John Trapp on Esther 7:9

Verſe 9. And Harbonah one of the Kings Chamberlaines, &c.] See chapter 6.14. with the Note.

Said before the King] Not a man opens his mouth to ſpeak for Haman, but all againſt him. Had the cauſe been better, thus it would have been. Every curre is ready to fall upon the dog that he ſeeth worried; every man ready to pull a branch from the tree is falling. Cromwell had experience of this when once he fell into diſpleaſure, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Speed. by ſpeaking againſt the Kings match with Lady Katherine Howard, in defence of Queen Anne of Cleeve, and diſcharge of his conſcience, for the which he ſuffered death, Steven Gardiner being the chiefe Engineere. Had Hamans cauſe been like his, albeit he had found as few friends to intercede for him as Cromwell, yet he might have died with as much comfort as he did. But he died more like to the Lord Hungerford of Hatesby, Speed. who was beheaded together with the noble Cromwell, but neither ſo Chriſtianly ſuffering, nor ſo quietly dying for his offence committed againſt nature, viz. buggery. Cromwell exhorted him to repent, and promiſed him mercy from God; but his heart was hardened, and ſo was this wicked Hamans. God therefore juſtly ſet off all hearts from him in his greateſt neceſſity; and now, to adde to his miſery, brings another of his foule ſins to light, that he might the more condignely be cut off.

Behold alſo the Gallowe[illegible: 1 letter], fifty cubits high] See chap. 5.14. This the Queen knew not of when ſhe petitioned againſt Haman. But now they all heare of it for Hamans utter confuſion.

Which he had prepared for Mordecai] At a time when the King had done him greateſt honour, as his Preſerver and near Ally by marriage, as now it appeared. This muſt needs reflect upon the King, and be a reproach to him. Beſides, the King looked upon him, as one that went about either to throttle the Queen, (as ſome underſtand the words, verſe 8.) or to raviſh her: and this was juſt upon him, ſay ſome Interpreters, eò quò aliis virginibus & matronis vini intuliſſet, becauſe it was common with him to raviſh other maids and matrons, and hence the Kings ſuſpicion and charge, whereof before.

Who had ſpoken good for the King] All is now for Mordecai, but not a word for Haman; the riſing Sun ſhall be ſure to be adored. And the contrary, Sejanus his friends ſhewed themſelves moſt paſſionate againſt him, when once the Emperour frowned upon him, ſaying, that if Caeſar had clemency, he ought to reſerve it for men, and not uſe it toward monſters. This is Courtiers cuſtome, ad quamlibet auram ſeſe inclinare, to ſhift their ſails to the ſitting of every winde, to comply with the King which way ſoever he enclineth. It is better therefore to put truſt in the Lord, then to put confidence in man. It is better to truſt in the Lord, then to put confidence in Princes, Pſal. 118.8, 9. If Harbonah ſpake this out of hatred of Hamans inſolency, and in favour of Mordecai's innocency and loyalty, he deſerved commendation. Howſoever Gods holy hand was in it for the good of his people, and overthrow of their enemy; and little did this night-ſprung-Muſhrom Haman, (that ſuck't the earths fatneſſe from far better plants then himſelf) take notice till now, of the many hands ready to pluck him up by the roots, when the ſeaſon ſhould ſerve to clear the land of ſuch weeds.

Standeth is the houſe of Haman] Or, by the houſe of Haman, that he might feed his eyes with that delightful ſight, and cry out, as Hannibal did when he ſaw a ditch filled with mans blood, O jucundum ſpectaculum, O pleaſant Spectacle. The Story of that King of France is well known, who vowed to ſee a certain Martyr executed; but before that could be done, had his eye put out at a Juſtes, whereof not long after alſo he died. And that of Sir Ralph Ellerker Governonr of Callice in King Henry the eighths time, who at the death of Adam Damlip Martyr, called to the Executioner, ſaying Diſpatch the Knave, have done, I will not away before I ſee the Traitours heart out. But ſhortly after in a skirmiſh betwixt the French and us at Bullen, this Knight was not only ſlain among others, but ſtrip't diſmembred, and his heart rip't out, and ſo left a terrible example,Act. & Mex. fol. 1120. ſaith Mr. Fox of Gods juſtice to all bloody and mercileſſe men. Thou ſhouldeſt not have looked, &c. Obad. 12. See the Note there.

Then the King ſaid, Hang him thereon] The Kings of Perſia, had abſolute and unqueſtionable power to do whatſoever they liſted. Quicquid libuit, licuit. All their ſubjects except their Queens, were no better then their ſlaves, whom they would they ſlew, and whom they would they kept alive: whom they would they ſet up, and whom they would they put down, Dan. 5.19. Haman is here without order of law, more then the Kings command, adjudged to be hanged. The truth is, it was a clear caſe, and the malefactour was ſelf-condemned; Hang him therefore, ſaith the King, a ſhort and juſt ſentence, and ſoon executed.