I You ſec how ready I have bzen to grant your requeſts; anl T do not repent of my Favour to you, and am ready to grant your
further Deſires, as far as the Law will permit we tg do.
8 Write ye alſo for the Jews m» as ir liketh you in
in the Kings name. and ſeal it with the Kings ring » : for the wricing which is written in the Kings name and
ſealed with the Kings ring, * may no man reverſe o._
Commanders of the !* 9: Dan 2,15 .6,82
m On their behalf, to the Governours and
cumſtances. vut from an exaſperated mind which rakes all occaſions to vent i* ſelf agaialt the perion who gaye ghe provocation; and ?
Chap. VI
fell down at his feet, and 4 beſought him with tears, THeb. aud
to put away the miſchief of Haman f the Agagite, and Pegs his device that he had deviſed againſt the Jews. ſought him,
to reverſe + the letters deviſed by Haman 5: the ſon of THeb. zhs
Hammedatha the Agagite, || which he wrote to deſtroy | Or foks the Jews which are in all the Kings provinces. wrote.
ſhall + Heb; be © able that F 18) Jees
"FSee chap
q
| 4
»
dap. VIII.
| Qual, being no Jeſs irrevocable than the former, and coming laſt | will repeal the former. Or, 2. To the former Lerters, as a rea- ſon why he could n-t grant their delires in recalling them.becaule they were irrevocable by the Law of the Medes and Perſians. And this ſenſe, though reje&ed by many, ſeems to be the trueſt, be- cauſe here is no mention of rever/mg Haman's Letters, which Either had defired w 5. and the King denied for the reaſon here all-dg- ed 5 and becauſe the following Letter doth not contain one word abour rhe reverſing of the former, nor doth it take away that pow- er which was given to all Rulers to deſtroy all the Jews,c#:3.1 2,13. but only gives the Jews power and authority to ſtand up in their own defence, v- 11. which, all circumitances conſidered, was ſut- ficient for their preſervation,
9 Then were che kings ſcribes called at that time in the third month ( that is the month Sivan ) on the three and twentieth day thereof p, and it was written (according to all that Mordecai commanded) unto the Jews q.,and to the lieutenants, and the deputies, rulers of the provinces r, which re from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and ſeven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto e-
= TH EK.
very people after their language,and to the Jews aCccor- ding to their writing, and according to their language.
p Which was above two months after the former decree. All which time God ſuffered the Jews to lye under the terrour of this dreadful day, partly that they might be more throughiy humbicd for, and purged from th ſe many ani great fins under which they lay ; partly and particularly rhat they might be convinced of their great in and folly in neg!:&ing the many offers and opportunities they had of returning to their native Country, and to the free and full exerciſe of the true Religion, which could be had :o where but in Jeruizlem ; by which means they being now duyperſed 1n tac ſeveral parts cf tis vaſt Dominion, were like to be a very eaiie prey to their enemies whereas their Brethren in Judca were :n a better capacity to preſerve themſelves : partly that rheir moſt malicious and inveterate Enemies might ha.c an opportunicy of; diſcovering themſelves to their ruine, as the event ihewed : and}
and unexpeteq4 deliverance. this Letter ſhould be ſent in due time before it was too late: for there were yet near nine Months ro come before that appointed |
raged to uſe itfoc their own defence. r That they ſhould pub/ith and diſperſe them into all parts, that both themſelves and others might take notice of the King's pleaſure and kindnets to the Jews. Io And he wrote in the king Ahafuerus name, and ſealed ir with the kings ring, and ſent letters by poſts on horſe back, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries / : S Which were not employed in the ſending of the former Let- ter : but this coming later required more care and ſpeed, that the
have time to furniſh themſelves with neceilaries for their own de- fence.
1x Wherein the king granted the Jews which werein f Liberty every City, | to gather themſelves cogether,and to ftand and authv= for their life z, to d:i{troy, to ſlay, and to cauſe te pe- - rith all the power of the/people « and province, that would afſauit them, beth liccie ones, and womenx,and ro take the ſpoil of them for a prey :
: To ſtand upand fight for the defence of their Lives againſt all that ſhould ſeek to deſtroy them, « Either Governours or gover- ned, withour any exception either of Age, Dignity, or Sex; as it follows. x Which is here added, becauſe it was put into tae for- mer decree ; and to ſtrike the greater terrour into their enemies ; and according tothe Laws and Cuſtoms of this Kingdom; whereby Children were puniſhed for their Parents offences 3 which allo in ſome caſes was allowed and practiſed in ſacred ftory: Yet we read nothing in the execution of this decree of the ſlaughter of Women or Children, nor is it probable that rhey would kill their innocent
dle with the ſpoil.
12 Upon one day, in all the provinces of king Aha- ſuerus, namely upon the thirteenth day of the twelfch month, which'iss the month Adar.
13 The copy of the writing, for a Commandmenc . _ - -- to be given inevery province, was Þ publiſhed unto all + Heb, re vealed. gay to avenge themſelves on their enemies.
14 So the poſts thac rode upon mules «nd camels went out, being haſtened, and preiled on by the _ com- mandment y, and the decree was given at Shuſhan- the
palace, | | | 7 By hisparticular and expreſs Command to that purpoſe.
15 And Mordecai went out from the preſence of the
| Oc, vie- king, in royal apparel of || blue and white, and with a
are. opreatcrown of gold z, and wirha garment of fine li-
nen,and purp!e ; and the city of Shuſhan # rejoiced and was glad :
- » Which the chief of the Perſian princes were permitted to wear,
day. 9 That they might underſtand their Liverty, and be encou-}-
Jews might be caſed from the torment of their prefenc Fears. and]
Children, who were ſo idulgent to their Families, as not to med-
people, and that the Jews ſhould be ready againſt char |