Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Esther 2

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen.
5  Mordecai the nursing father of Esther.
8  Esther preferred before the rest.
12  The manner of purification, and going in to the king.
15  Esther best pleasing the king, is made queen.
21  Mordecai discovering a treason, is recorded in the chronicles.
Verse 1

After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
A. M. 3543. B.C. 461. he remembered
Daniel 6:14-18
what was decreed
1:12-21
Verse 2

Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
king's servants
1:10,14, 6:14
Let there be
Genesis 12:14, 1 Kings 1:2
Verse 3

And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:
in all the provinces
1:1,2
that they may gather
This was the usual way in which the harem, or seraglio, was furnished; the finest women in the land, whether of high or low birth, were sought out and brought to the harem. They all became the king's concubines; but one was raised as chief wife, or sultana, to the throne; and her issue was especially entitled to inherit.
the custody
Heb. the hand. Hege.
Hegai
the king's chamberlain. Saris hammelech, "the king's eunuch:" so the LXX., Vulgate, Targum, and Syriac.
their things
12-14, Isaiah 3:18-23
Verse 4

And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
let the maiden
Matthew 20:16, 22:14
the thing
1:21, 3:9,10, 2 Samuel 13:4-6, 16:21-23, 17:4, Matthew 14:6
Verse 5

Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
Shushan
3, 1:2, 5:1
a certain Jew
3:2-6, 10:3
the son of Shimei
1 Samuel 9:1, 2 Samuel 16:5
Verse 6

Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
Jeconiah
2 Kings 24:6,14,15, 2 Chronicles 36:9,10,20
Jeboiachin
Jeremiah 22:24,28
Coniah
Jeremiah 24:1
Verse 7

And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
brought up
Heb. nourished.
Ephesians 6:4
Hadassah
Daniel 1:6,7
his uncle's
15, Jeremiah 32:7-12
fair and beautiful
Heb. fair of form and good of countenance.
1:11
took
Genesis 48:5, 2 Corinthians 6:18, 1 John 3:1
Verse 8

So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
Hegai
One of Dr. Kennicott's MSS., instead of Hegai has Hegé, as in ver. 3.
Verse 9

And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
she obtained
Genesis 39:21, 1 Kings 8:50, Ezra 7:6, Nehemiah 2:8, Psalms 106:46, Proverbs 16:7, Daniel 1:9, Acts 7:10
her her things
3,12
such things
Heb. her portions. preferred her. Heb. changed her.
Verse 10

Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
had not shewed
3:8, 4:13,14, 7:4, Matthew 10:16
for Mordecai
7,20, Ephesians 6:1
Verse 11

And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
Mordecai
The apartments of the women are accounted so inviolable, that it is even a crime to enquire what passes within their walls. A man, says Chardin, may walk a hundred days, one after the other, by the house where the women are, and yet know no more what is done there than at the farther end of Tartary. This sufficiently explains the conduct of Mordecai.
walked
13,14
how Esther did
Heb. the peace of Esther.
Genesis 37:14, 1 Samuel 17:18, Acts 15:36
Verse 12

Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)
A. M. 3546. B.C. 458. to go in
1 Thessalonians 4:4,5
six months
Proverbs 7:17, Song of Solomon 3:6, Isaiah 57:9, Luke 7:37,38
Verse 14

In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.
delighted
4:11, Genesis 34:19, Deuteronomy 21:14, Isaiah 62:4,5
she were called
Isaiah 43:1, 45:4
Verse 15

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
who had taken
Esther
Song of Solomon 6:9, 8:10, Acts 7:10
Verse 16

So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
the tenth month
8:9
the seventh
1,3, Ezra 7:8
Verse 17

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
favour
or, kindness. in his sight. Heb. before him. so that he set.
4:14, 1 Samuel 2:8, Psalms 75:6,7, 113:7,8, Ezekiel 17:24, Luke 1:48-52; Bishop Patrick observes, that those who suggest that Esther committed a great sin to come at the dignity of queen of Persia, do not consider the custom of those times and countries. Every one that the king took to his bed was married to him, and was his wife of a lower rank, as Hagar was to Abraham.
Verse 18

Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
A. M. 3547. B.C. 457. made a great
1:3-5, Genesis 29:22, Judges 14:10-17, Song of Solomon 3:11, 5:1, Matthew 22:2, Luke 14:8, Revelation 19:9
he made
We learn from Herodotus and Athenæus, that the Persian monarchs were accustomed to give their wives distinct cities and provinces for the purpose of supplying them with different articles of dress: one was assigned for ornamenting the head and neck; another provided robes, zones, etc.; and the city of Anthilla was given to a Persian queen, we read, to supply her with shoes and sandals. It is probable, therefore, that, at the desire of Esther, Ahasuerus relieved those cities and provinces that had before paid it, from this expense.
release
Heb. rest. gave gifts.
9:22, 1 Samuel 25:8, Nehemiah 8:11, Revelation 11:10
Verse 19

And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
the virgins
3,4
sat in the king's gate
21, 3:2,3, 5:13
Verse 20

Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
had not yet shewed
for Esther
Ephesians 6:1-3
Verse 21

In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
Bigthan
6:2
Bigthana
door. Heb. threshold. and sought.
2 Samuel 4:5,6, 16:11, 1 Kings 15:25-27, 16:9, 2 Kings 9:22-24, 12:20, 21:23, Psalms 144:10
Verse 22

And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
the thing
Ecclesiastes 10:20, Acts 23:12-22
and Esther certified
6:1,2, Romans 11:33
Mordecai's name
Philippians 2:4
Verse 23

And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
hanged
5:14, 7:10, Genesis 40:19,22, Deuteronomy 21:22,23, Joshua 8:29
the book
6:1,2, Malachi 3:16

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