Matthew Poole and continuators on Esther 6

1 ON that night could not the king sleep , and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles : and they were read before the king .

How vain are all the contrivances and indeavours of this foolish impotent man against the wise and omnipotent God, who hath the hearts and hands of Kings and all men perfectly at his dispose, and can by such trivial accidents (as they are accounted) change their minds, and produce such momentous and terrible effects!

His mind being troubled he knew not how, nor why, he chuseth this for a divertisement, God putting this thought & [illegible: 1 word] to him, for otherwise he might have diverted himself, as he used to do at other times, with his Wives or Concubines, or voices and instruments of musick; which was far more agreeable to his temper.

Until the morning when he intended to rise out of his bed.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] t[illegible: 1+ letters]e [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]ed [illegible: 1 word].

3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the kings servants that ministred unto him, There is nothing done for him .

He hath had no recompence for this great and good service▪ Which might happen either through the Kings forgetfulness; or through the envy of the Courtiers; or because he was a Jew, and therefore odious and contemptible.

4 And the king said, Who is in the court? (now Haman was come into the outward court of the kings house , to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.)

Early in the morning, because his malice probably would not suffer him to sleep; and he was impatient till he had executed his desired revenge; an[illegible: 1+ letters] he was resolved to watch for the very first opportunity of speaking to the King, before he was [illegible: 1+ letters]gaged in other matters.

Where he wa[illegible: 1+ letters]ed; because it was dangerous to come into the inuer Court without special licen[illegible: 1+ letters]e, ch. 4. 11.

6 So Haman came in, and the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man , whom the king delighteth to honour? (now Haman thought in his heart , To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to my self?

He names none, because he would have the more impartial answer. And probably he knew nothing of the difference between Haman and Mordecai.

As indeed he had great reason to presume, because he had not yet for[illegible: 1+ letters]ed that favour which the King had shewed to him above all others.

Marginal references: Heb. in [illegible: 1 word] honour the king delighteth.

8 Let the royal apparel be brought, which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon , and the crown royal which is set upon his head .

His outward garment which was made of purple, interwoven with gold, as Iustin and Curtius relate.

Usually: which was well known both by his excellency, and especially by his peculiar trappings and ornaments. Comp. 1 Kings 1. 33.

Either 1. Upon the Kings head. Or, 2. Upon the Horses head▪ which seems best to agree. 1. With that antient Chaldee Interpreter, and other Jews who take it thus. 2. With the signification and order of the Hebrew words. 3. With the following verses, in which there is no further mention of this Crown, but only of the apparel, and of the horse, to which the Crown belonged as one of his ornaments. 4. With the custom of the Persians, which some affirm to have been this, to put the Crown upon the head of that Horse, upon which the King rode.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] them bring the [illegible: 1+ letters]l apparel.; Heb. wherewith the king clotheth himself.

9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to th[illegible: 1+ letters] hand of one of the kings most noble princes, that they may array the man withal, whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the principal street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

i. e. Cause this to be proclaimed, to wit, by some publick Officer appointed for that service. Compare Gen. 41. 43.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] him to ride.

11 Then took Haman the apparel, and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

Either himself; or by the Officer.

12 And Mordecai came again to the kings gate : but Haman hasted to his house, mourning and having his head covered .

To his former place and office; shewing that as he was not overwhelmed by Hamans threats, and malicious design, as appears by ch. 5. 9. So now he was not puf[illegible: 1+ letters]ed up with all this honour. Besides, he came thither to attend the issue of the main business, and to be at hand to assist or encourage the Queen, if need were: which now he was more capable of doing than hitherto he had been.

In token of his shame and grief for his unexpected, and great disappointment of his hope and desire, and for the great honour done to his most despised and abhorred adversary, and this by his own hands, and with his own publick disgrace; and for such further inconveniences as this unlucky omen seemed to presage to him.

13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife, and all his friends, every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men , and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews , before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him .

The Magicians, whom after the Persian manner he had called together consult with upon this great and strange emergency.

Which they were told, and was generally supposed, but they were not infallibly sure of it.

This they concluded, either 1. By rules of policy; because Hamans reputation and interest was hereby sinking, and Mordecai (whom they understood to be a man of great wisdom and courage, and government of himself) was now got into the Kings favour, and thereby was likely to gain an opportunity of making his addresses to the King, who being of a mild disposition, might easily be moved to a dislike (if not revocation) of his own bloody decree, and consequently to a detestation of that person who had procured it. Or, 2. By former experience, and the observation of Gods extraordinary actions on the behalf of the Jews, and against their enemies in this very Court and Kingdom. Or, 3. By instinct and inspiration to their minds, either from God, who might suggest this to them, as he did other things to other wicked men, Balaam, Ca[illegible: 1+ letters]aphas, &c. for his own greater glory, and the good of his people: or from the Devil; who by Gods permission, might know this, and reveal it to them who sought to him in their superstitious and idolatrous methods.

14 And while they were yet talking with him, came the kings chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Who was now slack to go thither, by reason of the great dejection of his own mind, and the fear of a worse entertainment from the King and Queen than he had formerly received.