C. F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch on Esther 8:5-6

Est 8:5-6

The introductory formula are in part similar to those used Est 1:19; Est 5:4, Est 5:8; Est 7:3; but the petition referring to a great and important matter, they are strengthened by two new phrases: “If the thing is advisable (כּשׁר, proper, convenient, advantageous, a later word occurring again only Ecc 11:6; Ecc 10:10, - in Ecc 2:21; Ecc 4:4-5, Ecc 4:10 of the same book, כּשׁרון) before the king, and if I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written (let a writing be used, like Est 3:9), to frustrate (להשׁיב, i.e., to put out of force) the letters, the device of Haman ... which he wrote to destroy the Jews, who are in all the provinces of the king.” המן מחשׁבת, the device, the proposal of Haman, is added to הסּפרים, briefly to characterize the contents of the letters. On the matter itself, comp. Est 3:8. and Est 3:12. “For how shall I endure to see the destruction of my people?” The verbs וראיתי אוּכל are so combined that the second is governed by the first, וראיתי standing instead of the infinitive; comp. Ew. §285, c. ראה cons. בּ denotes an interested beholding, whether painful or joyous, of something; comp. Gen 44:34. מולרת in parallelism with אם denotes those who are of like descent, the family, members of a tribe.