Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708)

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E S T H E R

CHAP. VIII.

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We left the plotter hanging, and are now to see what becomes of his

plot.

I. His plot was to raise an estate for himself; and all his estate,

being confiscated for treason, is given to Esther and Mordecai,

ver. 1, 2.

II. His plot was to ruin the Jews; and as to that,

1. Esther earnestly intercedes for the reversing of the edict against

them,

ver. 3-6.

2. It is in effect done by another edict, here published, empowering

the Jews to stand up in their own defence against their enemies,

ver. 7-14.

III. This occasions great joy to the Jews and all their friends,

ver. 15-17.

Esther and Mordecai Enriched.	B. C. 510.

     

1 On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman

the Jews’ enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before

the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.

  2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from

Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over

the house of Haman.

     

It was but lately that we had Esther and Mordecai in tears and in

fears, but fasting and praying; now let us see how to them there arose

light in darkness. Here is,

1. Esther enriched. Haman was hanged as a traitor, therefore his estate

was forfeited to the crown, and the king gave it all to Esther, in

recompence for the fright that wicked man had put her into and the

vexation he had created her,

v. 1.

His houses and lands, good sand chattels, and all the money he had

heaped up which he was prime-minister of state (which, we may suppose,

was no little), are given to Esther; they are all her own, added to the

allowance she already had. Thus is the wealth of the sinner laid up

for the just, and the innocent divides the silver,
Prov. xiii. 22; Job xxvii. 17, 18.

What Haman would have done mischief with Esther will do good with; and

estates are to be valued as they are used.

2. Mordecai advanced. His pompous procession, this morning, through

the streets of the city, was but a sudden flash or blaze of honour; but

here we have the more durable and gainful preferments to which he was

raised, which yet the other happily made way for.

(1.) He is now owned as the queen’s cousin, which till now, though

Esther had been four years queen, for aught that appears, the king did

not know. So humble, so modest, a man was Mordecai, and so far from

being ambitious of a place at court, that he concealed his relation to

the queen and her obligations to him as her guardian, and never made us

of her interest for any advantage of his own. Who but Mordecai could

have taken so little notice of so great an honour? But now he was

brought before the king, introduced, as we say, to kiss his

hand; for now, at length, Esther had told what he was to her,

not only near a-kin to her, but the best friend she had in the world,

who took care of her when she was an orphan, and one whom she still

respected as a father. Now the king finds himself, for his wife’s sake,

more obliged than he thought he had been to delight in doing honour to

Mordecai. How great were the merits of that man to whom both king and

queen did in effect owe their lives! Being brought before the king, to

him no doubt he bowed, and did reverence, though he would not to Haman

an Amalekite.

(2.) The king makes his lord privy-seal in the room of Haman. All the

trust he had reposed in Haman, and all the power he had given him, are

here transferred to Mordecai; for the ring which he had taken from

Haman he gave to Mordecai, and made this trusty humble man as much his

favourite, his confidant, and his agent, as ever that proud perfidious

wretch was; a happy change he made of his bosom-friends, and so, no

doubt, he and his people soon found it.

(3.) The queen makes him here steward, for the management of Haman’s

estate, and for getting and keeping possession of it: She set

Mordecai over the house of Haman. See the vanity of laying up

treasure upon earth; he that heapeth up riches knoweth not who shall

gather them

(Ps. xxxix. 6),

not only whether he shall be a wise man or a fool

(Eccl. ii. 19),

but whether he shall be a friend or an enemy. With what little

pleasure, nay, with what constant vexation, would Haman have looked

upon his estate if he could have foreseen that Mordecai, the man he

hated above all men in the world, should have rule over all that

wherein he had laboured, and thought that he showed himself wise!

It is our interest, therefore, to make sure those riches which will not

be left behind, but will go with us to another world.

The Jews Encouraged to Self-Defence.	B. C. 510.

     

3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at

his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of

Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the

Jews.

  4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So

Esther arose, and stood before the king,

  5 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, 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:

  6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my

people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

  7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to

Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman,

and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his

hand upon the Jews.

  8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s

name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which

is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring,

may no man reverse.

  9 Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third

month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth

day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai

commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies

and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia,

a hundred twenty and seven provinces, 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.

  10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it

with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback,

and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:

  11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city

to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to

destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the

people and province that would assault them, both little ones

and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

  12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus,

namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which

is the month Adar.

  13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in

every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews

should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their

enemies.

  14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out,

being hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. And the

decree was given at Shushan the palace.

     

Haman, the chief enemy of the Jews, was hanged, Mordecai and Esther,

their chief friends, were sufficiently protected; but many others there

were in the king’s dominions that hated the Jews and desired their

ruin, and to their rage and malice all the rest of that people lay

exposed; for the edict against them was still in force, and, in

pursuance of it, their enemies would on the day appointed fall upon

them, and they would be deemed as rebels against the king and his

government if they should offer to resist and take up arms in their own

defence. For the preventing of this,

     

I. The queen here makes intercession with much affection and

importunity. She came, a second time, uncalled into the king’s presence

(v. 3),

and was as before encouraged to present her petition, by the king’s

holding out the golden sceptre to her,

v. 4.

Her petition is that the king, having put away Haman, would put away

the mischief of Haman and his device against the Jews, that that might

not take place now that he was taken off. Many a man’s mischief

survives him, and the wickedness he devised operates when he is gone.

What men project and write may, after their death, be either very

profitable or very pernicious. It was therefore requisite in this case

that, for the defeating of Haman’s plot, they should apply to the king

for a further act of grace, that by another edict he would reverse the

letters devised by Haman, and which he wrote (she does not say which

the king consented to and confirmed with his own seal; she

leaves it to his own conscience to say that), by which he took an

effectual course to destroy the Jews in all the king’s

provinces,
v. 5.

If the king were indeed, as he seemed to be, troubled that such a

decree was made, he could not do less than revoke it; for what is

repentance, but undoing, to the utmost of our power, what we have done

amiss?

1. This petition Esther presents with much affection: She fell down

at the king’s feet and besought him with tears

(v. 3),

every tear as precious as any of the pearls with which she was adorned.

It was time to be earnest when the church of God lay at stake. Let none

be so great as to be unwilling to stoop, none so merry as to be

unwilling to weep, when thereby they may do any service to God’s church

and people. Esther, though safe herself, fell down, and begged with

tears for the deliverance of her people.

2. She expresses it with great submission, and a profound deference to

the king and his wisdom and will

(v. 5):

If it please the king and if I have found favour in his sightand

again, “If the thing itself seem right and reasonable before the king,

and if I that ask it be pleasing in his eyes, let the decree be

reversed.” Even when we have the utmost reason and justice on our side,

and have the clearest cause to plead, yet it becomes us to speak to our

superiors with humility and modesty, and all possible expressions of

respect, and not to talk like demandants when we are supplicants. There

is nothing lost be decency and good breeding. As soft answers turn

away wrath, so soft askings obtain favour.

3. She enforces her petition with a pathetic plea: “For how can I

endure to see the evil that shall come upon my people? Little

comfort can I have of my own life if I cannot prevail for theirs: as

good share in the evil myself as see it come upon them; for how can

I endure to see the destruction of my kindred, that are dear to

me?” Esther, a queen, owns her poor kindred, and speaks of them with a

very tender concern. Now it was that she mingled her tears with her

words, that she wept and made supplication; we read of no tears

when she begged for her own life, but, now that she was sure of that,

she wept for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most

Christ-like. Those that are truly concerned for the public would rather

die in the last ditch than live to see the desolations of the church of

God and the ruin of their country. Tender spirits cannot bear to think

of the destruction of their people and kindred, and therefore dare not

omit any opportunity of giving them relief.

     

II. The king here takes a course for the preventing of the mischief

that Haman had designed.

1. The king knew, and informed the queen, that, according to the

constitution of the Persian government, the former edict could not be

revoked

(v. 8):

What is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s

ring, may not, under any pretence whatsoever, be reversed. This was

a fundamental article of their magna charta, that no law or

decree, when once it had passed the royal assent, could be repealed or

recalled, no judgment vacated, no attainder reversed,

Dan. vi. 15.

This is so far from bespeaking the wisdom and honour of the Medes and

Persians that really it bespeaks their pride and folly, and

consequently their shame. It is ridiculous in itself for any man, or

company of men, to pretend to such an infallibility of wisdom as to

foresee all the consequences of what they decree; and therefore it is

unjust, and injurious to mankind, to claim such a supremacy of power as

to make their decrees irrevocable, whether the consequences prove good

or bad. This savours of that old presumption which ruined us all: We

will be as gods. Much more prudent is that proviso of our

constitution, that no law can, by any words or sanctions whatsoever, be

made unrepealable, any more than any estate unalienable. Cujus est

instruere, ejus est destruere–the right to enact implies the right to

repeal. It is God’s prerogative not to repent, and to say what can

never be altered or unsaid.

2. Yet he found an expedient to undo the devices of Haman, and defeat

his design, by signing and publishing another decree to authorize the

Jews to stand upon their defence, vim vi repellere, et invasorem

occidere–to oppose force to force, and destroy the assailant. This

would be their effectual security. The king shows them that he had

done enough already to convince them that he had a concern for the

Jewish nation, for he had ordered his favourite to be hanged because

he laid his hand upon the Jews

(v. 7),

and he therefore would d the utmost he could to protect them; and he

leaves it as fully with Esther and Mordecai to use his name and power

for their deliverance as before he had left it with Haman to use his

name and power for their destruction: “Write for the Jews as it

liketh you

(v. 8),

saving only the honour of our constitution. Let the mischief be put

away as effectually as may be without reversing the letters.” The

secretaries of state were ordered to attend to draw up this edict on

the twenty-third day of the third month

(v. 9),

about two months after the promulgation of the former, but nine months

before the time set for its execution: it was to be drawn up and

published in the respective languages of all the provinces. Shall the

subjects of an earthly prince have his decrees in a language they

understand? and shall God’s oracles and laws be locked up from his

servants in an unknown tongue? It was to be directed to the proper

officers of every province, both to the justices of peace and to the

deputy-lieutenants. It was to be carefully dispersed throughout all

the king’s dominions, and true copies sent by expresses to all the

provinces. The purport of this decree was to commission the Jews, upon

the day which was appointed for their destruction, to draw together in

a body for their own defence. And,

(1.) To stand for their life, that, whoever assaulted them, it might be

at their peril.

(2.) They might not only act defensively, but might destroy, and

slay, and cause to perish, all the power of the people that would

assault them, men, women, and children

(v. 11),

and thus to avenge themselves on their enemies

(v. 13),

and, if they pleased, to enrich themselves by their enemies, for they

were empowered to take the spoil of them for a prey. Now,

[1.] This showed his kindness to the Jews, and sufficiently provided

for their safety; for he latter decree would be looked upon as a tacit

revocation of the former, though not in expression. But,

[2.] It shows the absurdity of that branch of their constitution that

none of the king’s edicts might be repealed; for it laid the king here

under a necessity of enacting a civil war in his own dominions, between

the Jews and their enemies, so that both sides took up arms by

his authority, and yet against his authority. No better could

come of men’s pretending to be wise above what is given them. Great

expedition was used in dispersing this decree, the king himself being

in pain lest it should come too late and any mischief should be done to

the Jews by virtue of the former decree before the notice of this

arrived. It was therefore by the king’s commandment, as well as

Mordecai’s, that the messengers were hastened and pressed on

(v. 14),

and had swift beasts provided them,

v. 10.

It was not a time to trifle when so many lives were in danger.

The Joy of the Jews.	B. C. 510.

     

15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal

apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and

with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan

rejoiced and was glad.

  16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.

  17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the

king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and

gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the

land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

     

It was but a few days ago that we had Mordecai in sackcloth and all the

Jews in sorrow; but here is a blessed change, Mordecai in purple and

all the Jews in joy. See

Ps. xxx. 5, 11, 12.

1. Mordecai in purple,

v. 15.

Having obtained an order for the relief of all the Jews, he was easy,

he parted with his mourning weeds, and put on the royal apparel,

which either belonged to his place or which the king appointed him as a

favourite. His robes were rich, blue and white, of fine linen and

purple; so was his coronet: it was of gold. These are things

not worth taking notice of, but as they were marks of the king’s

favour, and that the fruit of God’s favour to his church. It is

well with a land when the ensigns of dignity are made the ornaments of

serious piety. The city Shushan was sensible of its advantage in

the preferment of Mordecai, and therefore rejoiced and was glad,

not only pleased in general with the advancement of virtue, but

promising itself, in particular, better times, now that so good a man

was entrusted with power. Haman was hanged; and, when the wicked

perish, there is shouting,
Prov. xi. 10.

Mordecai was preferred; and, when the righteous are in authority,

the people rejoice.

2. The Jews in joy,

v. 16, 17.

The Jews, who awhile ago were under a dark cloud, dejected and

disgraced, now had light and gladness, joy and honour, a feast and a

good lay. If they had not been threatened and in distress they

would not have had occasion for this extraordinary joy. Thus are God’s

people sometimes made to sow in tears that they may reap

in so much the more joy. The suddenness and strangeness of

the turn of affairs in their favour added much to their joy. They were

like those that dream; then was their mouth filled with

laughter,
Ps. cxxvi. 1, 2.

One good effect of this deliverance was that many of the people of

the land, that were considerate, sober, and well inclined, became

Jews, were proselyted to the Jewish religion, renounced idolatry, and

worshipped the true God only. Haman thought to extirpate the Jews, but

it proves, in the issue, that their numbers are greatly increased and

many added to the church. Observe, When the Jews had joy and

gladness then many of the people of the land became Jews.

The holy cheerfulness of those that profess religion is a great

ornament to their profession, and will invite and encourage others to

be religious. The reason here given why so many became Jews at this

time is because the fear of the Jews fell upon them. When they

observed how wonderfully divine Providence had owned them and wrought

for them in this critical juncture,

(1.) They thought them great, and considered those happy that were

among them; and therefore they came over to them, as was foretold,

Zech. viii. 23.

We will go with you, for we have heard, we have seen, that

God is with you, the shield of your help, and the sword of your

excellency,
Deut. xxxiii. 29.

When the church prospers, and is smiled upon, many will come into it

that will be shy of it when it is in trouble.

(2.) They thought them formidable, and considered those miserable that

were against them. They plainly saw in Haman’s fate that, if any

offered injury to the Jews, it was at their peril; and therefore, for

their own security, they joined themselves to them. It is folly to

think of contending with the God of Israel, and therefore it is wisdom

to think of submitting to him.

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