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Esther Chapter
Eight
New King James Version
(NKJV)
Esther 8:1. On that day
King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman
the enemy of the Jews. And
Mordecai came before the king
for Esther had told how he was related to
her.
YLT 1On that day hath the king
Ahasuerus given to Esther the queen the house of Haman
adversary of the Jews
and Mordecai hath come in before the king
for Esther hath declared what he
[is] to her
On that day did
the King
Ahasuerus
give the house of Haman
the Jews' enemy
unto Esther the
queen
....
That
and all the goods in
it
and estate belonging to it; which being confiscated to the king
he gave to
Esther
who would have been the sufferer
had his scheme taken place; so the
Targum adds
"and the men of his house
and all his treasures
and all his
riches:"
and Mordecai
came before the king;
was introduced into his
presence
became one of his privy counsellors
one of those that saw the king's
face
and sat first in the kingdom
Esther 1:14
for Esther had
told what he was unto her;
what relation he stood in
to her; her uncle
according to the Vulgate Latin version
and so Aben Ezra and
Josephus
but wrongly
for she was his uncle's daughter; so that they were
brother's children
or own cousins
see Esther 2:7.
Esther 8:2.
2 So the king took off his
signet ring
which he had taken from Haman
and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther
appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman.
YLT 2and the king turneth aside
his signet
that he hath caused to pass away from Haman
and giveth it to
Mordecai
and Esther setteth Mordecai over the house of Haman.
And the king
took off his ring
which he had taken from Haman
and gave it unto Mordecai
....
which
with the Persians
was a token of the strongest affection and strictest friendshipF26Alex.
ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 26. & l. 2. c. 19. ; the Targum calls it
his signatory ring
that with which he signed laws
edicts
letters
patents
&c. and so hereby made him keeper of the seals:
and Esther set
Mordecai over the house of Haman;
appointed him her steward
of the estate of Haman
the king had given her.
Esther 8:3.
3 Now Esther spoke again to
the king
fell down at his feet
and implored him with tears to counteract the
evil of Haman the Agagite
and the scheme which he had devised against the
Jews.
YLT 3And Esther addeth
and
speaketh before the king
and falleth before his feet
and weepeth
and maketh
supplication to him
to cause the evil of Haman the Agagite to pass away
and
his device that he had devised against the Jews;
And Esther
spake yet again before the king
....
Went into his presence
without being called for as before
with a new petition:
and fell down
at his feet
and besought him with tears;
the more to work upon his
affections
and move him to grant her request; which she might be the more
encouraged to hope for
through the success she already had:
to put away the
mischief of Haman the Agagite
and his device that he had devised against the
Jews;
to revoke
abolish
and
make void a mischievous scheme Haman had devised against the Jews
to root out
the whole nation of them in the Persian empire.
Esther 8:4.
4 And the king held out the
golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king
YLT 4and the king holdeth out to
Esther the golden sceptre
and Esther riseth
and standeth before the king
Then the king
held out the golden sceptre towards Esther
....
As a token that she had
not incurred his displeasure by coming into his presence without leave
and
that she was admitted to speak and make her request; see Esther 5:3
so Esther arose
and stood before the king;
she rose from the ground
on which she lay prostrate
and stood upon her feet
in an humble manner
to
make her speech
and present her petition to the king.
Esther 8:5.
5 and said
“If it pleases
the king
and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems
right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes
let it be written to revoke
the letters devised by Haman
the son of Hammedatha the Agagite
which he wrote
to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.
YLT 5and saith
`If to the king
[it be] good
and if I have found grace before him
and the thing hath been
right before the king
and I [be] good in his eyes
let it be written to bring
back the letters -- a device of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite -- that he
wrote to destroy the Jews who [are] in all provinces of the king
And said
if it
please the king
and if I have found favour in his sight
and the thing seem
right before the king
and I be pleasing in his eyes
....
This heap of phrases
which signify much the same thing
are used to work upon the king's affections
and to show how submissive she was to his will:
let it be
written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha
the
Agagite
which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's
provinces.
She wisely takes no notice
of any concern the king had in them
but suggests as that she looked upon them
as forged by Haman
who put the king's name and seal to them
without his
knowledge and consent.
Esther 8:6.
6 For how can I endure to
see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the
destruction of my countrymen?”
YLT 6for how do I endure when I
have looked on the evil that doth find my people? and how do I endure when I
have looked on the destruction of my kindred?'
For how can I
endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people?....
I cannot bear it; it will
break my heart; I shall die to see all my people massacred throughout the
realm; the thought of it is shocking and shuddering; to see it
intolerable: or
"how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?" the same
thing in different words
and somewhat more express and explanative. She
explains the evil coming upon her people of the utter destruction of them
not
barely an oppression
but an extermination of them; and she makes use of a word
expressive of their relation to her
as more endearing
being her kindred; she
and they being
as it were
of the same family
and with whom she could not but
sympathize in distress.
Esther 8:7.
7 Then King Ahasuerus said
to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew
“Indeed
I have given Esther the house of
Haman
and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay
his hand on the Jews.
YLT 7And the king Ahasuerus
saith to Esther the queen
and to Mordecai the Jew
`Lo
the house of Haman I
have given to Esther
and him they have hanged on the tree
because that he put
forth his hand on the Jews
Then the King
Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen
and to Mordecai the Jew
....
Who was present at the
same time
either at the desire of Esther
or by virtue of his office
being
now one of those that saw the king's face
Esther 8:1
behold
I have
given Esther the house of Haman;
See Gill on Esther 8:1
and him they
have hanged upon the gallows;
which he had prepared for
Mordecai
Esther 7:10
because he laid
his hand upon the Jews;
intended to do so
and had
prepared for it
and wrote letters
ordering their destruction on such a day.
Now as the king had shown favour to Esther and Mordecai
and had punished Haman
for contriving mischief against them and the Jews
which was publicly known
the people would be fearful of doing anything against them
lest they should
incur the king's displeasure
and therefore might make themselves easy about
this matter; but
however
to give them all the satisfaction he could
he
directs them to do as follows.
Esther 8:8.
8 You yourselves write a
decree concerning the Jews
as you please
in the king’s name
and seal it
with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and
sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”
YLT 8and ye
write ye for the
Jews
as [it is] good in your eyes
in the name of the king
and seal with the
signet of the king -- for the writing that is written in the name of the king
and sealed with the signet of the king
there is none to turn back.'
Write ye also
for the Jews as it liketh you
....
Whatever may be thought
fit and proper for their safety and security:
in the king's
name
and seal it with the king's ring;
as the former letters
were:
for the writing
which is written in the king's name
and sealed with the king's ring
may no
man reverse;
which is a reason both for
the writing and sealing of the present letters in this manner
and why the former
could not be reversed; nor does it appear that they were
but that
in virtue
of them
the people had power to rise and kill the Jews on the day appointed
if they dared
or were so disposed; and these empowered the Jews to rise in
their own defence
and kill all that made any attempts upon them
for which
they had the royal authority; and these letters coming after the other
though
they did not formally reverse them
which might not be done
yet rendered them
ineffectual.
Esther 8:9.
9 So the king’s scribes were
called at that time
in the third month
which is the month of Sivan
on
the twenty-third day; and it was written
according to all that Mordecai
commanded
to the Jews
the satraps
the governors
and the princes of the
provinces from India to Ethiopia
one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in
all
to every province in its own script
to every people in their own
language
and to the Jews in their own script and language.
YLT 9And the scribes of the king
are called
at that time
in the third month -- it [is] the month of Sivan --
in the three and twentieth of it
and it is written
according to all that
Mordecai hath commanded
unto the Jews
and unto the lieutenants
and the
governors
and the heads of the provinces
that [are] from Hodu even unto Cush
seven and twenty and a hundred provinces -- province and province according to
its writing
and people and people according to its tongue
and unto the Jews
according to their writing
and according to their tongue.
Then were the
king's scribes called at that time
....
As they were to write the
former letter
Esther 3:12
in the third
month
that is the month Sivan
on the three and twentieth day thereof;
which answers to part of
May
and part of June. This was two months and ten days after the writing of
the former letters; so long the Jews had been in distress by reason of them
and was a just rebuke upon them for not returning to their own land when they
might
as well as for other sins:
and it was
written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews.
Mordecai dictated to the
scribes
and ordered what they should write; and which were sent to the Jews in
the first place
partly to ease them of their present distress
and partly that
they might prepare against that time for their defence
for which they had
sufficient time
it being now more than nine months to it:
and to the
lieutenants
and the deputies
and the rulers of the provinces
which are from
India unto Ethiopia
an hundred twenty and seven provinces.
The letters were directed
to the same magistrates in the several provinces as the former
giving orders
to them
that
notwithstanding them
they were to suffer the Jews to defend
themselves
and not punish them for what should be done by them in
self-defence; see Esther 1:1
unto every
province according to the writing thereof
and unto every people after their
language
and to the Jews according to their writing
and according to their
language;
some provinces spoke the
Persian language
and used the character of it
others Chaldee
others Syriac
&c. and wrote in the usual characters
as the Jews did in Hebrew
and in
the characters of that language; and now these letters were written in the
language and character of the people of the several provinces they were sent
to
that they might be easily read and understood.
Esther 8:10.
10 And he wrote in the name
of King Ahasuerus
sealed it with the king’s signet ring
and sent
letters by couriers on horseback
riding on royal horses bred from swift
steeds.[a]
YLT 10And he writeth in the name
of the king Ahasuerus
and sealeth with the signet of the king
and sendeth
letters by the hand of the runners with horses
riders of the dromedary
the
mules
the young mares
And he wrote in
the King Ahasuerus' name
and sealed it with the king's ring
....
Which gave the letters
authority
and made them irreversible
and for this Mordecai had the king's
order
Esther 8:8
and sent
letters by post;
by runners or couriers:
on horseback;
that rode on horses that
were racers
that ran swiftly:
and riders on
mules
camels
and young dromedaries;
which were all different
creatures
and swift ones
according to our version
especially the latter; see
Jeremiah 2:23 which
were a kind of camels
but swifter
and would go more than one hundred miles a
dayF1Isidor. Origin. l. 12. c. 1. Vid. Strabo Geograph. l. 15. p. 498.
; and
as Diodorus Siculus saysF2Bibliothec. l. 19. p. 683.
not
less than 1500 furlongs or about two hundred miles: though it may be only one
sort are meant
namely
"mules"
for the next word
"ahashteranim"
in the Persian language signifies mulesF3Castell.
Dictionar. Persic. col. 29. Hottinger. Smegma Oriental l. 1. c. 5. p. 75.
and
so Aben Ezra interprets it
and likewise Kimchi and Ben Melech; and the last
words may be rendered "sons of mares"
so David de Pomis; that is
such mules as are gendered by he asses and mares: and so the same writer
observes
that the word in the Arabic language signifies "mares"; and
such mules that come from them he says are stronger than those that come from
she asses; so that the whole may be rendered to this sense
"riders on
mules"
(which in the Persian language are called
"ahashteranim"
) namely
such as are "sons of mares"; and
which according to AelianusF4De Animal. l. 16. c. 9. and PlinyF5Nat.
Hist. l. 8. c. 44. are the swiftest; though the Persians had camels swifter
than are common elsewhere
called "revatrie"
the "goer"
which trot as fast as an horse can gallopF6Universal History
vol.
5. p. 88. .
Esther 8:11. 11 By
these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to
gather together and protect their lives—to destroy
kill
and annihilate all
the forces of any people or province that would assault them
both
little children and women
and to plunder their possessions
YLT 11that the king hath given to
the Jews who [are] in every city and city
to be assembled
and to stand for
their life
to cut off
to slay
and to destroy the whole force of the people
and province who are distressing them
infants and women
and their spoil to
seize.
Wherein the
king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together
....
In some part of the city
they should choose
and remain in a body
being sufficiently armed:
and to stand
for their life;
to defend themselves
and
fight for their life
should any attack them
or attempt to take it away; in
such case they might act offensively:
so as to
destroy
to slay
and to cause to perish
all the power of the people and
province that would assault them;
every army of them
or as
many as should join in a body to attack them
any mighty or powerful mob; and
not men only:
but both little
ones and women
and to take the spoil of them for a prey;
the same words are used
and the same power is given them as were to their enemies
Esther 3:13
not
that they made use of it to the utmost extremity
it is certain they did not in
one point
in taking the spoil
Esther 9:10
and
since they spared that
it is highly probable they spared women and children.
Esther 8:12.
12 on one day in all the
provinces of King Ahasuerus
on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month
which is the month of Adar.[b]
YLT 12In one day
in all the
provinces of the king Ahasuerus
on the thirteenth of the twelfth month -- it
[is] the month of Adar –
Upon one day
in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus
namely
upon the thirteenth day of the
twelfth month
which is the month Adar.
The day appointed and
fixed in the former letters for the destruction of the Jews
Esther 3:13.
Esther 8:13.
13 A copy of the document was
to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people
so
that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
YLT 13a copy of the writing to be
made law in every province and province is revealed to all the peoples
and for
the Jews being ready at this day to be avenged of their enemies.
The copy of the
writing
for a commandment to be given in every province
was published to all
people
....
A copy of the letters sent
to the governors of provinces; the sum and substance of them was published by
an herald
or fixed in public places
that all might know the contents thereof;
and take care not to assault the Jews
as it would be to their peril:
and that the
Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies;
Abendana thinks this is to
be restrained to those that were of the seed of Amalek
who were their principal
enemies; but no doubt it includes all that should rise up against them.
Esther 8:14.
14 The couriers who rode on
royal horses went out
hastened and pressed on by the king’s command. And the
decree was issued in Shushan the citadel.
YLT 14The runners
riding on the
dromedary
[and] the mules
have gone out
hastened and pressed by the word of
the king
and the law hath been given in Shushan the palace.
So the posts
that rode upon mules and camels went out
....
Or on the mules
which in
the Persian language were called "ahashteranim"; See Gill on Esther 8:10
being hastened
and pressed on by the king's commandment;
who gave them a special
order to make what haste they could
that the Jews might have time to prepare
for their defence
and their enemies be the more intimidated:
and the decree
was given at Shushan the palace;
the king's counsellors
agreeing to it
and perhaps signing it
as they did the former; see Esther 3:15.
Esther 8:15.
15 So Mordecai went out from
the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white
with a great crown
of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan
rejoiced and was glad.
YLT 15And Mordecai went out from
before the king
in royal clothing of blue and white
and a great crown of
gold
and a garment of fine linen and purple
and the city of Shushan hath
rejoiced and been glad;
And Mordecai
went out from the presence of the king
....
And walked or rode about
in the city to show himself to his friends:
in royal
apparel of blue and white;
such as the Persian kings
wore
and were not allowed to any other
as Xenophon writesF7Cyropaedia
l. 8. c. 23. :
and with a great
crown of gold;
a coronet
such as princes
and nobles wear; the latter Targum calls it a great golden chain
and such the
eastern kings used to give to their favourites; see Daniel 5:29
and with a
garment of fine linen and purple;
this must be an inner
garment
since it is distinct from the royal robe before mentioned; though as
the word signifies a wrap
or roll
it may design a turban
which was a roll of
linen wrapped about the head; and such was the Persian diadem
according to
CurtiusF8Hist. l. 3. c. 3. & l. 6. c. 6. Vid. Solerium de Pileo
sect. 9.
which was of a purple colour
mixed with white; and so the
Septuagint version is
"and a diadem of fine linen
of a purple
colour"; and if so
the crown of gold was not worn on his head
nor is it
likely it should be allowed
but was carried before him; see Gill on Esther 6:8
and the city of
Shushan rejoiced
and was glad;
not only the Jews in it
but the native inhabitants of it
that had any sense of humanity
expressed
their joy at the sight of Mordecai thus arrayed; that so good a man was
advanced at court
and so bad a man as Haman was displaced and put to death;
see Proverbs 29:2.
Esther 8:16.
16 The Jews had light and
gladness
joy and honor.
YLT 16to the Jews hath been
light
and gladness
and joy
and honour
And the Jews
had light
....
Prosperity
as opposed to
the darkness of adversity in which they had been
see Isaiah 8:22
or
lightsomeness and cheerfulness of spirit
as explained by the two next words:
and gladness
and joy;
at the good news of their
deliverance
so unexpected by them; thus light is explained by gladness
Psalm 97:11
and honour:
among men; from their
neighbours
who before were held in contempt
as a people doomed to
destruction.
Esther 8:17.
17 And in every province and
city
wherever the king’s command and decree came
the Jews had joy and
gladness
a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became
Jews
because fear of the Jews fell upon them.
YLT 17and in every province and
province
and in every city and city
the place where the word of the king
even his law
is coming
gladness and joy [are] to the Jews
a banquet
and a
good day; and many of the peoples of the land are becoming Jews
for a fear of
the Jews hath fallen upon them.
And in every
province
and in every city
whithersoever the king's commandment and his
decree came
....
As they did to every
province in the realm
and to every city in the province
where there were any
Jews:
the Jews had
joy and gladness
a feast and a good day;
they expressed their joy
on this occasion by keeping a festival
which in their language is called a good
day; and such an one is annually kept by them unto this day
on account of
their deliverance; of which see Esther 9:27
and many of the
people of the land became Jews;
or were proselyted
as
both the Targums and Jarchi interpret it; they embraced the Jewish religion
and submitted to the rites and ceremonies of it; were circumcised
as in the
Septuagint version
and so were proselytes of righteousness; and indeed no
other could they be
dwelling in their own land; many of them very probably
were serious in it
observing the wonderful manner in which the Jews were
delivered; wherein manifestly appeared to them the providence of God
the hand
of the Supreme Being
and from hence concluded their God must be the true God
and they his favourite people
and their religion most correct; though others
might only do it to gain the favour of Esther and Mordecai
who had now such
great power and influence at court:
for the fear of
the Jews fell upon them;
lest they should be slain
by them
in virtue of this new edict.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)
a.
Esther 8:10
Literally sons of the swift horses
b.
Esther 8:12
Septuagint adds the text of the letter here.