book of the ohronicles read to him, and finds that Mordecai has received no rew;trd. He makes Haman suggest the fitting reward for one whom the king delights to honour, and then deputes him to confer it on Mordecai. Section 12 (eh. v1. 12-14). Despondency of Haman, his wife, and friends at this turn in hie fortunes. ' Section 13 ( eh. vii.). At the second banquet, Esther denounces Haman, and the king condemns him to be impaled on the cross prepared for Mordecai. Section 14 (eh. viii. 1, 2). Haman's house given to Esther, e.nd the royal signet made over to Mordecai. Section 15 (eh. viii. 3-14). At Eether's request, Ahasuerus sanctions the issue of a second decree, permitting the Jews to resist all who attack them, to kill them in their own defence, and to take possession of their goods. Section 16 (eh. viii. 15-17). Mordece.i's honour and the Jews' joy. Section 17 (eh. ix. 1-16). Result of the second edict. The Jews resist their enemies, and effect a great slaughter of them, but do not lay hand upon their goods. Section 18 (eh. ix. 17-32). Festival held by the Jews, and institution of the Feast of Purim. Section 19 (eh, x.). Conclusion. Greatness of Ahaeuerus and of Mordecai. THE
BOOK OF ESTHER. § 1. THE GREAT FEAST OF KING AHASUERUS AT SUSA, AND THE DISGRACE OF VASHTI. EXPOSITION. CHAPTER I. name from which the Greeks formed their Xerxes) almost as closely as possible. The THE GREAT FEAST (eh i 1-!io). King prosthetic a was a. necessity of Hebrew arti- Ahasuen;.s (Xerxes) in the third year of his culation. . T~e only unnecessary change .,,-as reign, which was B.O. 484--483, entertained the substitution of v for y (vau for yod) in the penultimate syllable. But this inter- at a. great feast in the royal palace of Susa. all change is very common in Hebrew. This is his princes and his servants, " the power of Aha.suerus which reigned, &c. The writer Persia and Media," together with all the is evidently acquainted with more than a nobles and princes of the provinces (vers. 2, single Ahasuerus. Ezra. had mentioned one 3). The hospitality was extended over a (iv. 6), and Daniel another (ix. 1). If he knew their works, he would necessarily know space of 180 days (ver. 4). At the end of these two. Or he may have known of of this time there was a further enter- them independently. The A.hasuerus of his tainment for seven days, on even a more narrative beIDg different from either, he profuse sea.le, all the male inhabitants of proceeds to distinguish him (1) from the Susa. being feasted in the pa.lace gardens Ahasuerus of Daniel, as a. "king," and (2) from the Ahasuerus of Ezra by the extent of (vers. 5-8), while the queen received the his dominion. Cambyses (see comment on women and ma.de them a feast in her own Ezra iv. 6) had not ruled over India. India private apartments. The special occasion of is expressed by Hoddu, which seems formed the entertainment seems to have been the from the Persian Hidush (' Na.khsh-i-Rus- summons to Susa. of all the chief men of the tam Inscr.,' par. 3, 1. 25), by the omission of the nomina.tivo.l ending, and a. slight kingdom, and particularly of the satraps, or modification of the vocalisation. The San- "princes of provinces," to advise upon the scrit and the Zend, like the Greek, retained projected expedition against Greece, which the n, which is really an essential pa.rt of the Herodotus mentions in his seventh book native word. Ethiopia is expressed, as usual, (eh. viii.). Banquets on an enormous scale by Cush. The two countries are well chosen as the extreme termini of the Persian empire. were not uncommon in Persia ; and the An hundred and twenty-seven provinces. profuseness and vainglory of Xerxes would The Hebrew medinah, "province," does not naturally lead him to go to an extreme in correspond to the Persian satrapy, but is this, as in other matters. applied to every tract which had its own governor. There were originally no more Ver. 1. - In the days of Aha.auerua. than twenty satrapies (Herod., iii. 89-94), Aho.suerus, in the original Akha3hve:rosh, but there was certainly a very much larger corresponds to Khahayarsha ,the Persian number of governments. Judrea was • EBTIIER. B 2 THE BOOK OF ESTHER. [en. 1. 1--9.