of the chief heads of the preceding history, and an account of the appointment of an annual feast, called the feast of Purim, in commemoration of their providential deliverance from the malice of Haman.

The Jews undertook to do as they had begun - They had already kept the fifteenth day, and some of them in the country the fourteenth also, as a day of rejoicing: Mordecai wrote to them to bind themselves and their successors, and all their proselytes, to celebrate this as an annual feast throughout all their generations; and this they undertook to do. And it has been observed among them, in all places of their dispersion, from that day to the present time, without any interruption.

They called these days Purim - That is from pari, the lot; because, as we have seen, Haman cast lots to find what month, and what day of the month, would be the most favorable for the accomplishment of his bloody designs against the Jews. See on Est 3:7 (note).

And of that which they had seen - The first letter to which this second refers, must be that sent by Mordecai himself. See Est 9:20.

Esther - wrote with all authority - Esther and Mordecai had the king's license so to do: and their own authority was great and extensive.

As they had decreed for themselves and for their seed - There is no mention of their receiving the approbation of any high priest, nor of any authority beyond that of Mordecai and Esther; the king could not join in such a business, as he had nothing to do with the Jewish religion, that not being the religion of the country.

The decree of Esther confirmed these matters - It was received by the Jews universally with all respect, and they bound themselves to abide by it.

The Vulgate gives a strange turn to this verse: Et omnia quae libri hujus, qui vocatur Esther, historia continentur; "And all things which are contained in the history of this book, which is called Esther."

The Targum says, And by the word of Esther all these things relative to Purim were confirmed; and the roll was transcribed in this book. The Syriac is the same as the Hebrew, and the Septuagint in this place not very different.

No man - Their enemies, though they did take up arms against them, yet were easily conquered and destroyed by them.

Shushan - In the city so called. Slew - Whom they knew to be such as would watch all opportunities to destroy them; which also they might possibly now attempt to do.

But, &c. - Because they would leave it to their children, that it might appear what they did was not done out of malice, or covetousness, but out of mere necessity, and by that great law of self - preservation.

What - In which doubtless many more were slain. So that I have fully granted thy petition. And yet, if thou hast any thing farther to ask, I am ready to grant it.

Let it, &c. - To kill their implacable enemies. For it is not improbable that the greatest and worst of them had hidden themselves for that day; after which, the commission granted to the Jews being expired, they confidently returned to their homes. Hanged - They were slain before; now let their bodies be hanged on their father's gallows, for their greater infamy, and the terror of all others who shall presume to abuse the king in like manner, or to persuade him to execute such cruelties upon his subjects.

Pur - This Persian word signifies a lot, because Haman had by lot determined this time to be the time of the Jews destruction.

As joined - Gentile Proselytes; who were obliged to submit to other of the Jewish laws, and therefore to this also; the rather because they enjoyed the benefit of this day's deliverance; without which the Jewish nation and religion had been in a great measure, if not wholly, extinct. According - According to that writing which was drawn up by Mordecai, and afterwards confirmed by the consent of the Jews.

Wrote - The former letter, ver.20, did only recommend but this enjoins the observation of this solemnity: because this was not only Mordecai's act, but the act of all the Jews, binding themselves and posterity.

Peace - With peace, friendship and kindness to his brethren, and truth, sincerity.

Cry - For those great calamities which were decreed to all the Jews, and for the removing of which, not only Esther, and the Jews in Shushan, but all other Jews in all places, did doubtless fly to God by fasting, and strong cries.

1 NOw in the twelfth month (that is the month Adar) on the thirteenth day of the same, when the kings commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them , (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them.)

In that day which was selected by Haman with great Industry and Art, as the most lucky day, and which their Enemies had oft times formerly thought of, and [illegible: 1+ letters]o doubt threatned the Jews with it.

2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities, throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt; and no man could withstand them : for the fear of them fell upon all people.

Their Enemies though they did and were allowed to take up Arms against them, yet were easily conquered and destroyed by the Jews.

Who had such potent Friends at Court, and so great a God on their side, who by such unusual and prodigious Methods (whereof doubtless they had been particularly informed) had brought about such a mighty and unexpected deliverance.

3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants and the deputies, and officers of the king helped the Jews: because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

Heb. and all them that did the Kings business; i. e. Not only the chief persons designed by the foregoing words, but all his other Ministers or Officers of what quality soever.

Marginal references: Heb. those which did the business that belonged to the king.; Or, ex[illegible: 1+ letters]lled, Gr. [illegible: 1 word].

4 For Mordecai was great in the kings house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.

i. e. The greatest in Place, and Power, and Favour with the King, both for his near relation to his beloved Queen, and for his good service done to him in preserving his Life, and managing his Affairs; and for those excellent Abilities and Virtues which he discovered in him; and especially by the disposition of the heartruling God.

6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men .

i. e. In the City so called, as was noted before ch. 1. 2. it not being probable either that they would make such a slaughter in the Kings palace, or that they would be suffered so to do.

Whom by long experience they knew to be their constant and inveterate Enemies, and such as would watch all opportunities to destroy them; which also they might possibly now attempt to do. Part of them also might be Friends and Allies of Haman, and therefore the avowed Enemies of Mordecai.

10 The ten sons of Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand .

Either because they were desirous it should come into the Kings Treasury: or because they would leave it to their Children, that it might appear that what they did that day was not done out of malice to their Persons and Families, or covetousness of their Estates, but out of meer necessity, and by that great and approved Law of Self-preservation, and that they were ready to mix Mercy with Judgment, and would not deal with their Enemies so ill as it was apparent that their Enemies intended to do against them.

11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace, was brought before the king .

Possibly with evil design to incense the King against the Jews.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word].

12 And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the kings provinces ? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.

In which doubtless many more were slain. So that I have fully granted thy Petition. And yet, if thou hast any thing further to ask, I am here ready to grant it.

13 Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan, to do to morrow also according to this days decree , and let Hamans ten sons be hanged upon the gallows .

i. e. To kill their implacable Enemies. For it is not improbable that the greatest and worst of them had politickly withdrawn or hidden themselves for that day; after which, the Commission granted to the Jews being expired, they confidently returned to their homes; where they were taken and slain by vertue of this private and unexpected decree.

They were sl[illegible: 1+ letters]in before; now let their Bodies be hanged upon their Fathers Gallows, for their greater Infamy, and the terrour of all others who shall presume to abuse the King in like manner, or to persuade him to execute such cruelties upon his own Subjects. This custom of hanging up the Bodies of Malefacto[illegible: 1+ letters] after their death was frequent among the Jews and Persians al[illegible: 1+ letters]o, as is well known.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth day of the same, rested they▪ and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

This belongs not to the Feast, but to the work done before it. The meaning is, This they did, i. e. they slew their Foes, as was now said, [illegible: 1+ letters]. 16. upon the 13th day.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns , made the fourteenth day of the month Adar, a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.

To wit, because they did their whole work upon the 13th day, as was noted v. 17. to which this manifestly relates, the 18th verse coming in as it were by wa[illegible: 1+ letters] of Parenthesis.

Heb. I[illegible: 1+ letters] the cities of the villages, i. e. in the lesser Cities and Villages: which are here opposed to the great City Shushan, and those who dwelt in it.

20 And Mordecai wrote these things , and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far;

Either 1. The Letters here following. But that is distinctly mentioned in the next word. Or 2. The History of these things which was the ground of the Feast; which Mordecai knew very well ought to be had in remembrance, and to be told to their Children and Posterity, through all ages, according to the many commands of God to that purpose and the constant practice of the holy men of God in such cases.

21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same yearly:

Because both these days had been set apart this year, the latter at Shushan, the former in other parts; and because that great work of God which was the ground of this solemnity had been done both upon the 13th, and the 14th day.

22 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor .

Which they used to give upon days of Thanksgiving; of which see Nehem. 8. 10.

23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them.

Having by this means opportunity to gather themselves together upon any occasion, the chief of them assembled together and freely, and unanimously consented to Mordecai's desire in this matter, and bound it upon themselves and Posterity.

26 Wherefore they called these days Purim, after the name of Pur; therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,

i. e. Both for the respect which they justly bare to Mordecai's [illegible: 1+ letters]etter; and because they themselves had seen and felt this wonderful work of God on their behalf.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] is [illegible: 1 word].

27 The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days, according to their writing , and according to their appointed time every year:

i. e. Gentile Proselites; who were obliged to submit to other of the Jewish Laws, and therefore to this also; the rather because they enjoyed the benefit of this days deliverance; without which the Jewish Nation and Religion had been in a great measure, if not wholly, extinct in the World.

i. e. According to that writing which was drawn up by Mordecai with Esthers consent, v. 23, 29. and afterwards confirmed by the consent of all the Jews in the several places.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority , to confirm this second letter of Purim.

The former Letter v. 20. did only recommend, but this enjoins, the observation of this solemnity; because this was not only Mordecai's Act, who yet had by the King's Grant a great Power and Authority over the Subjects of that Kingdom, and consequently over the Jews, but it was the Act of all the Jews, binding themselves and Posterity to it, v. 27. Or, with all might or efficacy, and as that word usually signifies; He pres[illegible: 1+ letters]ed it with all earnestness and vehemency.

Marginal references: Heb. all strength.

30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth .

Or, even words of peace and truth. Which may respect either 1. The form of the writing, wherein after the custom he saluted them with hearty wishes of their true Peace or prosperity, or of the continuance of those two great blessings of God, truth, i. e. the true Religion and Peace, either among themselves, or with all men, that they might peaceably and quietly enjoy and profess the truth. Or 2. The manner of his writing which was with peace, i. e. friendship and kindness to his Brethren, and truth, i. e. sincerity; which is the more noted and commended in him, because it is so unusual in such great Courtiers, as he now was. Compare ch. 10. 3. or the matter of his Writing; which was to direct and persuade them to keep both peace and truth, i. e. both to live peaceably and lovingly both one with another, and with all their Neighbours, not insulting over them upon their confidence in Mordecai's great power, or upon this late and great success, as men naturally and commonly do, nor giving them any fresh provocations, and yet holding fast the true Religion in spight of all the artifices or hostilities of the Gentiles among whom they lived.

31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew, and Esther the queen, had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fasting and of their cry .

For or about those great and overwhelming calamities which were decreed to all the Jews, and for the removing of which not only Esther, and the Jews in Shushan, but all other Jews in all places, as soon as they heard those dismal tidings did doubtless according to the precepts of Scripture, and the constant practice of their godly Predecessors in all Ages, fly to that last and only Refuge of seeking to God by Fasting, and earnest Prayers and strong Cries unto God; which God was pleased graciously to hear, and in answer thereunto to give them this amazing Deliverance. And this was that which they were now to remember, to wit, the greatness of their danger and of their rescue from it. And accordingly the Jews use to observe the first of these days with Fasting, and crying, and other expressions of vehement grief and fear, and the latter with Feasting, and Thanksgiving, and all demonstrations of Joy and Triumph.

Marginal references: Heb. for their souls.

32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book .

Who had received Authority and commission from the King to impose this upon all the Jews.

Either in the publick Registers of that Kingdom: Or rather, in the Records which the Jews kept of their most memorable passages.

Est 9:1 The Jews avenged of their enemies. - Est 9:1. In the twelfth month, on the thirteenth day of the same - the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities, etc. Several parenthetical clauses succeed this definition of time, so that the statement of what then took place does not follow till נקהלוּ, Est 9:2. These parenthetical clauses state not only the meaning of the day just named, but also give a general notice of the conflict between the Jews and their enemies. The first runs: “when the word of the king drew nigh and his decree to be done,” i.e., when the execution of the royal decree approached. The second is: “on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have the mastery of them, and it was changed (i.e., the contrary occurred), that the Jews had the mastery over them that hated them.” בּ שׁלט, to rule, to have the mastery over. נהפוך is infin. abs., used instead of the imperf. הוּא is referred by Bertheau to יום: the day was changed from a day of misfortune to a day of prosperity for the Jews, alluding to Est 9:22; but it is not a change of the day which is here spoken of, but a change of the hope of the enemies into its opposite; hence we must regard הוּא as neuter: it was changed, i.e., the contrary occurred. The pronoun המּה serves to emphasize the subject; comp. Ewald, §314, a, who in this and similar cases takes הוּא המּה in the sense of ipse, ipsi.

Est 9:2-3 בּעריהם, in their cities, i.e., the cities in which they dwelt in all the dominions of the king. יד לשׁלח, to stretch out the hand (as also in Est 2:21; Est 3:6, for the purpose of killing) against those who sought their hurt, i.e., sought to destroy them. “And no one stood before them (בּפני עמד, like Jos 10:8; Jos 21:42, and elsewhere), because the fear of them fell upon all people (see rem. on Est 8:17). And all the rulers of the provinces, and the satraps and governors (comp. Est 8:9), and those that did the king’s business (המּלאכה עשׁי, see rem. on Est 3:9), supported the Jews (נשּׂא like Ezr 1:4), because the fear of Mordochai fell upon them.”

Est 9:4 “For Mordochai was great in the king’s house (was much esteemed by the king), and his fame went through all the provinces (שׁמעו as in Jos 6:27; Jos 9:9; Jer 6:24); for this man Mordochai became continually greater;” comp. 2Ch 17:12, where the partic. גּדל stands instead of the inf. abs. גּדול.

Est 9:5

Thus supported, the Jews inflicted defeat upon their enemies with the sword, and with slaughter and destruction. הכּה with בּ, to deal a blow upon or against some one, to cause or bring about upon enemies a defeat; comp. e.g., 2Sa 23:10; 2Sa 24:17; Num 22:6. The notion is strengthened by וגו מכּת־חרב, literally, to strike a stroke of the sword, and of slaughter, and of destruction, in accordance with the decree, Est 8:11. “And did according to their will to those that hated them,” i.e., retaliated upon their enemies at their discretion.

Est 9:6

In the citadel of Susa they destroyed (in round numbers) 500 men.

Est 9:7-10

Also they slew the ten sons of Haman, whose names are given, Est 9:7-9;The peculiar position of the names of the sons of Haman in editions of the Bible, grounded as it is upon the ancient mode of writing, must originally have been intended merely to give prominence to the names, and facilitate their computation. The later Rabbis, however, have endeavoured to discover therein some deeper meaning. This mode of writing the names has been said to be signum voti, ut a ruina sua nunquam amplius resurgant, or also a sign quod sicut hi decem filii in linea perpendiculari, unus supra alterum, suspensi fuerint. Comp. Buxtorf, Synagoga jud. pp. 157-159 of the Basle edit. 1580. What is indicated by the smaller forms of the letters ת, שׁ, and ז, in the first, seventh, and tenth names, is not known; the larger ו in the tenth may have been meant to give prominence, by the character employed, to this name as the last. but on the spoil they laid not their hand, though this was allowed to them, Est 8:11, as it had been commanded to their enemies by Haman’s edict, Est 3:13, ut ostenderent, se non aliud quam vitae suae incolumitatem quaerere; hanc enim perdere volebant ii qui occidebantur. C. a Lapide.

Est 9:11-12

When on the same day an account was given to the king of the result of the conflict, and the number of those slain in Susa reported, he announced to Queen Esther: the Jews have slain in the citadel of Susa 500 men and the ten sons of Haman; “what have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces?” i.e., if they have killed 500 men in Susa, how many may they not have slain in other parts of the kingdom? and then asked her what else she wished or required. With respect to the words, comp. Est 5:6, and Est 7:2.

Est 9:13

Esther requested: “let it be granted to the Jews which are in Susa to do to-morrow also according to the decree of to-day (i.e., exactly as to-day), and let the ten sons of Haman be hanged upon the tree,” i.e., their dead bodies nailed on crosses - majoris infamiae causa, according to Hebrew and Persian custom; comp. Deu 21:22 and the explanation of Ezr 6:11. On the motive for this request, see above, p. 194.

Est 9:14

The king commanded it so to be done. “Then was a decree given at Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman.” The decree given in Susa does not refer to the hanging of the sons of Haman, but to the permission given to the Jews to fight against their enemies on the morrow also. This is required not only by a comparison of Est 8:13, but also by the connection of the present verse; for in consequence of this decree the Jews assembled on the 14th Adar (comp. ויּקּהלוּ, then they assembled themselves, Est 9:15), while the hanging of the sons of Haman, on the contrary, is related in an accessory clause by a simple perfect, תּלוּ.

Est 9:15-17

On this second day the Jews slew 300 more; comp. Est 9:10. - Est 9:16. The rest of the Jews in the provinces, i.e., the Jews in the other parts of the kingdom, assembled themselves and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes 75,000, but upon the spoil they laid not their hand. על עמד like Est 8:11. The מאיביהם ונוח inserted between על נ ועמד and והרוג is striking; we should rather have expected the resting or having rest from their enemies after the death of the latter, as in Est 9:17 and Est 9:18, where this is plainly stated to have taken place on the day after the slaughter. The position of these words is only explained by the consideration, that the narrator desired at once to point out how the matter ended. The narrative continues in the infin. abs. instead of expressing this clause by the infin. constr., and so causing it to be governed by what precedes. Thus - as Ew. §351, c, remarks - all the possible hues of the sentence fade into this grey and formless termination (viz., the use of the infin. absol. instead of the verb. fin.). This inaccuracy of diction does not justify us, however, in assuming that we have here an interpolation or an alteration in the text. The statement of the day is given in Est 9:17, and then the clause following is again added in the inf. absol.: “and they rested on the 14th day of the same (of Adar), and made it a day of feasting and gladness.”

Est 9:18-19

The Jews in Susa, on the other hand, who were both on the 13th and 14th Adar still fighting against their enemies, and did not rest till the 15th, made this latter their day of rejoicing. - In Est 9:19 it is again stated that the Jews in the country towns and villages made the 14th their day of gladness, and this statement is appended by על־כּן to make this appear the result of what precedes. The Chethiv הפּרוזים is perhaps an Aramaic expression for פּרזים, Deu 3:5 and 1Sa 6:18. פּרוזי means the inhabitants of the open, i.e., unfortified, towns and villages of the plains in contrast to the fortified capital; see on Deu 3:5. On פּרזות, compare Eze 38:11; Zec 2:8. וגו מנות משׁלוח, and of mutual sending of gifts, i.e., portions of food; comp. Neh 8:10, Neh 8:12.

Est 9:20-22

The feast of Purim instituted by letters from Mordochai and Esther. Est 9:20. Mordochai wrote these things, and sent letters to all the Jews, etc. האלּה הדּברים does not mean the contents of the present book but the events of the last days, especially the fact that the Jews, after overcoming their enemies, rested in Susa on the 15th, in the other provinces on the 14th Adar, and kept these days as days of rejoicing. This is obvious from the object of these letters, Est 9:21 : וגו עליהם לקיּם, to appoint among them “that they should keep the 14th day of the month Adar and the 15th day of the same yearly, as the days on which the Jews rested from their enemies, and as the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a glad day, that they should keep them as days of feasting and joy, and of mutual sending of portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.” יום עשׂה, to keep, to celebrate a day. The עשׂים להיות, Est 9:21, is after long parentheses taken up again in אותם לעשׂות. קיּם, to establish a matter, to authorize it, comp. Rth 4:7. Both the 14th and 15th Adar were made festivals because the Jews on them had rest from their enemies, and celebrated this rest by feasting, some on the former, some on the latter day.

Est 9:23

And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordochai had written to them. They had begun, as Est 9:22 tells us, by keeping both days, and Mordochai wrote to them that they should make this an annual custom. This they agreed to do in consequence of Mordochai’s letters. The reason of their so doing is given in Est 9:24 and Est 9:25, and the name of this festival is explained, Est 9:26, by a brief recapitulation of the events which gave rise to it. Then follows, Est 9:26 and Est 9:27, another wordy statement of the fact, that it was by reason of this letter, and on account of what they had seen, i.e., experienced, that the annual celebration of this feast was instituted for a perpetual memorial to all Jews at all times (Est 9:28 and Est 9:29).

Est 9:24

For Haman, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them (comp. Est 3:1, Est 3:6.), and had cast Pur, that is the lot (see on Est 3:7), to consume them and to destroy them. המם, mostly used of the discomfiture with which God destroys the enemies, Exo 14:24; Deu 2:15, and elsewhere.

Est 9:25 וּבבאהּ, and when it (the matter), not when she, Esther, came before the king, - for Esther is not named in the context, - he commanded by letters (Est 8:8), i.e., he gave the written order: let the wicked device which he devised against the Jews return upon his own head; and they hanged him and his sons upon the tree.

Est 9:26-27

Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name Pur. This first על־כּן refers to what precedes and states the reason, resulting from what has just been mentioned, why this festival received the name of Purim. With the second על־כּן begins a new sentence which reaches to Est 9:28, and explains how it happened that these feast-days became a general observance with all Jews; namely, that because of all the words of this letter (of Mordochai, Est 9:20), and of what they had seen concerning the matter (על־כּכה, concerning so and so), and what had come upon them (therefore for two reasons: (1) because of the written injunction of Mordochai; and (2) because they had themselves experienced this event), the Jews established, and took upon themselves, their descendants, and all who should join themselves unto them (proselytes), so that it should not fail (i.e., inviolably), to keep (to celebrate) these two days according to the writing concerning them and the time appointed thereby year by year.

Est 9:28

And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and these days of Purim are not to pass away among the Jews, nor their remembrance to cease among their seed. The participles ונעשׂים נזכּרים still depend on להיות, Est 9:27. Not till the last clause does the construction change in להיות לא to the temp. finit. יעבור ולא is a periphrasis of the adverb: imperishably, inviolably. כּכתבם, secundum scriptum eorum, i.e., as Mordochai had written concerning them (Est 9:23). כּזמנּם, as he had appointed their time. מן סוּף, to come to an end from, i.e., to cease among their descendants.

Est 9:29

A second letter from Queen Esther and Mordochai to appoint fasting and lamentation on the days of Purim. Est 9:29. And Esther the queen and Mordochai the Jew wrote with all strength, that is very forcibly, to appoint this second letter concerning Purim, i.e., to give to the contents of this second letter the force of law. הזּאת refers to what follows, in which the contents of the letter are briefly intimated. The letter is called השּׁנית with reference to the first letter sent by Mordochai, Est 9:20.

Est 9:30-32

And he (Mordochai) sent letters, i.e., copies of the writing mentioned Est 9:29, to all the Jews in the 127 provinces (which formed) the kingdom of Ahashverosh, words of peace and truth, i.e., letters containing words of peace and truth (Est 9:31), to appoint these days of Purim in their portions of time according as Mordochai the Jew and Esther the queen had appointed, and as they (the Jews) had appointed for themselves and for their descendants, the things (or words = precepts) of the fastings and their lamentations. בּזמנּיהם, in their appointed times; as the suffix relates to the days of Purim, the זמנּים can mean only portions of time in these days. The sense of Est 9:29-31 is as follows: According to the injunctions of Esther and Mordochai, the Jews appointed for themselves and their descendants times also of fasting and lamentation in the days of Purim. To make this appointment binding upon all the Jews in all provinces of the Persian monarchy, Esther and Mordochai published a second letter, which was sent by Mordochai throughout the whole realm of King Ahashverosh. To this is added, Est 9:32, that the decree of Esther appointed these matters of Purim, i.e., the injunction mentioned vv. 29-31, also to fast and weep during these days, and it was written in the book. הסּפר, the book in which this decree was written, cannot mean the writing of Esther mentioned. Est 9:29, but some written document concerning Purim which has not come down to us, though used as an authority by the author of the present book. The times when the fasting and lamentation were to take place in the days of Purim, are not stated in this verse; this could, however, only be on the day which Haman had appointed for the extermination of the Jews, viz., the 13th Adar. This day is kept by the Jews as אסתּר תּענית, Esther’s fast.According to 2 Macc. 15:36, the victory over Nicanor was to be celebrated on the 13th Adar, but, according to a note of Dr. Cassel in Grimm’s kurzgef. exeget. Handb. zu den Apokryphen, on 2 Macc. 15:36, the festival of Nicanor is mentioned in Jewish writings, as Megillat Taanit, c. 12, in the Babylonian Talmud, tr. Taanit, f. 18b, in Massechet Sofrim 17, 4, but has been by no means observed for at least the last thousand years. The book Scheiltot of R. Acha (in the 9th century) speaks of the 13th Adar as a fast-day in memory of the fast of Esther, while even at the time of the Talmud the “Fast of Esther” is spoken of as a three days fast, kept, however, after the feast of Purim. From all this it is obvious, that a diversity of opinions prevailed among the Rabbis concerning the time of this fast of Esther.

The Jews Avenged. (b. c. 509.)

1 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;) 2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people. 3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater. 5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them. 6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. 7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, 8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, 9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha, 10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand. 11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. 12 And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done. 13 Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows. 14 And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons. 15 For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand. 16 But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey, 17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.

We have here a decisive battle fought between the Jews and their enemies, in which the Jews were victorious. Neither side was surprised; for both had notice of it long enough before, so that it was a fair trial of skill between them. Nor could either side call the other rebels, for they were both supported by the royal authority.

I. The enemies of the Jews were the aggressors. They hoped, notwithstanding the latter edict, to have power over them, by virtue of the former (v. 1), and made assaults upon them accordingly; they formed themselves into bodies, and joined in confederacy against them, to seek their hurt, v. 2. The Chaldee paraphrase says that none appeared against the Jews but Amalekites only, who were infatuated, and had their hearts hardened, as Pharaoh's against Israel, to take up arms to their own destruction. Some had such an inveterate implacable malice against the Jews that Haman's fall and Mordecai's advancement, instead of convincing them, did but exasperate them, and make them the more outrageous and resolute to cut all their throats. The sons of Haman, particularly, vowed to avenge their father's death, and pursue his designs, which they call noble and brave, whatever hazards they run; and a strong party they had formed both in Shushan and in the provinces in order hereunto. Fight they would, though they plainly saw Providence fight against them; and thus they were infatuated to their own destruction. If they would have sat still, and attempted nothing against the people of God, not a hair of their head would have fallen to the ground: but they cannot persuade themselves to do that; they must be meddling, though it prove to their own ruin, and roll a burdensome stone, which will return upon them.

II. But the Jews were the conquerors. That very day when the king's decree for their destruction was to be put in execution, and which the enemies thought would have been their day, proved God's day, Ps. xxxvii. 13. It was turned to the contrary of what was expected, and the Jews had rule over those that hated them, v. 1. We are here told,

1. What the Jews did for themselves (v. 2): They gathered themselves together in their cities, embodied, and stood upon their defence, offering violence to none, but bidding defiance to all. If they had not had an edict to warrant them, they durst not have done it, but, being so supported, they strove lawfully. Had they acted separately, each family apart, they would have been an easy prey to their enemies; but acting in concert, and gathering together in their cities, they strengthened one another, and durst face their enemies. Vis unita fortior—forces act most powerfully when combined. Those that write of the state of the Jews at this day give this as a reason why, though they are very numerous in many parts, and very rich, they are yet so despicable, because they are generally so selfish that they cannot incorporate, and, being under the curse of dispersion, they cannot unite, nor (as here) gather together, for, if they could, they might with their numbers and wealth threaten the most potent states.

2. What the rulers of the provinces did for them, under the influence of Mordecai. All the officers of the king, who, by the bloody edict, were ordered to help forward their destruction (ch. iii. 12, 13), conformed to the latter edict (which, being an estopel against an estopel, had set the matter at large, and left them at liberty to observe which they pleased) and helped the Jews, which turned the scale on their side, v. 3. The provinces would generally do as the rulers of the provinces inclined, and therefore their favouring the Jews would greatly further them. But why did they help them? Not because they had any kindness for them, but because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them, he having manifestly the countenance both of God and the king. They all saw it their interest to help Mordecai's friends because he was not only great in the king's house, and caressed by the courtiers (as many are who have no intrinsic worth to support their reputation), but his fame for wisdom and virtue went out thence throughout all the provinces: in all places he was extolled as a great man. He was looked upon also as a thriving man, and one that waxed greater and greater (v. 4), and therefore for fear of him all the king's officers helped the Jews. Great men may, by their influence, do a great deal of good; many that fear not God will stand in awe of them.

3. What God did for them: he struck all people with a fear of them (v. 2), as the Canaanites were made afraid of Israel (Josh. ii. 9, v. 1), so that, though they had so much hardiness as to assault them, yet they had not courage to prosecute the assault. Their hearts failed them when they came to engage, and none of the men of might could find their hands.

4. What execution they did hereupon: No man could withstand them (v. 2), but they did what they would to those that hated them, v. 5. So strangely were the Jews strengthened and animated, and their enemies weakened and dispirited, that none of those who had marked themselves for their destruction escaped, but they smote them with the stroke of the sword. Particularly, (1.) On the thirteenth day of the month Adar they slew in the city Shushan 500 men (v. 6) and the ten sons of Haman, v. 10. The Jews, when on the feast of Purim they read this book of Esther, oblige themselves to read the names of Haman's ten sons all in one breath, without any pause, because they say that they were all killed together, and all gave up the ghost just in the same moment.—Buxt. Synag. Jud. c. 24. The Chaldee paraphrase says that, when these ten were slain, Zeresh, with seventy more of his children, escaped, and afterwards begged their bread from door to door. (2.) On the fourteenth day they slew in Shushan 300 more, who had escaped the sword on the former day of execution, v. 15. This Esther obtained leave of the king for them to do, for the greater terror of their enemies, and the utter crushing of that malignant party of men. The king had taken account of the numbers that were put to the sword the first day (v. 11), and told Esther (v. 12), and asked her what more she desired. "Nothing," says she, "but commission to do such another day's work." Esther surely was none of the blood-thirsty, none of those that delight in slaughter, but she had some very good reasons that moved her to make this request. She also desired that the dead bodies of Haman's ten sons might be hanged up on the gallows on which their father was hanged, for the greater disgrace of the family and terror of the party (v. 13), and it was done accordingly, v. 14. It is supposed that they were hanged in chains and left hanging for some time. (3.) The Jews in the country kept to their orders, and slew no more of their enemies than what were slain the thirteenth day, which were in all, among all the provinces, 75,000, v. 16. If all these were Amalekites (as the Jews say), surely now it was that the remembrance of Amalek was utterly put out, Exod. xvii. 14. However, that which justifies them in the execution of so many is that they did it in their own just and necessary defence; they stood for their lives, authorized to do so by the law of self-preservation, as well as by the king's decree. (4.) In these several executions it is taken notice of that on the prey they laid not their hand, v. 10, 15, 16. The king's commission had warranted them to take the spoil of their enemies for a prey (ch. viii. 11), and a fair opportunity they had of enriching themselves with it; if Haman's party had prevailed, no doubt, they would have made use of their authority to seize the goods and estates of the Jews, ch. iii. 13. But the Jews would not do so by them, [1.] That they might, to the honour of their religion, evidence a holy and generous contempt of worldly wealth, in imitation of their father Abraham, who scorned to enrich himself with the spoils of Sodom. [2.] That they might make it appear that they aimed at nothing but their own preservation, and used their interest at court for the saving of their lives, not for the raising of their estates. [3.] Their commission empowered them to destroy the families of their enemies, even the little ones and the women, ch. viii. 11. But their humanity forbade them to do that, though that was designed against them. They slew none but those they found in arms; and therefore they did not take the spoil, but left it to the women and little ones, whom they spared, for their subsistence; otherwise as good slay them as starve them, take away their lives as take away their livelihoods. Herein they acted with a consideration and compassion well worthy of imitation.

5. What a satisfaction they had in their deliverance. The Jews in the country cleared themselves of their enemies on the thirteenth day of the month, and they rested on the fourteenth day (v. 17), and made that a thanksgiving day, v. 19. The Jews in Shushan, the royal city, took two days for their military execution, so that they rested on the fifteenth day, and made that their thanksgiving-day, v. 18. Both of them celebrated their festival the very day after they had finished their work and gained their point. When we have received signal mercies from God we ought to be quick and speedy in making our thankful returns to him, while the mercy is fresh and the impressions of it are most sensible.

The Feast of Purim. (b. c. 509.)

20 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, 21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, 22 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. 23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them; 24 Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; 25 But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26 Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them, 27 The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year; 28 And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed. 29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim. 30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, 31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry. 32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.

We may well imagine how much affected Mordecai and Esther were with the triumphs of the Jews over their enemies, and how they saw the issue of that decisive day with a satisfaction proportionable to the care and concern with which they expected it. How were their hearts enlarged with joy in God and his salvation, and what new songs of praise were put into their mouths! But here we are told what course they took to spread the knowledge of it among their people, and to perpetuate the remembrance of it to posterity, for the honour of God and the encouragement of his people to trust in him at all times.

I. The history was written, and copies of it were dispersed among all the Jews in all the provinces of the empire, both nigh and far, v. 20. They all knew something of the story, being nearly concerned in it—were by the first edict made sensible of their danger and by the second of their deliverance; but how this amazing turn was given they could not tell. Mordecai therefore wrote all these things. And if this book be the same that he wrote, as many think it is, I cannot but observe what a difference there is between Mordecai's style and Nehemiah's. Nehemiah, at every turn, takes notice of divine Providence and the good hand of his God upon him, which is very proper to stir up devout affections in the minds of his readers; but Mordecai never so much as mentions the name of God in the whole story. Nehemiah wrote his book at Jerusalem, where religion was in fashion and an air of it appeared in men's common conversation; Mordecai wrote his at Shushan the palace, where policy reigned more then piety, and he wrote according to the genius of the place. Even those that have the root of the matter in them are apt to lose the savour of religion, and let their leaf wither, when they converse wholly with those that have little religion. Commend me to Nehemiah's way of writing; that I would imitate, and yet learn from Mordecai's that men may be truly devout though they do not abound in the shows and expressions of devotion, and therefore that we must not judge nor despise our brethren. But, because there is so little of the language of Canaan in this book, many think it was not written by Mordecai, but was an extract out of the journals of the kings of Persia, giving an account of the matter of fact, which the Jews themselves knew how to comment upon.

II. A festival was instituted, to be observed yearly from generation to generation by the Jews, in remembrance of this wonderful work which God wrought for them, that the children who should be born might know it, and declare it to their children, that they might set their hope in God, Ps. lxxviii. 6, 7. It would be for the honour of God as the protector of his people, and the honour of Israel as the care of Heaven, a confirmation of the fidelity of God's covenant, an invitation to strangers to come into the bonds of it, and an encouragement to God's own people cheerfully to depend upon his wisdom, power, and goodness, in the greatest straits. Posterity would reap the benefit of this deliverance, and therefore ought to celebrate the memorial of it. Now concerning this festival we are here told,

1. When it was observed—every year on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the twelfth month, just a month before the passover, v. 21. Thus the first month and the last month of the year kept in remembrance the months that were past, even the days when God preserved them. They kept two days together as thanksgiving days, and did not think them too much to spend in praising God. Let us not be niggardly in our returns of praise to him who bestows his favours so liberally upon us. Observe, They did not keep the day when they fought, but the days when they rested, and on the fifteenth those in Shushan, and both those days they kept. The sabbath was appointed not on the day that God finished his work, but on the day that he rested from it. The modern Jews observe the thirteenth day, the day appointed for their destruction, as a fasting-day, grounding the practice on v. 31, the matters of their fastings and cry. But that refers to what was in the day of their distress (ch. iv. 3, 16), which was not to be continued when God had turned their fasts into joy and gladness, Zech. viii. 19.

2. How it was called—The feast of Purim (v. 26), from Pur, a Persian word which signified a lot, because Haman had by lot determined this to be the time of the Jews' destruction, but the Lord, at whose disposal the lot is, had determined it to be the time of their triumph. The name of this festival would remind them of the sovereign dominion of the God of Israel, who served his own purposes by the foolish superstitions of the heathen, and outwitted the monthly prognosticators in their own craft (Isa. xlvii. 13), frustrating the tokens of the liars and making the diviners mad, Isa. xliv. 25, 26.

3. By whom it was instituted and enacted. It was not a divine institution, and therefore it is not called a holy day, but a human appointment, by which it was made a good day, v. 19, 22. (1.) The Jews ordained it, and took it upon themselves (v. 27), voluntarily undertook to do as they had begun. v. 23. They bound themselves to this by common consent. (2.) Mordecai and Esther confirmed their resolve, that it might be the more binding on posterity, and might come well recommended by those great names. They wrote, [1.] With all authority (v. 29), as well they might, Esther being queen and Mordecai prime-minister of state. It is well when those who are in authority use their authority to authorize that which is good. [2.] With words of peace and truth. Though they wrote with authority, they wrote with tenderness, not imperious, not imposing, but in such language as the council at Jerusalem use in their decree (Acts xv. 29): "If you do so and so, you shall do well. Fare you well." Such was the style of these letters, or such the salutation or valediction of them: Peace and truth be with you.

4. By whom it was to be observed—by all the Jews, and by their seed, and by all such as joined themselves to them, v. 27. The observance of this feast was to be both universal and perpetual; the proselytes must observe it, in token of their sincere affection to the Jewish nation and their having united interests with them. A concurrence in joys and praises is one branch of the communion of saints.

5. Why it was to be observed—that the memorial of the great things God had done for his church might never perish from their seed, v. 28. God does not work wonders for a day, but to be had in everlasting remembrance. What he does shall be forever, and therefore should for ever be had in mind, Eccl. iii. 14. In this affair they would remember, (1.) Haman's bad practices against the church, to his perpetual reproach (v. 24): Because he had devised against the Jews to destroy them. Let this be kept in mind, that God's people may never be secure, while they have such malicious enemies, on whom they ought to have a jealous eye. Their enemies aim at no less then their destruction; on God therefore let them depend for salvation. (2.) Esther's good services to the church, to her immortal honour. When Esther, in peril of her life, came before the king, he repealed the edict, v. 25. This also must be remembered, that wherever this feast should be kept, and this history read in explication of it, this which she did might be told for a memorial of her. Good deeds done for the Israel of God ought to be remembered, for the encouragement of others to do the like. God will not forget them, and therefore we must not. (3.) Their own prayers, and the answers given to them (v. 31): The matters of their fastings and their cry. The more cries we have offered up in our trouble, and the more prayers for deliverance, the more we are obliged to be thankful to God for deliverance. Call upon me in the time of trouble, and then offer to God thanksgiving.

6. How it was to be observed. And of this let us see,

(1.) What was here enjoined, which was very good, that they should make it, [1.] A day of cheerfulness, a day of feasting and joy (v. 22), and a feast was made for laughter, Eccl. x. 19. When God gives us cause to rejoice why should we not express our joy? [2.] A day of generosity, sending portions one to another, in token of their pleasantness and mutual respect, and their being knit by this and other public common dangers and deliverances so much the closer to each other in love. Friends have their goods in common. [3.] A day of charity, sending gifts to the poor. It is not to our kinsmen and rich neighbours only that we are to send tokens, but to the poor and the maimed, Luke xiv. 12, 13. Those that have received mercy must, in token of their gratitude, show mercy; and there never wants occasion, for the poor we have always with us. Thanksgiving and almsgiving should go together, that, when we are rejoicing and blessing God, the heart of the poor may rejoice with us and their loins may bless us.

(2.) What was added to this, which was much better. They always, at the feast, read the whole story over in the synagogue each day, and put up three prayers to God, in the first of which they praise God for counting them worthy to attend this divine service; in the second they thank him for the miraculous preservation of their ancestors; in the third they praise him that they have lived to observe another festival in memory of it. So bishop Patrick.

(3.) What it has since degenerated to, which is much worse. Their own writers acknowledge that this feast is commonly celebrated among them with gluttony, and drunkenness, and excess of riot. Their Talmud says expressly that, in the feast of Purim, a man should drink till he knows not the difference between Cursed be Haman, and Blessed be Mordecai. See what the corrupt and wicked nature of man often brings that to which was at first well intended: here is a religious feast turned into a carnival, a perfect revel, as wakes are among us. Nothing more purifies the heart and adorns religion than holy joy; nothing more pollutes the heart and reproaches religion than carnal mirth and sensual pleasure. Corruptio optimi est pessima—What is best becomes when corrupted the worst.

CHAP. IX. Verſe. 1. Now in the twelfth moneth, &c.]

TThat lucky time, as Haman had deemed it, but was deluded by the devil, (the Authour of all ſuch Arts and lots of divination,Buchole. to foretel future arbitrary events) qui etſi ſemel videatur verax, millies eſt mendax, & ſemper fallax; who, if he ſometimes hit upon the truth, yet uſually cozeneth thoſe that truſt to him; Thus he ſerved Balaam the Sorcerer ſlain by the ſword of Iſrael; Craeſus taken priſoner by Cyrus: Ahab ſlain at Ramoth-Gilead: Julian the Apoſtate going againſt the Perſians: Walter Earle of Athol, who murthered his Maſter James the firſt King of Scots, in hope to attain to the Crown. Crowned indeed he was, but not as his witches and ſorcerers had ambiguouſly inſinuated with the Crown of that Realme,Hector. Boet[illegible: 1 letter]. but with a crown of red hot iron clap't upon his head, being one of the tortures wherewith he ended at once his wicked dayes and deſires. The Pope to honour and encourage the Leaguers in France, ſent them conſecrated pictures and medals! promiſing them thereby good ſucceſſe againſt the Huguenots, but God confuted and defeated them all: as he did likewiſe Tyrone in Ireland, to whom,Cárlt. Rem. among other trinkets, the Pope had ſent a Plume of Phoenix feathers; a meer colluſion.

When the Kings commandment and decree drew near, &c.] Both that for the Jewes, and the other againſt them. This latter was not reverſed, though the former were publiſhed. The King, it ſeemeth, greatly cared not for the lives of his ſubjects; ſith he would not ſo much as privately hint to them to be quiet, and to let the Jewes alone: Such an intimation as this might have ſaved the lives of ſeventy five thouſand of them. But God had an holy hand in it, for the juſt puniſhment of thoſe blood-thirſty Perſians, confident in the good ſucceſſe of their ſorceries; having made hell their refuge, but it failed them.

In thi day, that the enemies of the Jewes hoped, &c.] But their hope ran aſtope, as they ſay; their lucky day deceived them. Wicked mens hope, when they moſt need it, will be as the giving up of the ghoſt, and thats but cold comfort, Job. 11. ult. and as the ſpiders web, Job 18.13, 14. who gets to the top of the window, as high as ſhe can, and then when ſhe falls ſhe falls to the bottom, for nothing ſtayes her. From ſuch high hopes fell our Engliſh Papiſts, firſt,Act. & Mon. fol. 1871 when Queen Mary died▪ You hope and hope (ſaid Dale the Promoter to Julian Lining, whom he had apprehended) but your hope ſhall end in a rope; for though the Queen faile, ſhe that you hope for ſhall never come at it: for there is my Lord Cardinals grace, and many more between her and it. Secondly, at Queen Elizabeths death, that long-look'd-for day, as they called it, triumphing before the victory, and ſelling the hide before they had taken the beaſt. This they had done before in eighty eight, when in aſſurance of victory, they had ſtiled their forces the Invincible Armado: and alſo afterwards at the Powder-plot, when they had preſumptuouſly diſpoſed of the chief offices, holds and revenues of the land; like as before the Pharſalian field was fought, the Pompeians were in ſuch miſerable ſecurity, that ſome of them contended for the Prieſthood, which was Caeſars office:Heyl. Geo[illegible: 1 letter]. 407. others diſpoſed of the Conſulſhips and Offices in Rome: So at the batte[illegible: 1 letter] of Agin[illegible: 1 letter]court in France, where our Henry the fifth won the day, the French were ſo confident of a victory, that they ſent to King Henry, Speed. 745. to know what ranſome he would give. A preſumptuous confidence goes commonly bleeding home, when an humble fear returnes in triumph.

Though it was turned to the contrary] By a ſweet and gracious Providence of God, whoſe glory it is to help at a pinch, to alter the Scene all on the ſudden, to begin where we have given over, and to cauſe a ſtrange turne of things, according to that of the Pſalmiſt; God ſhall ſend from heaven and ſave me (when it might ſeem to ſome that ſalvation it ſelf could not ſave me) he ſhall ſend forth his mercy and his truth, Pſal. 57.3. and then what ſhould hinder the Churches happineſſe.

That the Jewes had rule over them that hated them] They dominered over their enemies as ſo many Sultans. So true is that of the Preacher, Man knoweth not his time: [non-Latin text not transcribed]. but as the fiſhes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the ſnare, ſo are the ſonnes of men ſnared in an evil time, when it falleth ſuddenly upon them, Eccl. 9.12. Security is the certain uſher of deſtruction, and God delighteth, by turning the ſcale, to retaliate, as he did upon the Egyptians at the red ſea; the Philiſtines at Mizpeh: theſe Hamaniſts, and our powder-Papiſts. See. Pſal. 7.16.

Verſe 2. The Jewes gathered themſelves together] They were laeti in Domino, ſed non ſecuri, as Bernard hath it. They had prayed, but yet provided for the thirteenth of Adar, which by many was meant ſtill to be a bloody day, notwithſtanding the knowen favour of the King, and the patronage of Mordecai. The Hamaniſts would joyn together to perform that ſentence, whereof the Authour repented and had rued it. (That old enmity, Gen. 3.15. will never out of the Serpents ſeed,) the Jewes therefore well and wiſely get together, and unite their forces, that they may make a powerful reſiſtance. They are noted by Tacitus to be a nation at great unity amongſt themſelves; and to hate all others. On of the main ſcandals they do at this day take from Chriſtians, is, their diſſenſion,Camer. med. hiſtor. cent. 2. c. 23. that mother of diſſolution, as Nazianzen calleth it. The Turks pray to God to keep us ſtill at variance, and ſay that their fingers ſhall ſooner be all of one length▪ then we be of one minde. What a ſhame's this? If nothing elſe will, yet our common miſery, and the hatred of our enemies ſhould unite us, as it did theſe exiles, and it was foretold by Jeremy, chap. 50.4. that Judah and Iſrael, that could not agree at other times yet when they ſhould be both in a weeping condition, they ſhould better agree. So did Baſil and Euſebius againſt the Arrians: Ridley and Hooper againſt the Papiſts, &c. And it is high time for us now to ſet aſide our private emulat[illegible: 1 letter]ons and exceptions; as the creatures in the Ark laid by their Antipathies within, becauſe of the common danger of an inundation without.

To lay hand on ſuch as ſought their hurt] To repel force with force, to kill and ſpoil thoſe that ſought to do ſo to them. This, nature prompted them to, (as was forenoted) and they had alſo the Kings warrant for it, and they kept themſelves within compaſſe thereof, by not medling with any, but only thoſe that moleſted them. See, chap. 8.11.

And no man could withſtand them] Tantum poteſt bona cauſa bonis uſa conſiliis & mediis, ſaith an Interpreter here. A good cauſe, a good conſcience, and a good courage, what cannot theſe three do where they meet? How ſhould any ſtand before thoſe who are Deo armati,Eph. 610. ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might? Pilates wife could warne him of medling with ſuch: and Hamans wife could tell him, that a Jew might fall before a Perſian, and get up again and prevaile. But if a Perſian, or whoſoever of the Gentiles begin to fall before a Jew, he can neither ſtand nor riſe, chap. 6.13. There is an inviſible hand af Omnipotency, that ſtriketh in for his owne; and confounds their oppoſites.

For the fear of them fell upon all the people] This was the work, not of ſome Pan Deus Arcadiae, (as the Heathens fancied;) but of God the ſole giver of victory, who when he pleaſeth affrighteth the Churches enemies, as he promiſeth to do in many places. See Exod. 23.27. Deut. 11.2, 5. Jer. 46, &c. And as accordingly he did it on the Egyptians, Midianites,Bapt. Egnat. l. 3 Philiſtines, Syrians, &c. And the like he did for Baldwin King of Jeruſalem againſt the great Calyph; for the Huſſites againſt all the force of Germany; for the Angrognians againſt the Popes army that came againſt them. The ſouldiers told their Captains, they were ſo aſtoniſhed they could not ſtrike, and that the Miniſters with their prayers,Act. & Mon 883. conjured and bewitched them. So at the ſiege of Mountabone, whenſoever the people of God began to ſing a Pſalme, (as they uſually did before their ſallying forth) the enemies coming, acquainted with their practice, would ſo quake and tremble,Spec. bel. ſacr. 282. crying, they come, they come, as though the wrath of God had been breaking out upon them. What was this handful of captives to the whole Perſian Empire, that they ſhould now become no leſſe formidable to them,Herodo[illegible: 1 letter]us. then not long after thoſe few Grecians were to this Ahaſhuerus or Xerxes? who having covered the ſeas with his ſhips, and with a world of men paſſed over into Greece, was afterwards himſelfe alone, in a ſmall Fiſher-boat glad to get back into Aſia, to ſave his owne life.

Verſe 3. And all the Rulers of the Provinces—helped the Jewes] Heb. gave them a lift, ſc. over the brook, the brake, or whatſoever lay in their way of deliverance. This they did out of their reſpect to the King, rather then for any great good will to the Jewes, who were generally hated for their Religion, and wiſhed out of the world. Sit divus modo non ſit vivus, ſaid that Roman Emperour of his brother, whom he maliciouſly murthered,

Becauſe the feare of Mordecai fell upon them] But much more, becauſe God himſelf over-awed them, and diſpirited them. (See the Note on verſe 2.) How elſe ſhould he appear to be the God of the ſpirits of all fleſh;Exod. 8.11. and that in the thing wherein people deal proudly, he is above them? How ſhould they come to know themſelves to be but men, Pſal 9.20. and not God; and their horſes fleſh; and not ſpirit, &c. Iſa. 31.3. if he did not other whiles make their hearts heartleſſe, Hoſ. 7.11. their hands feeble, Jer. 6.24. Iſa. 13.7. Ezek. 21.7. their eyes fane. Deut. 28.26. their knees knock together as Belſhazzars did, Dan. 5.6. How elſe would they ever be brought to bring Preſents unto him that ought to be feared. Pſal. 76.7, 8. and to ſay unto him, Lord be not thou a terrour to me, &c. Jer. 17.17? If Mordecai be feared, it is becauſe God hath put a Majeſty upon him, and made him dreadful, as Abraham likewiſe was to Abimelech, Gen. 21.22, 23. David to Saul, 1 Sam. 18.29. the Baptiſt to Herod, our Saviour to the Phariſees, Mar. 11.18. Paul and Silas to their Perſecutours. Acts 16.27, &c. And this the Lord ſtill doth, that he may dwell upon earth, Pſal. 68.18. ſcil. in his faithful worſhippers, which wicked men would not ſuffer, if not thus rein'd in and reſtrain'd▪ And (2ly,) that praiſe may wait for him in Zion, and unto him may the vow be performed, Pſal. 65.1.

Verſe 4. For Mordecai was great in the Kings houſe] So great a Favourite, as that it was dangerous to diſpleaſe him: and moſt men coveted his favour. It was now in the Court and Kingdome of Perſia, as it was once at Rome when Sejanus ruled the roſt under Tiberius. Ʋt qniſque Sejano intimus, ita ad Caeſaris amicitiam validus. Contra quibus infenſus eſſet me[illegible: 2 letters], & ſordibus conflictabantur. His friends were Caeſars friends,Tacit. and his enemies were in a very low and lamentable condition.

And his fame went throughout all the Provinces] Auditio ejus, the report of him went farre and near. Per ora hominum volitabat, ſo the Vulgar Latine. He was Claros inter habens nomina clara viros. It was every where diſcourſed, that Mordecai was the Kings Darling, Kinſman, Counſellour, that he had ſaved the Kings life, and was therefore promoted to the higheſt dignity: that it were good getting in with him, who both could and would reciprocate and remunerate any that ſhould well deſerve of him and his people. How thankful the Lord Cromwell was to thoſe that had done him any courteſie. See Act. and Mon. fol. 1083. How ungrateful Biſhop Bonner was to the ſame Lord Cromwell, who had been his great Patron, railing at him as the rankeſt heretick that ever lived, &c. See in fol. 1087. but this was after his death. Leoni mortuo vel mus inſultat.

For this man Mordecai] Vir ille inſignis, though he were but novus homo & peregrinis, a new-raiſed man, a ſtranger, and one that had brought in a ſtrange alteration of things in the Court and Common-wealth: and therefore could not but be much envied and maligned, as far as men durſt ſhew themſelves againſt him; yet

He waxed greater and greater] Heb he was going (that is, growing) and greatening. See the like Hebraiſme. Prov. 4.18. Gen. 8.5. For why?Difficilimum inter mortales. he did gloria invidiam vincere, overtop, envie, and dazzle her eyes with his luſtre; which, ſaith Salluſt, is the hardeſt thing that can be. For as the talleſt trees are weakeſt at the tops: ſo doth envy always aim at the higheſt. But maugre malice it ſelf, Mordecai was in the number of thoſe few that lived and died with glory, gotten by his piety, zeal, and other vertues: neither had his adverſaries any thing to complain of him more then his greatneſſe,Camd. Eliz. fol. 532. as Camden ſaith of the old Earle of Eſſex.

Verſe 5. Thus the Jewes ſmote all their enemies] It was the Lords work,1 Sam. [illegible: 1 letter]5. and therefore to do it negligently, to keep back their ſwords from blood, had been to incurre that curſe, Jer. 48.10. as Saul did in ſparing Agag; Ahab in ſhewing mercy to Benhadad, 1 Kings [illegible: 1 letter]0.4[illegible: 1 letter]. whom God had deſtined to deſtruction. Theſe Jewes, as ſo many Juſticers,Immedicabile vulnu[illegible: 1 letter] enſe r[illegible: 1 letter]cidendum[illegible: 3 letters] were ſet up by God to do to death theſe deſperate enemies; and ſith there was no hope of curing, to fall to cutting, that others might heare and [illegible: 1 letter]eare, and do no more ſo, but ſee and ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.

With the ſtrokes of the ſword, and ſlaughter, and deſtruction] Here then we ſee what puniſhments they deſerve that are enemies to the Church, and ſooner or later they ſhall be ſure of. For as hard weather rotteth not in the a[illegible: 1 letter]e, ſo neither do the judgements againſt Perſecutors. God himſelf hath againſt them, and will ſurely have his penniworths of them: his hand that is lifted up in threatning, Iſa. 26.11. will not faile to fall down in puniſhing; and the higher it is lifted, the heavier it ſhall fall. Subito tollitur qui diu toleratur: They ſhall fall by the ſword, they ſhall be a portion for foxes, Pſal. 63.10. The Spoiler ſhall be ſpoiled, Eſa. 33.1. and he that killeth with the ſword, muſt be killed with the ſword, Rev. 13.10. See, 2 Theſſ. 1.6.

And did what they would unto thoſe that hated them] Where it is to be hoped, that they furbiſhed the ſword of juſtice with the oyle of mercy; that they remembred that of the Philoſopher, Poſſe & nolle nobile eſt, that in ſome caſes a man muſt not do all that he may do: as there be ſome again, wherein ſeverity ought to caſt the ſcale. The Turks ſeverity I can by no means like, that will rather cut off two innocent perſons, then let one guilty man go free.Zenecat. obſ. polit. Nor that of the Venetians, who puniſh with death ſuch as cozen the State of but one penny, if it be proved againſt them. Again, care muſt be taken that juſtice be not executed (whether in a civil or military way) with a vindictive minde, but all ſelfiſh actions carefully ſtrained out. Private revenge leaveth a ſtain upon a man ſome wayes innocent, witneſſe Jehu; and puts an innocency upon the greateſt offendour, witneſſe Abner.

Verſe 6. And in Shuſhan the Palace] One would wonder that any here ſhould offer to ſtir againſt the Jewes, ſo much favoured by the King, patronized by Mordecai, and well-appointed to withſtand them. But they were mad with malice againſt Gods people, and ambitious of their own deſtruction. Hamans death ſtill ſticks in their ſtomacks, and they reſolve to be revenged, whatever it ſtands them in. With like ſtoutneſſe of ſtomack it was that Jezabel painted her face, and tired her head, when Jehu was come to Jezreel, and looking out at a window, ſaid, Had Zimri peace, &c. Herein certainly ſhe ſhewed her great ſtoutneſſe, as if ſhe would daunt Jehu, and out-brave him in the midſt of his pomp and triumph, 2 Kings 9.30, 31. Divine vengeance ſuffereth not wicked people to reſt, and to keep in their malice and miſchief, but that they muſt break out and run headlong, like wilde beaſts into the hunters toile, or upon the ſpears point, whereby they periſh.

Verſe 7.8, 9. And Parſhandatha, and Dulphon, —and Vajezatha] This Vajezatha was the youngeſt, but moſt malicious of them all againſt the Jewes, as their Doctours gueſſe and gather from the little Zain, and great Vau, found in his name.

Verſe 10 The ten ſonnes of Haman] Of whom he had ſo boaſted, chap. 5.12. and bore himſelf bold, as believing that being ſo full of children, he ſhould leave the reſt of his ſubſtance to his babes, Pſal. 17.14. Theſe ten likely were ring-leaders to thoſe Hamaniſts in Shuſhan, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. that durſt appear in ſo bad a cauſe, being evil egges of an evil bird. Non enim fieri ullo modo potest, ut ex me & Agrippina vir bonus naſcatur, ſaid Domitius the father of Nero, Dio in Ner. It cannot be, that of my ſelf and Agrippina, ſhould come any good man. Haman brought up his ſonnes to bring down his houſe: and was a Parricide to them rather then a Parent. His darling Vajezatha he corrected not, but cockered: no wonder therefore that he proved to be of a gaſtrill-kinde, (diſquieting his own neſt) of a viperous brood; and therefore, though not hanged together with his father, and the whole family, (as the Apocryphal additions of Eſther, chap. 16.18. tell us, but not truly) yet ſlain in this inſurrection at Shuſhan, together with the reſt of his brethren: the good people crying out as once they did at Rome, when the ſonne of Maximinus the Emperour was put to death; Ex peſſimo genere ne catulum quidem habendum. Let not one whelp be left of ſo evil a litter.

But on the ſpoile laid they not their hand] Leſt the King ſhould be damnified, or themſelves juſtly taxed of covetouſneſſe and cruelty. Give none offence, neither to the Jewes, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God, 1 Cor. 10.32. This is oft repeated in this chapter,Non ſemper omnia quae licent ſunt facienda. Lavat. to their great commendation; that although, by the Kings grant they might have taken the ſpoile, chap. 8.11. yet they did it not, 1. To ſhew that they were Gods Executioners, not thieves and robbers. 2. To gratifie the King for his courteſie towards them, by leaving the ſpoile wholly to his Treaſury. 3. It is not unlikely,F[illegible: 1 letter]vard. ſaith an Interpreter, that Mordecai and Eſther had admoniſhed them how ill Saul had ſped with his ſpoiles of the Amalekites, and Achan with his wedge of gold, which ſerved but to cleave his body and ſoul aſunder, and his babyloniſh garment, which proved to be his winding-ſheet.

Verſe 11. On that day, the number of thoſe that were ſlain] This was done haply, by ſome Malignants, that would thereby have incenſed the King againſt the Jewes. Or elſe the King (as became a good Shepherd of his people) taketh an account of his ſlain ſubjects, by diligent enquiry made thereinto. Whereupon, he might have repented him, (now in cold blood) of his grant to Eſther and the Jewes thoſe forreigners, againſt his natural ſubjects, who had done nothing but by his command, &c. But God ſo ordered it, that all this notwithſtanding the King was well content with that which was done; as ſuppoſing that Hamans ſonnes and complices would be ſeeking revenge, [illegible: 1 letter]imi[illegible: 1 letter]i[illegible: 1 letter] ſunt b[illegible: 1 letter]ni p[illegible: 1 letter]ſtori[illegible: 1 letter] & boni regis ope[illegible: 1 letter]a. Cy[illegible: 1 letter] 5. [illegible: 1 letter]pud Xenoph. and plotting miſchief, if left alive. He therefore goeth merrily into the Queen, acquainting her with the number of the ſlain, and giving her leave to ask of him, whatever more ſhe deſired to be done. This was the Lords doing all along.

Verſe 12. And the King ſaid unto Eſther the Queen] He would needs be the meſſenger himſelf, as preſuming the newes would be moſt welcome to her, whom he deſired to gratifie; rather out of affection of love, then deſire of juſtice; elſe he would never have ſo little reſpected the ſlaughter of his ſubjects, armed by his own command.

What have they done in the reſt of the Kings Provinces?] This he ſhould have uttered with grief and regret; accounting the blood of his ſubjects dear and precious; and not making light of ſo many mens lives loſt by his default. But many Kings make as little reckoning of their ſubjects lives, as Charles the ninth did of the Huguenots in the French Maſſacre; or as the grand Seignior doth of his Aſapi, a kinde of common ſouldiers, borne for moſt part of Chriſtian Parents, and uſed by him in his wars, for no other end but to blunt the ſwords of his enemies, or to abate the firſt fury, and thereby to give the eaſier victory to his Janizaries and better ſouldiers;Turk. hiſt. 317. This the Turkiſh Tyrants hold for good policy. How much better that Romane General, who ſaid, that he had rather ſave one Citizen, then ſlay twenty enemies? and Edward the Confeſſour, who when his Captains promiſed,Camd. Rem. p. 214. for his ſake they would not leave one Dane alive in his land, thought it better to lead a private and unbloody life, then to be a King by ſuch bloody butcheries?

Now what is thy petition? and it ſhall be granted thee, &c.] An uxorious Prince, not propitious only to his Queen, but morigerous and obſequious. He was only her clay and wax; and had ſhe been an Eve, a Jezabel, or an Eudoxia, what might ſhe not have done with him, or had of him? Our King Edward the third was wholly poſſeſt and ruled by his Miſtris Dame Alice Pierce, an impudent woman, who ſo wrought upon the Kings impotencies, that ſhe cauſed the Speaker of the Parliament, to be committed to perpetual impriſonment at Nottingham. At length ſhe grew ſo inſolent, that ſhe intermedled with Courts of Juſtice, and other offices, where ſhe her ſelf would ſit to effect her deſires. But though holy Eſther was none ſuch: yet it behoveth Kings to be leſſe Prodigal of their Promiſes, and not to leave the lives and eſtates of their liege ſubjects, to the luſts of that weaker ſexe eſpecially; as having leſſe of diſcretion, and more of immoderation.

Verſe 13. Then ſaid Eſther, If it pleaſe the King, &c.] See chap. 5.4, 8.

Let it be granted to the Jewes, &c.] The enemies at Shuſhan could not be all caught the firſt day; leſt therefore thoſe that lurked ſhould hereafter prove troubleſome to the Church by hatching new plots, ſhe begs, that they alſo may receive condigne puniſhment, and Hamans ſonnes be hanged up for an example. This ſhe requeſted not out of private and perſonal ſpleen to any; but for the glory of God and the Churches peace. Had her aims been otherwiſe then good, her good actions could not have ſhewed her a good woman. For, though a good aime doth not make a bad action good, as we ſee in Ʋzzah; yet a bad aime maketh a good action bad; as we ſee in Jehu. Lavaters note may not here be let ſlip; the diligence that Eſther uſed in rooting out her temporal enemies, ſhould quicken us to do the like to our ſpiritual, viz. thoſe evil affections, motions and paſſions, that warre againſt the ſoule. Theſe be our Medes and Perſians with whom we muſt make no truce, but maintaine a conſtant deadly feud, till we have maſtered and mortified them all, Col. 3.5. Rom. 8.13. for till that be done effectually, we muſt never look to have true peace, either within our ſelves, or with others.

And let Hamans ten ſonnes be hanged] Had Haman been now alive, himſelf by right ſhould have been their Hangman. There was a young man among the Switzers, that went about to uſurp the Government, and alter their free State. Him they condemned to death, and appointed his father for Executioner, as the cauſe of his evil education. But becauſe Haman was hanged before, his ſons (though dead) ſhall now hang with him. Neither was it cruelty or revenge in Eſther, to crave this of the King, but zeale to God, and fervent love to his people, whoſe welfare ſhe ſought by all means poſſible to promote. As for her ſelf, ſhe could joyfully ſay of Haman, as David did of Doeg. Lo, this is the man that made not God his ſtrength, but truſted in the abundance of his riches, and ſtrengthened himſelf in his wickedneſſe. But I am like a green Olive tree in the Houſe of God; I truſt in the mercy of God for ever and ever. I will praiſe thee for ever, becauſe thou haſt done it: and I will wait on thy Name, for it is good before thy Saints, Pſal. 52.7, 8, 9.

Verſe 14. And the King commanded it ſo to be done] He feared not, that thereupon the people would riſe and call him Tyrant to his teeth: as when Bajazet the ſecond had caſt Achmetes Baſſa into priſon, the Janizaries in an uproar inſolently anſwered the great Turk,Turk. hiſt. fol. 444. that they would by and by teach him, as a drunkard, a beaſt, and a raſcal, to uſe his great place and calling with more ſobriety and diſcretion. Ahaſhuerus well enough knew his own power, and was therefore the more bold in diſpoſing, after this manner, of the lives of his ſubjects; who were ready to ſay to him as once Tiberius did to Juſtinus. Si tu volueris, ego ſum; ſi tu non vis, ego non ſum: I am wholly yours to command.

And the decree was at Shuſhan] Dictum, conceſſum, illicò factum. The King was not willing to croſſe Eſther in any thing, ſaith Joſephus.

And they hanged Hamans ten ſonnes] For greater ignominy and terrour to others. Thus God commanded the heads of the twelve Princes of Iſrael, to be hanged up againſt the Sun, Numb. 25.4. Joſhua hanged the King of Ai upon a Gallowes until the evening, chap. 8. and after that the five Kings of the Amorites, chap. 10. God hang'd up Abſalom with his own bare hand.

Abſlon marte furens penſilis arbore, obit.

Verſe 15. For the Jewes that were in Shuſhan] They did not ſtand to caſt perils, or frame excuſes, but with ſingular courage and conſtancy went an end with the work, whereunto they ſaw themſelves to be rightly called by God and man, keeping themſelves ſtill within the compaſſe of the Kings Edict, and ſo carrying the matter, that thoſe that were ſlaine, were judged by their own fellow-Citizens to have deſervedly periſhed.

And ſlew three hundred men at Shuſhan] Beſides the former five hundred. All theſe with Haman their Chieftain, might have lived long in honour and ſafety, could they have kept them quiet; But by the juſt and ſecret judgement of God, they kindled a fire with great force, that conſumed themſelves, according to that in the Prophet Eſay, chap. 33.10, 11, 12. Now will I riſe, ſaith the Lord of recompences, now will I be exalted, now will I lift up my ſelf. Ye ſhall conceive chaffe, ye ſhall bring forth ſtubble, your breath as fire ſhall devoure you, and the people ſhall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns [illegible: 1 letter]utup ſhall they be burnt in the fire.

But on the prey they laid not, &c.] See verſe 10.

Verſe 16. But the other Jewes that were, &c.] Though they were but a Nation ſcattered and peeled, a contemptible and feeble folk, lately deſtined to deſtruction; yet by faith they ſubdue Kingdomes, eſcape the edge of the ſword, out of weakneſſe become ſtrong, wax valiant in fight, turne to flight whole Armies of the Aliens, Heb. 11.33, 34. prevaile and proſper againſt all the malignant power of Perſia: Thus were they helped with a little help, (as it is, Dan. 11.34.) that God might have a great deal of glory, as indeed he had.

Gathered themſelves together] United their forces, as verſe 2. which whileſt our Anceſtours, (the old Britans) did not againſt the Romanes who invaded them; they were eaſily and quickly conquered. Et dum pugnabant ſinguli vincebantur vniverſi, ſaith Tacitus, who was here with his father-in-law Agricola, an eye-witneſſe of what he writeth.

And ſtood for their lives] Not one whereof was loſt in this hot encounter, in this ſharp revenge they took off their avowed enemies. This was even a miracle of Gods mercy, Who would not feare thee, O King of Nations, &c.

And had reſt from their enemies.] Or, That they might have reſt from their enemies; who would not otherwiſe be quieted, but by the letting out of their life-blood: but would make an aſſault upon the harmelſſe Jewes, though it were to die for it: ſo that upon the matter they were their own deathſmen, beſides the wilful loſſe of their immortal ſoules, which our Saviour ſheweth, Mat, 16.26. to be a loſſe, 1. Incomparable. 2. Irreparable.

And ſlew of their foes ſeventy and five thouſand] Neither was it any diſhonour to them to be God Almighties ſlaughtermen. Even the good Angels are Executioners of Gods righteous judgements, as they were at Sodom, in Sennacheribs army, and oft in the Revelation. There cannot be a better or more noble act then to do juſtice upon obſtinate Malefactours.

But they laid not their hands on the prey] They would not once foule their fingers therewith. No godly man in Scripture is taxed for covetouſneſſe, that ſordid ſin. See the Note on verſe 10.

Verſe 17. On the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar] On this day they ſtood for their lives, that they might reſt from their enemies. And accordingly

On the fourteenth day of the ſame, rested they] i. e. the very next day after their deliverance; they would not defer it a day longer, but kept an holy reſt with Pſalmes and ſacrifices of praiſe, (thoſe calves of their lips) the very next day, whiles the deliverance was yet freſh, and of recent remembrance. This they knew well that God expected, Deut. 23.21. and that he conſtrueth delayes for denials, Hag. 1.2, 4. he gave order that no part of the thank-offering ſhould be kept unſpent till the third day; to teach us to preſent our praiſes when benefits are newly received, which elſe would ſoon wax ſtale and putrifie as fiſh, I will pay my vowes now, now, ſaith David, Pſal. 116.18. Hezekiah wrote his Song the third day after his recovery: Queen Elizabeth, when exalted from a priſoner to a Princeſſe, and from miſery to Majeſty, before ſhe would ſuffer her ſelf to be mounted in her charet, to paſſe from the Tower to Weſtminſter, Englands Eliz. ſhe very devoutly lifted up her hands and eyes to heaven, and gave God humble thanks for that remarkable change and turn of things.

And made it a day of feaſting and gladneſſe] Exhilarating and chearing up their good hearts, (that had long layen low) with a more liberal uſe of the creatures, that they might the better preach his praiſes, and ſpeak good of his name: and that, ſith they could not offer up unto him other ſacrifices preſcribed in the Law, becauſe they were far from the Temple, they might not be wanting with their ſacrifice of thankſgiving, which God preferreth before an oxe that hath hornes and hoofs, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Words may ſeem to be but a poor and ſlight recompence: but Chriſt (ſaith Nazianzen) calleth himſelf the Word; and this was all the fee that he looks for for his cures, Go and tell what God hath done for thee. With theſe calves of our lips let us cover Gods Altar; and we ſhall finde, that although he will neither eat the fleſh of bulls, nor drink the blood of goats, yet if we offer unto God thankſgiving, and pay our vowes unto the moſt High,Pſal. 50.13, 14. it will be look't upon as our reaſonable ſervice, Rom. 12.1.

Verſe 18. On the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth] What they could not do on one day, they did it on another. Men muſt be ſedulous and ſtrenuous in Gods work, doing it with all their might, and redeeming time for that purpoſe, Eccl. 9.10.

On both theſe dayes they deſtroyed their enemies] They did their work thoroughly: Let us do ſo in ſlaying our ſpiritual enemies: not ſparing any Agag, not reſerving this Zoar or that Rimmon: but dealing by the whole body of ſinne, as the King of Moab did with the King of Edom, Amos 2.1. burn the bones of it to lime: deſtroy it not to the halves as Saul, but hew it in pieces before the Lord, as Samuel. As Joſhua deſtroyed all the Canaanites he could lay hold on. As Aſa ſpared not his own mother; as Solomon drew Joab from the Altar to the ſlaughter; and put to death Adoniah the darling, ſo muſt we deale by our corruptions, ferretting and fetching them out of their lurking holes as theſe Jewes did, their enemies on the fourteenth day, that had eſcaped the day before. Sith we muſt either kill them up all, or be killed by them; for as that one baſtard Abimelech ſlew all Gideons ſonnes upon one ſtone; ſo one luſt left unmortified will undo the ſoul. And as one ſinner, ſo one ſin may deſtroy much good, Eccl. 9.18.

And on the fifteenth day of the moneth they reſted] So ſhall the Saints do after death, which will be the accompliſhment of mortification, for he that is dead, is freed from ſin, Rom. 6.7. and filled with joy, Iſa. 35.10. The ranſomed of the Lord ſhall then return and come to Zion with ſongs, and everlaſting joy upon their heads, they ſhall obtain joy, and gladneſſe, and ſorrow, and ſighing ſhall flee away.

Verſe 19. Therefore the Jewes of the villages, &c.] Pagani. This is expounded in the next words.

that dwelt in the unwalled townes] Such as is the Hague in Holland, that hath two thouſand houſholds in it; and chuſeth rather to be counted the principal village of Europe, then a leſſer City.

Made the fourteenth day, &c.] See verſe 17. while the Jewes in Shuſhan were deſtroying the remainder of their enemies. [non-Latin text not transcribed] 2 Mac. 15.36. This day was afterwards called Mordecai's Holiday.

And of ſending portions one to another] See Nehem. 8.10. To the rich they ſent in courteſie; to the poor in charity, and both theſe to teſtifie their thankfulneſſe to God for their lives, liberties and eſtates, ſo lately and graciouſly reſtored unto them.

Verſe 20. And Mordecai wrote theſe things] He wrote with authority as a Magiſtrate (ſay ſome) that the Jewes ſhould keep theſe dayes with greateſt ſolemnitie. He wrote the relation of theſe things before-mentioned, ſay others, as the ground of this annual feſtivitie. Or elſe it may be meant more generally, that Mordecai was the Pen-man of the Holy Ghoſt, in writing this whole book of Eſther; as was before hinted.

And ſent letters unto all the Jewes, — both night and farre] Propinquis & longinquis, that they might all agree together about the time and manner of praiſing God: and ſo ſing the great Hallelujah. See, 2 Cor. 1.11. 2 Chron. 20.26, 27, 28. Pſal. 124.1, 2. and 126.1. Pſal. 136. penned for a recorded publike forme, to praiſe God among the multitude, Pſal. 109.20. and in the great Congregation, Pſal. 22.22, 25. David would go into the preſſes of people, and there praiſe the Lord, Pſal. 116.18, 19. This was to walk worthy of the Lord, Col. 1.10. This was to make a proportionable return, for we are Gods ſoile, and our thanks his crop.

Verſe 21. To eſtabliſh this among them] ſcil. by a law, that they ſhould yearly on thoſe two dayes reſt, and repeat among themſelves that ſignal deliverance, propagating the remembrance of it to all poſterity. Mordecai well knew that eaten bread is ſoon forgotten, that deliverances are uſually but nine dayes wonderment, that it is eaſie and ordinary with people, to rob God and wrong themſelves by their unthankfulneſſe, which forfeiteth former mercies and foreſtalleth future, he therefore ſetleth it upon them, ſaith the text, ſtatuendo eis ut facerent, he exacteth it of them by vertue of his office.

That they ſhould keep the fourteenth day, and the fifteenth day] Both dayes, nam gaudet produci haec ſclennitus, as Auſtin ſaid of the feaſt of Pentecoſt, ſuch a ſolemnity ſhould be drawn out to the full length, as the ſilk-worm ſtretcheth forth her ſelf, before ſhe ſpinneth her fineſt thread. Jehoſaphat and his people ſhewed themſelves unſatisfyable in their praiſes, which they preſented again, and again, 2 Chron. 20.26, 27. And good Hezekiah, when he obſerved in his ſubjects ſuch a float of affections at the Paſſeover, and that they were in ſo good a frame, took counſel with them to keep other ſeven dayes, and they kept other ſeven dayes with gladneſſe, 2 Chron. 30.21, 22, 23. See with what a flood of words holy David poureth forth his ſoul in prayer, Pſal. 145.1. to 8. as if therewith he would even fill up the diſtance between God and himſelf. Sometimes he ſeemeth to forget himſelf in point of praiſing God; for he will, like a bird, having got a note, record it over and over, as Pſal. 136. And in the laſt Pſalme, there are but ſix verſes: yet twelve Hallelujahs. He concludeth, Let every thing that hath breath, or, Let every breath praiſe the Lord, let it be as the ſmoke of the Tabernacle, when peace-offerings, were offered, Tam Dei meminiſſe opus eſt quàm reſpirare, ſaith Chryſoſtom, we have as much need to remember God, as to take breath.

Verſe 22. As the dayes wherein the Jewes reſted from their enemies] And therefore they in thankfulneſſe would conſecrate the ſame as an holy reſt unto the Lord, calling the fourteenth day, Feſtum ſortium minus, the leſſer feſtivity of lots; and the fifteenth day, Feſtum ſortium majus, the greater feſtivity of lots, as Druſius telleth us.

And the moneth] They thought the better ever after of the moneth Adar, that magnificent moneth, wherein was that golden day of their deliverance. O dieculam illam, &c. dexter ſanè prae laetitia mihi ſalit oculus, ſaid he. Oh that joyful day! Oh that the Calendar of my life might be filled with ſuch feſtivals!

Which was turned unto them from ſorrow to joy] As God remembred poor Joſeph, and turned his fetters into a chaine of gold, his rags into robes, his ſtocks into a charet, his priſon into a Palace, his brown bread and water into manchet and wine. And as he had turned again the captivity of his people as the ſtreams in the South, Pſal. 146.4. So here he had made a great alteration, bringing them from the jawes of death to the joys of a glorious deliverance; turning their ſadneſſe into gladneſſe, their ſighing into ſinging, their muſing into muſick their teares into triumph, luctum in laetitiam, ſaccum in ſericum, jejunium in epulum, manuum retortionem in applauſum, &c. And this is no new thing in the Church.

Verſe 23. And the Jewes undertook to do as they had begun] Which yet they could not do, unleſſe God gave them an heart to do it. Holy David underſtood this, and therefore when he found that heat and height of good affections in his people, he prayed, O Lord God of Abraham, Iſaac, and of Iſrael our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and ſtabliſh their heart unto thee, 1 Chron. 29.18. And when he had at another time undertook for himſelf, that if God would deliver him from blood-guiltineſſe, his tongue ſhould ſing aloud of Gods righteouſneſſe, he ſubjoynes (by way of correction, as if he were ſenſible that he had promiſed more then was in his power to perform) O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth ſhall ſhew forth thy praiſe, Pſal. 51.14, 15. The Hebrew, or rather Chaldee word here rendred Ʋndertook, is of the ſingular number, to ſhew, that every particular Jew undertook for himſelf, and for his poſterity to all perpetuity. And indeed they keep this feaſt annually to this day, and exceedingly pleaſe themſelves in the reading of this hiſtory, counting and calling all ſuch Princes and States as croſſe them, Hamans, and wiſhing that they may be able one day to be avenged of them, as their fathers were of theſe Perſians, &c.

Verſe 24. Becauſe Haman the ſonne of Hammedatha the Agagite, &c.] In deteſtation of whoſe wicked plot, the Jewes at this day, when at this feaſt of Purim, they read the book of Eſther in their ſynagogues, as oft as they hear mention of Haman, Anton. Meraanta. lib. de Jud. cerem. they do with their fiſts and hammers beat upon the benches and boards, as if they did knock upon Hamans head; Lavater ſaith, the Papiſts in ſome countreyes do the like on Good-friday, when in the reading of the Goſpel, mention is made of Iudas the Traitour. But as for Faux, Digby, Piercy, Catesby, and the reſt of that helliſh crue of Popiſh Hamans, treacherous Judaſſes, theſe they have crowned with freſh Encomiaſticks, and little leſſe then ſainted. Garnet (that boutefeau) hath his picture ſet among the reſt of Rome's Saints,Cornè á Lap. in Apoc. 7.3. Ger. [illegible: 1 letter]. Apol. Cont Jeſuet. in the Jeſuites Church at Rome with this Inſcription, Voluiſſe ſat eſt, Prodigious impudency.

And had caſt Pur] But found to his coſt, that there is no inchantment againſt Jacob, Ut contereret eos. neither any divination againſt Iſrael, but that, according to this time it ſhould be ſaid of Jacob and Iſrael, (ſaid by way of wonder at Gods doing on their behalf) what hath God wrought? Numb. 23.23.

To conſume them] Heb. to cruſh them, as a thing cruſhed to pieces, as the leſſer beaſts are cruſhed by the Lion, or as things are broken with a maule.

Verſe 25. But when Eſther came] Heb. when ſhe came. This was the ſubject of the Jewes diſcourſe upon thoſe dayes, which they ſpent not in idle chat, but in telling one another what great things the Lord had done for them: relating all the particulars. All honourable mention was then made of Eſther and Mordecai; neither was Hamans malice inſtanced without utmoſt deteſtation: [non-Latin text not transcribed] Memoria ejus ſicut vinum Libani, ſay the Jewes of thoſe they honour. Bud. Pand. Herod. l. 2. So true is that of Solomon, Prov. 10.7. The memory of the juſt is bleſſed, (or, is with praiſes, as the Septuagint there render it,) but the name of the wicked ſhall rot, as doth now the name of the Powder-plotters of Bonner, Gardiner, and other Popiſh Perſecutors.

Should return upon his own head] According to Pſal. 7.17. and haply not without alluſion to thoſe Piaculares & Obominales among the Grecians, which were certain condemned perſons, on whoſe heads they put the publick guilt, and then tumbled them into the ſea; or elſe to thoſe expiatory ſacrifices amongſt the Egyptians which were firſt curſed by them, and then caſt into the river, or ſold to the Grecian Merchants: in an apiſh imitation of the Hebrews ſcape-goat, and day of Atonement.

Verſ. 26. Wherefore they called theſe days Purim] Thereby to perpetuate the memory of that mercy, worthy to be engraven in pillars of marble: This was a notable name; for it ſerved to in-minde the Jewes of all that God had done for them at this bout: As there is edification in the choice of fit Pſalmes, 1 Cor. 14.26. ſo in the impoſing of fit names upon perſons, things, and times. As the Chriſtian Sabbath is to good purpoſe called the Lords day: and thoſe feſtivities of Eaſter and Whitſontide were not ſo fitly called Paſch, and Pentecoſt, as the Feaſt of the Lords Reſurrection, and of the ſending of the Holy Ghoſt. It ſhould certainly be the conſtant care of us all, to ſet up marks and monuments of Gods great mercies: ſo to preſerve the memory of them, which elſe will be moth-eaten▪ Such as were Abrahams, Jehovah Iireh, Jacobs ſtone at Bethel, Moſes his Jehovah Niſſi, Aarons rod and pot of Manna, Heb. 9.4. the twelve ſtones pitcht up in Jordan, the names of Gilgal, Ramath-Lehi, Aben-Ezer; thoſe plates nailed on the Altar, Numb. 16.40. Hereby God ſhall be glorified, the Churches enemies convinced, our faith ſtrengthened, our joy in the Lord heightened, our poſterity helped, and Satan prevented, who ſeeketh to obliterate Gods works of wonder; or at leaſt to alienate them, and tranſlate them upon himſelf, as he endeavoured to do that famous execution of divine juſtice upon Sennacheribs army,Herod. l. 2. by ſetting Herodotus a work to tell the world in print, that it was Sethon King of Egypt, and Prieſt of Vulcan, who obtained of his god, that Sennacheribs army coming againſt Egypt, ſhould be totally routed by reaſon of an innumerable company of rats, ſent by Vulcan, which gnawed in pieces their bowe-ſtrings, quivers, bucklers, &c. and ſo made way for the Egyptians to vanquiſh them. Herodotus addeth alſo that in his time there was to be ſeen the ſtatue of Sennacherib, holding a rat in his hand in Vulcans Temple, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and uttering theſe words, Let him that beholdeth me, learne to feare God. Lo, the god of this world hath his trophies erected, and ſhall the God of heaven and earth go without? Oh let us (who have lived in an age of miracles, and ſeen the out-goings of God for our good more then ever did any Nation) offer unto him the ranſome of our lives, as they did, Exod. 21.30. and 30.12. in token that they had and held all in meer courteſie from God. Let us leave ſome ſeale, ſome pawn of thankfulneſſe for deliverance from ſo many deaths and dangers. Otherwiſe, Heathens will riſe up and condemn us. They after a ſhipwrack would offer ſomething; after a fit of ſickneſſe conſecrate ſomething to their gods; after a victory, ſet up trophies of triumph, as the Philiſtines did to their Dagon, the Romanes to their Jupiter Capitolinus, &c.

Therefore for all the words of this letter] In obedience to Mordecai their godly Magiſtrate.

And of that which they had ſeen concerning this matter] And eſpecially of God made viſible all along in it, yea, palpable; ſo that they might feele him and finde him, Act. 17.27. though his name be not found in all this book.

And which had come unto them] Scil. by report and hear-ſay, but from ſuch hands as that they were fully ſatisfied thereof, as Hamans lot-caſting, Eſthers ſupplicating, the Kings reading the Chronicles, &c.

Verſe 27. The Jewes ordained, and took upon them, and upon their ſeed] See ver. 23. Here we have a repetition of what was before recited, and this is uſual in holy Scripture, as Gen. 2.1. Exod. 15.19. that things of moment may take the deeper impreſſion. That of Auſtin is here to be remembred, Verba toties inculcata viva ſunt, vera ſunt, plana ſunt, ſana ſunt. Let Preachers do thus, and hearers be content to have it ſo: Nunquam ſatìs dicitur, quod nunquam ſatìs diſcitur. To write to you the ſame things, to me is not grievous, and for you it is ſafe, ſaith that great Apoſtle, Phil. 3.1.

And upon all ſuch as ſhould joyne themſelves unto them] Thoſe Proſelytes, chap, 8 17. or whatever hang-bies.

So as it ſhould not faile] But ſtand as a law inviolable. And yet that Octogeſimus octavus mirabilis annus, and that never to be forgotten fifth of November, are with us almoſt antiquated: little would oue think that God had ever done anything for us, either by land or by ſea, againſt either fire-works or water-works, Vae corpori noſtro.

That they would keep theſe two dayes] Keep them as before, by conſecrating a reſt, and feaſting before the Lord; not by gourmandizing and profane ſports, nor by running up and down from houſe to houſe as whifflers, and waſſailers,L[illegible: 1 letter]de[illegible: 1 letter]cerem. Iud. as at this day the Jewes manner is, witneſſe Antonius Margarita, a baptized Jew

According to their writing] i.e. Mordecai's order, by themſelves ſubſcribed and ratified.

Verſe 28. And that theſe dayes ſhould be remembred] That the memory of them might be kept a foot in the Church to all perpetuity. Nothing is ſooner forgotten then a good turn received. David found himſelf faulty this way, and therefore ſets the thorn to the breaſt, Pſal. 103.2. Other holy men kept catalogues, (ſee one of Gods own making, Judg. 10.11, 12.) They alſo had their [non-Latin text not transcribed], or Memorials, as is before noted. The very Heathens, had their triumphal Arches, Pillars; Trophies, Tables, Hiſtories, Annals, Ephemerides, &c. A ſoule ſhame for us to fall ſhort of them, and not to wiſh as Job in another caſe.Iob. 19.23, 24. Oh that Gods works of wonder for us were now written. Oh that they were printed in a book, That they were graven with an iron pen, and lead in the rock for ever. That famous fifth of November eſpecially,Ier. 23.7. This wás written. Nov. 5. 1653. which drownes in a manner the memory of all former deliverances; as the return out of Babylon did the departure out of Egypt. This happy day (too too much ſlighted, alas, in many places already) ſhould never be put out of the Engliſh Kalendar, whiles the Sun courſeth about the earth: but be regiſtred for the generation to come, that the people which ſhall be created, may praiſe the Lord, Pſal. 102.8.

Every family, every Province, and every City] They ſhould all recognize their late danger, and thereby the better reliſh their deliverance, as Sampſon did his honey-combe which he found by turning aſide to ſee the lion he had eſcaped. Every man was to conſider his own ſhare in the publick ſafety, as the people did at Solomons Coronation, and to be particularly thankful. This would fortifie his faith, feed his hope, nouriſh his joy, further his obedience.

Verſe 29. Then Eſther the Queen, &c.] See chap. 2.15. Mordecai had written thus before; now for more authority-ſake, and to ſhew her forwardneſſe to further ſo good a work, Eſther joyneth with him, not for a name, or out of an humour of fooliſh forth-put ting, but out of an holy zeal for God and a godly jealouſie over her people, leſt they ſhould hereafter ſlight or ſlack this ſervice. And indeed the Jewes Chronicle (called by them Sedar olam Rabbah) telleth us, that this letter of Eſther was not written,Anna ſequent con[illegible: 1 letter]igit quod icriptu[illegible: 1 letter] eſt. Eſth. 9.29. Sed. Ol. c. 29. till a yeare after Mordecai's firſt letter: when thoſe dayes of Purim haply began to be neglected and intermitted. She might therefore well ſay as Saint Peter did afterwards. This ſecond Epiſtle beloved I now write unto you, in both which I ſtir up your pure mindes by way of remembrance, 2 ep. 3.1. True grace in the beſt heart is like unto a dull ſea-coalefire: which if it be not ſometimes righted up, will of it ſelf go out, though there be fuel enough about it. This good Queen was no leſſe active in her generation, then before had been Miriam, Deborah, Bathſheba, &c. and after her were Serena the Empreſſe, Sophia Queen of Bohemia a Huſſite, Queen Katherine Parre the Doctoreſſe, (as her husband merrily called her ſomtimes) and that matchleſſe Queen Elizabeth, whoſe Sunny dayes are not to be paſſed over ſleightly (ſaith one) without one touch upon that ſtring, which ſo many yeares ſounded ſo ſweetly in our eares, without one ſigh breathed forth in her ſacred memory. Oh, what an happy time of life, had that famous light of our Church Mr. William Perkins, who was borne in the firſt yeare of her reign, and died in her laſt yeare.

And Mordecai the Jew] Theſe two joyned together to adde the more force to the Ordinance.

Wrote with all authority] Heb. with all ſtrength, viz. of ſpirit, and of ſpeech, of affection and expreſſion.

To confirme the ſecond letter] Leſt, for fear of the friends of ſuch as they had ſlain, the Jewes ſhould be ſlack in obſerving this feaſt of lots.

Verſe 30. And be ſent letters to all the Jewes] Tremellius readeth it, Which letters Mordecai ſent to all the Jewes, ſcil. as Monitours and Remembrancers.

To the hundred twenty and ſeven Provinces.]. Among and above the reſt, to Judea, which was one of that number.

With words of peace and truth] i.e. premiſing words of proſperity and ſettlement, ſaith Tremellius, or promiſing them peaceable enjoyment of the true Religion, liberty of conſcience, rightly ſo called: Or praying, that they may follow peace with all men, and holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. 12.14. Or; he ſent letters full of courteſie and truth, that is, of unfeined courteſie, as Vatablus ſenſeth it. For there is a cut-throat courteſie, ſuch as was that of Joab to Amaſa, of Judas to our Saviour, of Julian the Apoſtate to Baſil, when he wrote unto him, but not with words of peace and truth, [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Verſe 31. To confirme theſe dayes of Purim] That they might by no manner of means be neglected, but that renewing their reſolutions and their reaſons for the ſame, they might remain conſtant, and firme, and peremptory in well-doing; cleaving to God with full purpoſe of heart, and ſitting cloſe unto the Lord without diſtraction, 1 Cor. 7.35.

And as they had decreed for themſelves] Heb. for th[illegible: 1 letter]in ſoules; for the ſoule is the man, and the greateſt thing in the leaſt compaſſe, is a good minde in a mans body.

The matters of the faſtings and their cry] Heb. the words of faſting, &c. that is, the vowes they then uttered when they faſted and cried; that if God would hear and help them, they would not faile to praiſe him in all beſt manner. Now therefore, ſith the vowes of god were upon them, they ſhould by keeping theſe dayes offer unto him thankſgiving,Aben-Ezra. and pay their vowes unto the moſt High. Some think that the faſting and crying here mentioned, referreth to thoſe in Zechary, chap. 7.5. in remembrance of the deſolation of Jeruſalem; that as they faſted then, ſo they ſhould feaſt now; God having fulfilled his promiſe there made of turning their faſting into feaſting, and added, Therefore love the truth and peace, chap. 8.19. confer Mordecai's words of peace and truth, ſupra, verſe 30.

Verſe 32. And the decree of Eſther confirmed, &c.] Dux foemina facti. Money was coined in the yeare eighty eight in honour of Queen Elizabeth, with that Poſie inſcribed. The like may be here ſaid of Queen Eſther, yea, we may adde that in the Goſpel, ſpoken concerning another. Where ever this hiſtory ſhall be read in all the world, this that ſhe hath done, ſhall be ſpoken of to her eternal commendation.

And it was written in the book] Tremellius rendreth it thus, When therefore the Edict of Eſther had confirmed theſe things, it was written in this book. Lyra and others thus. She requeſted the wiſe men of that age, that they would reckon this Hiſtory for holy Writ. If it be meant of any other publike record, which the Jewes then had, it is loſt: as are likewiſe ſome other pieces which never were any part of the holy Scriptures: for God by his Providence ever took care and courſe, that no one haire of that ſacred head ſhould fall to the ground. That unſound conceit of Pellican here, is by no meanes to be admitted, viz. That this latter part of the chapter from verſe 25. to the end, came from the pen of ſome other man, not guided by the Spirit of God, and that becauſe here is no mention made of praiſing God at this feaſt, or ſtirring up one another to truſt in him. For we know that all Scripture is of divine inſpiration, and it is to be preſumed that thoſe things were done at ſuch ſolemnities, though it be not recorded in each particular.