his treo.sury WllB full, and he had not ex- designates a. provincial governor of the hcmated his resources by the Greek war. second rank-one who would have been Now, in hie comparative poverty, e. gift of called by the Greeks v,ra<1arpa11'1JC, The from two to three millions had attractions number of these subordinate officials was for him which proved irresistible. To the probably much greater than that of the hands of those that have the charge of the satraps. And to the rnlers of every people. busineaa. Not the business of the slaughter, I. e. the native authorities-the head men but the business of receiving money for the of the conquered peoples, to whom the Per- king, i. e. the royal treasurers. To bring it. sian system allowed a considerable share of I. e. "for them to bring it," or pay it, power. In the no.me of king Ahe.snerns wa.s " into the royal treasuries." On th~ multi- it written. All edicts were in the kina-'s plicity of the royal treasuries see the com- name, even when a subject had been allow~d ment on Ezra vii. 20. to issue them. See the story of Bagreus in Ver. 10.-The kinp; took his ring from Herodotus (iii. 128), where the edicts, of his hand. Rather, ' took his signet from which he alone was the author, have the his hand." This may have been a ring, for form of orders from the king. And sea.led signet-rings were known to the Persians, but with the king's ring. Or "signet" (see is perhaps more likely to have been a cylin- note on ver. 10 ). der, like that of Darius, his father, which is Ver. 13.-And the letters were sent by now in tho British Museum (' Ancient posts. The Persian system of posts is thus Monarchies,' vol. iv. p. 182). And gave it described by Xenophon, who attributes its unto Haman. Thus giving him the power of introduction to Cyrus :-" Stables for horses ma.king whatsoever edicts he pleased, since are erected along the various lines of route, nothing was requisite to give a.uthority to an at such a distance one from another as a edict but tho impression of the royal seal horse can accomplish in a day. All the (see Herod., iiL 128). For similar acts of stables are provided with a number of horses confidence see Gen. xli. 42; Esther viii. 2. and grooms. There is a post-master to pre- The laws' enemy. Rather, "persecutor." side over each, who receives the despatches Ver. 11.-The silver is given thee, the along with the tired men and horses, and people alao. Not "the silver which thou hast sends them on by fresh horses and fresh given me is given back to thee," for the riders. Sometimes there is no stoppage in 10,000 talents had not been given, but only the conveyance even at night; since a night offered. Rather, "the silver of the people is courier takes up the work of the day courier, given thee, together with the people them- and continues it. It has been said that selves, to do with both as it pleases thee." these posts outstrip the flight of birds, which Confiscation always accompanies execution in is not altogether true ; but beyond a doubt it the East, and the goods of those who are put is the most rapid of all methods of convey- to death natw·11lly escheat to the crown, ance by land"(' Cyrop.,' viii. 6, § 17). To which either seizes them or makes II grant destroy, to kill, e.nd to ea.use to perish. The of them. Compare eh. viii. 11, where the writer quotes from the edict, which appears property of those of the Jews' enemies who to have had as many surplus words as a. should suffer death is granted to those who modern English law paper. Young a.nd old, should slay them. little children and women. "To take the Ver. 12.-Then were the king's scribes father's life and spare the child's" was oalled. "Scribes" (in the plural) are spoken thought to be an act of folly in ancient of as attending on Xerxes throughout the times. Wives and children of criminals were, Grecian expedition (Herod., vii. 100 ; viii. as a matter of course, put to death with them. 90). Such persons were always near at hand This was anciently even the Jewish practice in the palace, ready to draw up edicts. On (Josh. vii. 24, 25; 2 Kings ix. 26; xiv. 6), the thirteenth da.y of the :first month. It and was quite an established usage in Persia is conjectured that He.man cast his lots on (Herod., iii. 119). The thirteenth da.y. The the first day of the year (Bertheau), e.s an Septua.gint has "the fourteenth day" in its a.uspicious time for taking anything in hand, professed copy of the decree, but confirms the and having obtained a thirteenth day for the Hebrew text here by making the thirteenth massacre, adopted the same number as pro- the actual day of the struggle (eh. ix. 1). bably auspicious for the necessary appeal to The fourteenth and fifteenth are the days the king. Having gained the king's con- now kept by the Jews ; but it is suspected sent, he sent at once for the scribes. The that an alteration has been made in order king's lieutena.nts. Literally, "the king's to assimilate the Purim to ~he passover satraps." The actual Persian word is used, feast, which began on the 14th of Nisan. slightly Hebraised. And to the governors. Ver. 14.-The exact import of this verse The word used has been compared with is uncertain. Some suppose it to be a mero pasha (Stanley), and again with beg or bey, heading to a copy of the decree, which was but is probnbly distinct froni either. It originally inserted in the text between verses 74 THE BOOK OF ESTHER. [err. m. 7-15.
14 and 15. In this case the translation was burning," so these two, having assigned s~o:u,ld be - " A copy of the writing for a nation to destruction, proceeded to enjoy ,nvmg commandment to every province pub- themselves at "a banquet of wine." But lished to all peoples, that they should be the oity of Susa waa perplexed. 'l'he Jews ready against that day." had enemies in Susa (eh. ix, 12-15); but Yer. 15. -The post.a went out, being the bulk of the inhabitants being Persians, hutened. Though there was ample time, and so Zoroastrians, would be likely to since the remotest part of the empire could sympathise with them. There might also be he reached inn month, or two at the most, a widespread feeling among persons of other )·et the posts were "hastened," Haman be- nationalities that the precedent now set was ing impatient, lest the ldng should change a dangerous one. Generally the people of his mind, and drcline to publish the edict. the capital approved and 11ppla.uded what- 'l'he king may himself also have wished to ever the great king did. Now thoy mis- have the matter settled past recall. The doubted the justice, 11nd perhaps even the king sat down with Raman to drink. This prudence, of what was resolved upon. Tho touch seems intended to mark their hardness decree threw them into perplexity. of heart. As Nero " fiddled while Rome