John Trapp on Esther 1:1

CHAP. I. Verſe 1. Now it came to paſſe in the dayes of Ahaſhuerus]

THis Book is in the Hebrew called Eſther: becauſe ſhe is a chief party therein mentioned and memorized. The Rabbines call it Megillath Eſther, that is, the volume of Eſther; and further tell us that there be five ſuch volume of Scripture-books; viz. Solomons Song, Ruth, Lamentations, Eccleſiaſtes, and this of Eſther: which they uſe to read all over in their Synagogues, at five ſeveral times of the year. 1. Solomons Song, at the Paſſeover; in remembrance of their once-deliverance out of Egypt, and their future ſalvation by the Meſſiah. 2. Ruth at Pentecoſt; becauſe therein is ſet down the Genealogy of David their firſt King. 3. The Lamentations of Jeremy on the ninth day of the fifth moneth (that is, of July;) in regard of the Babyloniſh captivity, and ruine of the Temple. 4. Eccleſiaſtes, at the feaſt of Tabernacles; in a thankful remembrance of the Divine Providence aſſerted in that Book; and exerciſed over them in a ſpecial manner, when they wandred in the wilderneſſe. 5. Laſtly, this of Eſther, on the fourteenth and fifteenth dayes of the moneth Adar or February: and as oft as they hear mention of Haman, they do, even to this day, R. Abraham Hiſpanus tognom. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. with their fiſts and hammers beat upon the benches and boards, as if they did beat upon Hamans head. They tell us that this Book was written by Mordecai himſelf, and eye-witneſſe and a maine party, according to chap. 9.20. and have ever reckoned it among the Chetubin or Hagiographa, that is, the Books of holy Scripture. Indeed, becauſe they finde not the name of God or Lord in this whole Book, they have a cuſtome to caſt it to the ground before they read it. But they need not: for as the Ancient Heathens uſed to write upon their books [non-Latin text not transcribed], God, God, ſo might the Jews upon this;Pauſan. there being no where in Scripture found more remarkable paſſages and acts of Gods immediate providence for his calamitous people, then in this. Surely (ſaith a great Divine) like as a man by a chaine made up of ſeveral linkes, ſome of Gold, others of Silver, ſome of Braſſe, Iron, or Tin, may be drawn out of a pit: ſo (it may here be ſeen that) the Lord by the concurrence of ſeveral ſubordinate things which have no manner of dependance or natural coincidence among themſelves, hath wonderfully wrought the deliverance of his Church; that it might appear to be the work of his own hand.

In the dayes of Ahaſhuerus] That is of Xerxes, the terrour of Greece, called Ahaſhueroſh, that is, an hereditary Prince, begotten by King Darius, and borne of a Kings daughter, viz. Atoſſa, daughter to Cyrus, and heir of the Kingdome by lineal deſcent. Such an hereditary Prince was our Henry the eighth.Vide Scalig. de Emond. temp. lib. 6. Herod. 1. 7. & 9. Fevardent. Ill loc. Greek Authors alſo call Xerxes, Oxyares, and his wife Ameſtris, which ſeemeth to be the ſame with Eſther, who is called Ameſtris by a like compoſition, ſaith an Interpreter, as Hamans father was called Ham-Adata, an honourable addition to a name among the Perſians.

This is Ahaſhuerus which reigned from India even unto Aethiopia] Viz. Incluſivè, ut loquuntur. This muſt needs be Xerxes; for he ſubdued Ethiopia, and thereupon made this great feaſt. He was Lord, we ſee, of a very great part of the habitable world; s is now the great Turk, not inferiour in greatneſſe and ſtrength, to the mightieſt Monarchs that ever yet were upon the face of the earth. No part of the world is left untouched by him but America onely;Turk. Hiſt. 132 not more fortunate, ſaith one, with her rich mines, then in that ſhe is ſo farre from ſo great and dangerous an enemy. Nevertheleſſe of all this greatneſſe (belluine rather then genuine) what ſaith Luther? Turcicum imperium quantum quantum eſt, &c. The Turkiſh Empire in its utmoſt extent, is but a cruſt caſt to his dogs, by the great houſe-keeper of the world. The inheritance he reſerves for his children: who though held here to ſtrait allowance, yet are far dearer to him then the worlds greateſt darlings; as the poor captive Jewes were, then this great Emperour. Thoſe that ſeek a myſterie in this hiſtory tell us, that Ahaſhueroſh typically repreſenteth God the Father ſoveraigning over all Kingdomes and creatures on earth; chuſing ſome to be heires of heaven, and purifying them for that purpoſe. Mardochai (ſignifying bitter, and contrite) ſetteth forth Chriſt, ſay they, broken for our ſinnes, and ſuffering the bitter wrath of God. Eſther (being the ſame with Alma, a pure Virgin, ſecreted and ſecured from defilement) is a lively image of the Church, unſpotted of the world, and provided for by her Mordecai. Eſay 7.14. The diſdainful Vaſhti (taking her name from Shatha, to drink) is a fit effigies of the world, proud and luxurious, and therefore excluded heaven. Haman (ſignifying a tumultuous and obſtreperous perſon) repreſents the Devil, reſtleſſe and rageful, but to his own utter ruine, &c. Theſe are pretty things, but not ſo proper. The Popiſh Commentatours are full of them.

Over an hundred and ſeven and twenty Provinces] Seven more then were in Darius the Mede his time, Dan. 6.1. Monarchs will be ſtill adding; and although a man were Monarch of the whole world; yea, had the command of Moone, and Stars, yet would he ſtill be peeping beyond them for more, more. Herodotus reckons up ſundry ſatrapies under the King of Perſia, out of which he received, yearly, fourteene thouſand five hundred and threeſcore Euboian talents: ſo that this Monarchy is fitely compared (in Daniel) to the ſilver breaſt and armes in Nebuchadnezzars image.