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Esther Chapter
Two
New King James Version (NKJV)
Esther 2:1. After these
things
when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided
he remembered Vashti
what
she had done
and what had been decreed against her.
YLT 1After these things
at the
ceasing of the fury of the king Ahasuerus
he hath remembered Vashti
and that
which she did
and that which hath been decreed concerning her;
After these
things
when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased
....
Which went off with his
wine
and so was quickly after
a few days at most
unless this can be
understood as after the expedition of Xerxes into Greece
from whence he
returned to Shushan
in the seventh year of his reign; and if he is the
Ahasuerus here meant
he married Esther that year
Esther 2:16 and it
seems certain
that after his expedition he gave himself up to his amours
and
in his way to Sardis he fell in love with his brother's wife
and then with his
daughterF2Herodot. Calliope
sive
l. 9. c. 107. :
he remembered
Vashti;
her beauty
and was
grieved
as Jarchi observes
that she was removed from him; and so Josephus
saysF3Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 2.
that he passionately loved
her
and could not bear parting with her
and therefore was grieved that he had
brought himself into such difficulties: the Targumists carry it further
and
say that he was wroth with those that advised him to it
and ordered them to be
put to death
and that they were:
and what she
had done;
that it was a trivial
thing
and not deserving of such a sentence as he had passed upon her; that it
was not done from contempt of him
but from modesty
and a strict regard to the
laws of the Persians:
and what was
decreed against her;
that she should come no
more before him
but be divorced from him; the thought of which gave him great
pain and uneasiness.
Esther 2:2. 2 Then
the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let beautiful young virgins be
sought for the king;
YLT 2and servants of the king
his ministers
say
`Let them seek for the king young women
virgins
of good
appearance
Then said the
king's servants that ministered unto him
....
Fearing that
if Vashti
should be restored
vengeance would be taken on them; or however to remove the
grief and melancholy of the king
they gave the following advice:
let there be
fair young virgins sought for the king;
that he might enjoy them
and choose one of them
the most agreeable to him
and put her in the room of
Vashti.
Esther 2:3. 3 and
let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom
that they
may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the citadel
into the
women’s quarters
under the custody of Hegai[a] the king’s
eunuch
custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them.
YLT 3and the king doth appoint
inspectors in all provinces of his kingdom
and they gather every young woman
-- virgin
of good appearance -- unto Shushan the palace
unto the house of the
women
unto the hand of Hege eunuch of the king
keeper of the women
and to
give their purifications
And let the
king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom
....
Who best knew where
beautiful virgins might be found in their respective provinces
in which they
dwelt:
that they may
gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace;
the metropolis of the
kingdom
where was the royal palace:
to the house of
the women
unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain
the keeper of the
women;
in which house it seems
were two apartments
one for the virgins before they were introduced to the
king
the other for them when they were become his concubines
which had a keeper
also; but this Hege seems to have been over the whole house
Esther 2:14. It was
not only usual with the eastern people
as with the Turks now
for great personages
to have keepers of their wives and concubines
but with the Romans alsoF4"Pone
seram
cohibe"
&c. Juvenal. Satyr. 6. ver. 346
347. :
and let their
things for purification be given them;
such as oil of myrrh
spices
&c. to remove all impurity and ill scent from them
and make them
look smooth and beautiful.
Esther 2:4. 4 Then
let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This thing pleased the
king
and he did so.
YLT 4and the young woman who is
good in the eyes of the king doth reign instead of Vashti;' and the thing is
good in the eyes of the king
and he doth so.
And let the
maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti
....
Have the royal estate
that was taken from Vashti
given to her
the crown royal set on her head
&c.
and the thing
pleased the king
and he did so;
appointed officers in all
his provinces to seek out the most beautiful virgins
and bring them to his
palace; so with the Chinese now
the king never marries with any of his
kindred
though ever so remote; but there is sought throughout his kingdom a
damsel of twelve or fourteen years
of perfect beauty
good natural parts
and
well inclined to virtue; whence
for the most part
the queen is the daughter
of some artisan; and in their historyF5Semedo's History of China
part 1. ch. 23.
mention is made of one that was the daughter of a mason.
Esther 2:5.
5 In Shushan the citadel
there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair
the son
of Shimei
the son of Kish
a Benjamite.
YLT 5A man
a Jew
there hath
been in Shushan the palace
and his name [is] Mordecai son of Jair
son of
Shimei
son of Kish
a Benjamite –
Now in Shushan
the palace was a certain Jew
....
Not one of the tribe of
Judah
for he was afterwards called a Benjaminite; but was so called
because
he was of the kingdom of Judah
which consisted of both tribes. Jarchi says
all that were carried captive with the kings of Judah were called Jews among
the nations
though of another tribe:
whose name was
Mordecai
the son of Jair
the son of Shimei
the son of Kish
a Benjamite;
who was among those that
came with Zerubbabel from Babylon to Jerusalem
and returned to Persia again
Ezra 2:2
though
some think this was another Mordecai; See Gill on Ezra 2:2
who
descended not from Kish
the father of Saul
but a later and more obscure
person.
Esther 2:6.
6 Kish[b]
had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured
with Jeconiah[c] king of
Judah
whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
YLT 6who had been removed from
Jerusalem with the removal that was removed with Jeconiah king of Judah
whom
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed –
Who had been
carried away from Jerusalem
....
Which
according to someF6Vid.
Rainold. de Lib. Apocryph. Praelect. 113
117
146.
is to be connected
not
with Mordecai
but with Kish
his great-grandfather; and indeed otherwise
Mordecai must be now a very old man
and Esther his first cousin
they being
brothers' children
must be at an age
one would think
not to be reckoned
among young virgins
and not be so amiable as she is represented; and indeed
according to the former Targum
she was seventy five years of age
which is not
credible; and yet this
and more she must be
to be equal to Mordecai
if he
was carried captive
as follows:
with the
captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah
whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away;
which was eleven years
before the destruction of Jerusalem
for so long Zedekiah reigned after that
captivity of Jeconiah: hence Sir John MarshamF7Chronicon. see. 18.
p. 609
621. makes this affair of Esther to be within the time of the
Babylonish captivity
and places Ahasuerus her husband between Darius the Mede
and Cyrus
contrary to history and Scripture
see Daniel 6:28.
Esther 2:7.
7 And Mordecai had
brought up Hadassah
that is
Esther
his uncle’s daughter
for she had
neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful.
When her father and mother died
Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
YLT 7and he is supporting
Hadassah -- she [is] Esther -- daughter of his uncle
for she hath neither
father nor mother
and the young woman [is] of fair form
and of good
appearance
and at the death of her father and her mother hath Mordecai taken
her to him for a daughter.
And he brought
up Hadassah (that is Esther) his uncle's daughter
....
Her Hebrew name was
Hadassah
which signifies a myrtle
to which the Israelites
and good men among
them
are sometimes compared
Zechariah 1:8. Her
Persian name was Esther
which some derive from "satar"
to hide
because hidden in the house of Mordecai
so the former Targum
and by his
advice concealed her kindred: or rather she was so called by Ahasuerus
when
married to him
this word signifying in the Persian language a "star"F8Castell.
Lex. Persic. Latin. col. 329. Vid. Pfeiffer. difficil. Script. cent. 3. loc.
28. and so the latter Targum says she was called by the name of the star of
Venus
which in Greek is αστηρ; though it is
saidF9Caphtor Uperah
fol. 60. 2.
that the myrtle
which is called
"hadassah" in Hebrew
is in the Syriac language "esta"; so
"asa" in the TalmudF11T. Bab. Sanhedrin
fol. 44. 1.
signifies a myrtle; and
according to HillerusF12Onomastic. Sacr. p.
621
622.
"esther" signifies the black myrtle
which is reckoned
the most excellent; and so "amestris"
according to him
signifies
the sole myrtle
the incomparable one. Xerxes had a wife
whose name was
Amestris
which Scaliger thinks is as if it was הם אסתר
and the same with Esther; but to this are objected
that her father's name was Otanes
and her cruelty in the mutilation of the
wife of Masistis
her husband's brother
and burning alive fourteen children of
the best families of the Persians
as a sacrifice to the infernal gods; and
besides
Xerxes had a son by her marriageable
in the seventh year of this
reignF13Herodot. Calliope
sive
l. 9. c. 107. 111. & Polymnia
sive
l. 7. c. 61. 114.
the year of Ahasuerus
in which he married Esther:
but it is observed by some
that these things are confounded with the
destruction of Haman's family
or told by the Persians to obliterate the memory
of Esther
from whom they passed to the Greek historians:
for she had
neither father nor mother;
according to the former
Targum
her father died and left her mother with child of her
and her mother
died as soon as she was delivered of her:
and the maid
was fair and beautiful;
which was both the reason
why she was taken and brought into the king's house
and why Mordecai took so
much care of her:
whom Mordecai
when her father and mother were dead
took for his own daughter;
loved her
and brought her
up as if she had been his daughter
and called her so
as the Targum. The
Rabbins
as Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe
say
he took her in order to make her
his wife; and so the Septuagint render it; though perhaps no more may be
intended by that version than that he brought her up to woman's estate.
JosephusF14Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 2.) calls him her
uncle; and so the Vulgate Latin version
his brother's daughter; but both are
mistaken.
Esther 2:8.
8 So it was
when the king’s
command and decree were heard
and when many young women were gathered at
Shushan the citadel
under the custody of Hegai
that Esther also was
taken to the king’s palace
into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women.
YLT 8And it cometh to pass
in
the word of the king
even his law
being heard
and in many young women being
gathered unto Shushan the palace
unto the hand of Hegai
that Esther is taken
unto the house of the king
unto the hand of Hegai
keeper of the women
So it came to
pass
when the king's commandment and decree was heard
....
In the several provinces
of his kingdom:
and when many
maidens were gathered unto Shushan the palace
to the custody of Hegai;
JosephusF15Ibid.
(Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 2.) says
there were gathered to the number of four
hundred:
that Esther was
brought also unto the king's house
to the custody of Hegai
the keeper of the
women:
by force
as Aben Ezra and
the former Targum
and so the word is sometimes used.
Esther 2:9.
9 Now the young woman
pleased him
and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations
to her
besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for
her from the king’s palace
and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place
in the house of the women.
YLT 9and the young woman is good
in his eyes
and she receiveth kindness before him
and he hasteneth her
purifications and her portions -- to give to her
and the seven young women who
are provided -- to give to her
from the house of the king
and he changeth her
and her young women to a good [place in] the house of the women.
And the maiden
pleased him
....
Not the king
into whose
presence she was not yet introduced
but the chamberlain; her beauty and her
behaviour recommended her to him
and he concluded within himself that she was
the person that of all would be acceptable to the king:
and she
obtained kindness of him:
had favours shown others
had not:
and he speedily
gave her things for purification;
as oil
spices
&c.
that she might be the sooner fitted to be had into the king's presence:
with such
things as belonged to her;
food and drink from the
king's table; the Targum interprets it gifts
as chains and royal apparel:
and seven
maidens
which were given her
out of the king's house;
to wait upon her the seven
days of the week
as the same Targum:
and he
preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women;
removed her and them to
it
which was the most splendid
had large
airy
and pleasant rooms.
Esther 2:10.
10 Esther had not revealed
her people or family
for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it.
YLT 10Esther hath not declared
her people
and her kindred
for Mordecai hath laid a charge on her that she
doth not declare [it];
Esther had not
showed her people nor her kindred
....
What nation or family she
was of; it not being asked
she was under no obligation to declare it; and
being born in Shushan
as very probable
she was taken to be a Persian:
for Mordecai
had charged her that she should not show it;
lest she should be
despised and ill treated on that account; fearing
if the king knew it
he
would not marry her
as Aben Ezra; or rather
as the same writer thinks
that
she might keep the law of God privately
observe the sabbath
&c.
Esther 2:11. 11 And
every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women’s quarters
to
learn of Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.
YLT 11and during every day
Mordecai is walking up and down before the court of the house of the women to
know the welfare of Esther
and what is done with her.
And Mordecai
walked every day before the court of the women's house
....
Being one of the court
and in an high post
as Aben Ezra thinks
he might walk there without being
examined
and called to an account for it:
to know how
Esther did;
to inquire of her health
and prosperity
or peace
the word here used signifies
even all sorts of it:
and what should
become of her;
or was done to her
whether she was well used
or as yet introduced to the king
how it fared with
her
and what befell her.
Esther 2:12.
12 Each young woman’s turn
came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation
according to the regulations for the women
for thus were the days of their
preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh
and six months with
perfumes and preparations for beautifying women.
YLT 12And in the drawing nigh of
the turn of each young woman to come in unto the king Ahasuerus
at the end of
there being to her -- according to the law of the women -- twelve months
for
so they fulfil the days of their purifications; six months with oil of myrrh
and six months with spices
and with the purifications of women
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 women
....
That were prepared in the
house of the women to be presented to the king for his liking; for it seems
that these virgins came in turns to him
according to the time they had been in
the house; as did the wives of the kings of Persia
as Herodotus relatesF16Thalia
sive
l. 3. c. 69. :
for so were the
days of their purifications accomplished;
that is
in the space of
twelve months
which were thus divided: to wit:
six months with
oil of myrrh;
which Ben Melech
interprets of musk:
and six month's
with sweet odours;
the former was used to
make the skin smooth and soft
and these to remove all ill scents through
sweat
or any other cause:
and with other
things for the purifying of women:
by bathing
rubbing
&c. and such a space of time was observed not only for the thorough
purification of them
but partly was of state and grandeur
and partly that it
might be a clear case they were not with child by another
before they came to
the king.
Esther 2:13.
13 Thus prepared
each
young woman went to the king
and she was given whatever she desired to take
with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace.
YLT 13and with this the young
woman hath come in unto the king
all that she saith is given to her
to go in
with her
out of the house of the women
unto the house of the king;
Then thus came
every virgin unto the king
....
When her twelve months
were up
and she was purified in the manner before observed:
whatsoever she
desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the
king's house;
whatever she commanded the
chamberlain was obliged to furnish her with
or grant it to her
whether for
ornament
as jewels
rich apparel
&c. or for attendance; whatever prince
or peer she required to accompany her to the king
was to be obtained for her
as the Targum: and everything for mirth
all kinds of songs
or instruments of
music
as Jarchi.
Esther 2:14.
14 In the evening she went
and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women
to the
custody of Shaashgaz
the king’s eunuch who kept the concubines. She would not
go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by
name.
YLT 14in the evening she hath
gone in
and in the morning she hath turned back unto the second house of the
women
unto the hand of Shaashgaz eunuch of the king
keeper of the concubines;
she cometh not in any more unto the king except the king hath delighted in her
and she hath been called by name.
In the evening
she went
and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women
....
Or the other apartment of
the house of the women
where were kept those the king had made his concubines
or secondary wives. Aben Ezra interprets it the second time
and so the Targum
by "again":
to the custody
of Shaashgaz the king's chamberlain
which kept the concubines;
of which the kings of
Persia had a great number; Darius
whom Alexander conquered
had three hundred
and sixtyF17Curt. Hist. l. 3. c. 3. :
she came in
unto the king no more
except the king delighted in her
and that she was
called by name;
but remained shut up in
the house
and might not lie with
nor be married to
another man.
Esther 2:15.
15 Now when the turn came for
Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai
who had taken her as his
daughter
to go in to the king
she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s
eunuch
the custodian of the women
advised. And Esther obtained favor in the
sight of all who saw her.
YLT 15And in the drawing nigh of
the turn of Esther -- daughter of Abihail
uncle of Mordecai
whom he had taken
to him for a daughter -- to come in unto the king
she hath not sought a thing
except that which Hegai eunuch of the king
keeper of the women
saith
and
Esther is receiving grace in the eyes of all seeing her.
Now when the
turn of Esther the daughter of Abihail
....
For this was her father's
name
and not Aminadab
as the Septuagint version:
the uncle of
Mordecai
who had taken her for his daughter;
which makes it quite clear
that Mordecai was not Esther's uncle
as Josephus
but her own cousin: now when
her turn
was come to go
in unto the king;
which the virgins under
purification took by turns
Esther 2:14
she required
nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain
the keeper of the women
appointed;
what he ordered her to
have
or to do
she submitted to
being in his hands
and so obeyed his orders;
but more she asked not
either for ornament or attendance
being not at all
solicitous whether the king liked her or not; for it was not of choice
but by
constraint
she went unto him; nor needed she anything to recommend her
her
virtue
modesty
and beauty
were sufficient:
and Esther
obtained favour of all them that looked upon her:
when she came to court
the eyes of all were attracted to her; all admired her beauty
her innocent and
modest look
and her graceful mien and deportment.
Esther 2:16.
16 So Esther was taken to King
Ahasuerus
into his royal palace
in the tenth month
which is the month
of Tebeth
in the seventh year of his reign.
YLT 16And Esther is taken unto
the king Ahasuerus
unto his royal house
in the tenth month -- it [is] the
month of Tebeth -- in the seventh year of his reign
So Esther was
taken unto King Ahasuerus
into his house royal
....
Did not return on the
morrow to the house of the women
as those who only became the king's
concubines did
Esther 2:14
but
she was taken to be his wife
and designed for his queen
and so was retained
in his palace
and placed in an apartment suitable to the dignity she was about
to be advanced unto:
and this was
done in the tenth month
which is the month Tebeth;
and answers to part of
December and part of January; not the twelfth month Adar
as the Septuagint
version
and so JosephusF17Ut supra (Antiqu. l. 11. c.6. sect. 2.)
contrary to the original text: either that law had not obtained among the
Persians
or the king thought himself not bound by it
which forbid marriage at
any other time than the beginning of the vernal equinoxF18Strabo.
Geograph. l. 1. p. 504. :
in the seventh
year of his reign;
and the divorce of Vashti
being in the third year of his reign
it was four years before Esther was taken
by him; who
if Xerxes
it may be accounted for by his preparation for
and
engagement in
a war with Greece
which took him up all this time; and from
whence he returned in the seventh year of his reign
at the beginning of it
and married Esther at the close of it
see Esther 2:1 as may
be suggested.
Esther 2:17.
17 The king loved Esther more
than all the other women
and she obtained grace and favor in his sight
more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her
queen instead of Vashti.
YLT 17and the king loveth Esther
above all the women
and she receiveth grace and kindness before him above all
the virgins
and he setteth a royal crown on her head
and causeth her to reign
instead of Vashti
And the king
loved Esther above all the women
....
The virgins he made his
concubines
as next explained; though Jarchi interprets it of married women
for such he supposes were gathered and brought to him
as well as virgins:
and she
obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins;
who had been purified
and
in their turns brought to him:
so that he set
the royal crown upon her head
and made her queen instead of Vashti; declared her
queen
and gave her all the ensigns of royalty: so it was usual with the
eastern kings to put a crown or diadem on the heads of their wives at the time
of marriage
and declare them queensF19Vid. Paschalium de Coronis
l. 10. c. 8. p. 689. .
Esther 2:18.
18 Then the king made a great
feast
the Feast of Esther
for all his officials and servants; and he
proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the
generosity of a king.
YLT 18and the king maketh a great
banquet to all his heads and his servants -- the banquet of Esther -- and a
release to the provinces hath made
and giveth gifts as a memorial of the king.
Then the king
made a great feast unto all his princes and servants
even Esther's feast
....
A feast to all his nobles
courtiers
and ministers of state
on account of his marriage with Esther;
which
according to the Greek version
was held seven days; but
according to
Josephus
it lasted a whole monthF20Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6.
sect. 2.) :
and he made a
release to the provinces;
of taxes and tribute due
to him
as was the custom of the kings of Persia when they came to the throne
as HerodotusF21Erato
sive
l. 6. c. 59. relates; so Smerdis the
magus
that mounted the throne after Cambyses
pretending to be his brother
released them for three years to comeF23Thalia
sive
l. 3. c. 67. ;
and Grotius says kings used to do it at their marriage
but gives no instance
of it:
and gave gifts:
according to the latter
Targum
to the provinces
all of them
that he might be sure that the people of
Esther shared his favours
who were as yet unknown; but rather these gifts were
given to his nobles
or it may be to Esther; so the former Targum
"he gave
to her a gift and portion:"
according to
the state of the king;
his royal ability and
munificence
and suitable to his grandeur; and it was usual with the Persian
kings to give to their wives whole cities for one thing or another
as for
necklaces
hair laces
shoes
&c.F24Herodot. Euterpe
sive
l.
2. c. 98. Cicero in Verrem
l. 3. Orat. 8. ; SocratesF25In Plat.
Alcibiad. speaks of a whole country in Persia called the "Queen's
girdle"
and another her "Headdress".
Esther 2:19.
19 When virgins were gathered
together a second time
Mordecai sat within the king’s gate.
YLT 19And in the virgins being
gathered a second time
then Mordecai is sitting in the gate of the king;
And when the
virgins were gathered together the second time
....
Some think this second
collection is that which was made when Esther was taken and brought to the
keeper of the women
called the second
in reference to a former collection of
them
made when Vashti was taken and made queen; but as there is no proof of
any such collection then made
rather the case was this
such was the lust of
the king
though he had a queen he loved
and a multitude of concubine's
yet a
second collection of virgins was made for his gratification:
then Mordecai
sat in the king's gate;
or court
being an officer
in it
promoted by the interest of Esther
though not as yet known to be a
relation of her's: so θυρα in XenophonF26Cyropaedia
l. 8. c. 2
5
11
40. is used of the court of the king of Persia
as the Ottoman
or Turkish court is now called the "Porte".
Esther 2:20.
20 Now
Esther had not revealed her family and her people
just as Mordecai had charged
her
for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by
him.
YLT 20Esther is not declaring her
kindred and her people
as Mordecai hath laid a charge upon her
and the saying
of Mordecai Esther is doing as when she was truly with him.
Esther had not
showed her kindred nor her people
as Mordecai had charged her
....
As not before
so neither
since she was made queen
see Esther 2:10
though
according to the Targums
she was urged to it by the king himself:
for Esther did
the commandment of Mordecai
like as when she was brought up with him:
which showed great
humility in her
notwithstanding her advancement
great respect to him
and a
sense of gratitude for the kindness he had shown; and this charge to her was
still continued by Mordecai
partly that she might not fall into contempt
and
partly to prevent hatred and envy to the Jewish nation
through her promotion;
but chiefly so it was ordered in Providence
the proper time being not yet
come.
Esther 2:21. 21 In
those days
while Mordecai sat within the king’s gate
two of the king’s
eunuchs
Bigthan and Teresh
doorkeepers
became furious and sought to lay
hands on King Ahasuerus.
YLT 21In those days
when
Mordecai is sitting in the gate of the king
hath Bigthan been wroth
and
Teresh
(two of the eunuchs of the king
the keepers of the threshold
) and
they seek to put forth a hand on king Ahasuerus
In those days
while Mordecai sat in the king's gate
....
Being
as before observed
an officer at court:
two of the
king's chamberlains
Bigthan and Teresh
of those that kept the door;
of the inner court
as
Aben Ezra
of the doors of his bedchamber; perhaps they were the chief of his
bodyguards
as the Septuagint version; in later times
such officers were about
the chambers of great personages as their guardsF1Vid. Pignorium de
Servis
p. 408
&c. & Popma de Servis
p. 33. & Alstorph. de Lectis
Vet. c. 12. :
these were
wroth
and sought to lay hand on the King Ahasuerus;
to poison him
as Jarchi and
both the Targums; however
to take away his life by some means or another.
GorionidesF2Hist. Heb. l. 2. c. 1. p. 72. says their design was
while the king was asleep
to cut off his head
and carry it to the king of
Greece; there being at that time great wars between the kingdom of Greece and
the kingdom of Persia
which exactly agrees with the times of Xerxes
and with
this part of his reign
about the seventh year of it
what was the occasion of
this wrath is not said
it is thought to be either the divorce of Vashti
whose
creatures they were
or the marriage of Esther
and particularly the promotion
of Mordecai
fearing they should be turned out of their places; so the former
Targum.
Esther 2:22.
22 So the matter became known
to Mordecai
who told Queen Esther
and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s
name.
YLT 22and the thing is known to
Mordecai
and he declareth [it] to Esther the queen
and Esther speaketh to the
king in the name of Mordecai
And the thing
was known to Mordecai
....
But by what means does not
appear; the Jewish writers sayF3T. Bab. Megillah
fol. 13. 2. Targum
prius & Jarchi in loc.
these two men were Tarsians
and spoke in the Tarsian
language
which they thought Mordecai did not understand; but he
being skilled
in languages
overheard them
and understood what they said; but
according to
JosephusF4Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 4.
it was discovered to him
by Barnabazus
a servant of one of the chamberlains; the latter Targum says
it
was showed unto him by the Holy Ghost:
who told it
unto Esther
and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name;
whose name she mentioned
partly as a voucher of the truth of what she reported
and partly to ingratiate
Mordecai to the king
that he might be still yet more promoted in due time.
Esther 2:23.
23 And when an inquiry was
made into the matter
it was confirmed
and both were hanged on a gallows; and
it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.
YLT 23and the thing is sought
out
and found
and they are hanged both of them on a tree
and it is written
in the book of the Chronicles before the king.
And when
inquisition was made of the matter
it was found out
....
That these two men had
entered into a conspiracy to take away the king's life; full proof and evidence
were given of it:
therefore they
were both hanged on a tree;
JosephusF5Ibid.
(Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 4.) says they were crucified; but hanging was
frequent among the Persians
as Grotius observes
and better agrees with the
word here used:
and it was
written in the book of the chronicles before the king;
in a diary kept by the
king's order
in which memorable events were set down
and might be done in the
presence of the king
as well as the book lay open before him to read at any
time; and this is observed to agree with the manner of Xerxes
who is reportedF6Plutarch.
in Themistocle. to sit on a throne of gold to behold a sea fight between the
Grecians and Persians
and had several scribes by him to take down whatever was
done in the fight.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)