John Trapp on Esther 9:3

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.