The Pulpit Commentary — Esther — Section 135

of Adar, would have been cancelled, revoked, many of his BUDJecte were vitally concerned. recalled. But in Pcreia this could not be But the new mmieter did not perhaps feel done; or at any rate it could not be done eure of his influence, or quite know what to recommend. Eether wae therefore again put without breaki.ug one of the first principles forward to address the king. Fell down at of Pereian law, the principle that " the his feet. Compare 1 Sam. xxv. 24; 2 Kings writing which is written in the king's name, iv. 37, &c. And besought him . . . to put and sealed with the king's ring, may no away the mischief of Haman. J. e. begged man reverse" (ver. 8). It wae therefore ne- him, first of all, in a vague way, to "ca:use to pass" -put away, or undo--the mischief cessary to devise a mode whereby the desired of Haman-not suggesting how it was to be escape of the Jews might practically be ob- done. tained, and yet the edict remain unrevoked, Ver. 4.-Then the king held out the and the king's honour be saved. At first JOlden sceptre. Either Esther had again Mordecai and Esther do not appear to have mtruded on the king uninvited, or there was a double uee of the golden sceptre. 1. In seen this, and Esther asked openly for the the pardon of those who so intruded ; and, reversal of the decree, only representing it 2. In the ordinary granting of requests. It as the writing of Haman, and not the writing wae perhaps held out on this occasion sim- of the king (ver. 5). But Ahasuerus pointed ply to express a readiness to do as Esther out that this could not be done. Anything desired. Ver. 5.-If it please the king, &e. Tha short of a reversal, any new decree, he would long preface of four clauses, winding up mth sanction; but he could do no more-he could " If J be pleasing," is indicative of Esther' s not revoke his own word (ver. 8). The doubt how the king will receive her sug- course actually followed wae then devised, gestion that it should be written to reverse probably by Mordecai. The old decree wae the letters (comp. eh. iii 13) devised by Haman. To ask the king to unsay his own allowed to stand ; but a new decree was words was impossible. By representing the issued and signed in the usual way, whereby letters as devised by Haman, and written by the Jews were allowed and encouraged to Haman, Esther avoids doing so. But she resist those who should attack them,-to thereby blinks the truth. In excuse she "gather themselves together, and to stand adds the striking distich contained in the next verse-" For how could I endure to see for their life; to destroy, slay, and cause to the evil that is coming on my people 1 or perish all the power of .the people of the how could I endure to see the destruction of province that would assault them,"-and my kindred 1" were further permitted to "take the spoil of Vers, 7, 8.-Then the king . . . said them for a prey," or, in other words, to seize unto Esther the queen and unto Mordecai. The king, it would seem, took time to give the property of all whom they should slay his answer ; and when he gave it, addressed (ver. 11 ). The royal posts carried out this himself to Mordecai, his minister, rather decree (ver. 14), as they had the former one; than to Esther, his wife. "See now," ha and it was publicly set forth and proclaimed said, "I have done what I could-I hava in every province, that if the Jews were given Esther Ila.man's house; I have had Haman himself executed because he put attacked under the terms of the one, they forth his hand against the Jews. Wn.at yet might defend themselves anu retaliate on remains 1 I am asked to save your country- their foes under the terms of the other (ver. men by revoking my late edict. That may 13). As the second decree was issued on the not be. The writing which is written in 23rd of Sivan, the third month (ver. 9), and the king's name, and sea.led with the king's seal, may no man reverse. But, short of the day appointed for the attack was the this, I give you full liberty of action. Write 13th of Adar, the twelfth, there was ample ye also for the 1ewe, as it liketh you, in the time-above eight months-for the Jews to king's name, and seal it with the king's me.ke preparations, to organise themselves, ring. Surely you can devise something to collect arms, and to arrange an effective which will save your people without railing on me to retract my own words, and at the resistance. same time break a great principle of Persian Ver. 3.-Esther spake yet again before law.'' the king. It might have seemed to be the Ver. 9.-Then were the king's scribes business of Mordecai, os the king's chief oalled. The king had said enough. Mordecai minister, to adviee him in· a matter of publio saw a means of reconciling the king's scruple policy and one in which the interests of so with the safety-or if not with the absolute 142 THE BOOK OF ESTHER. Lou, vm. 1-17.