by noblee. And with a garment of fine and have been glad to see it, practically, linen and purple. The " fine linen " wae of reversed. course white. The real mea.nin~ of the word Ver. 16.-The Jews had light. A meta. thalcrilc, tra.nela.ted "garment,' ie doubtful. phor for "happiness" (comp. Isa. Iviii. 8). Geeenius understands nn outer garment- Ver. 17.-A feast and a good day. The "the long and flowing robe of a.n Oriental provincial Jews made the whole day on monarch ; " in which case the "apparel" which they heard the news into a holiday, proviouely mentioned must be the inner vest. and not only rejoiced, but feasted. Many of Others, a.a Patrick, make the tha,krilc to be the people of the land became Jews. Ap- tho inner, a.nd the "apparel" (l'bilsh) the plied for and obtained admission into the outer garment. The Septuagint, however, Jewish nation a.a full proselytes (comp. Ezra translates thalcrilc by 8,a87Jp.a, and its con- vi. 21, with the comment). The fear of the junction with the "crown" favours this Jews fell upon them. There was about to rendering. The diadem proper of a. Persian be in each great city where to ere were Jews monarch was a band or fillet encircling the a day of struggle and bloodshed. The Jews lower /art of his crown, ~d was of blue, would have authority on their side (eh. ix. epotte or striped with white. Aha.suerus 3), and might be expected to be victorious. seems to have allowed Mordecai to wear a. Persons feared lest, when victorious, they diadem of white a.nd purple. The city of might revenge themselves on all who had Shushan rejoiced. As the Susanchites had not taken their part, and thought it safer to been " perplexed" a.t the first edict (eh. iii become Jews than remain neutral. But it 16), so were they "rejoiced" at the second. can only have been a small minority of the Such of them a.a were Persians would na- population in each city that took this view. turally sympathise with the Jaws. Even There was no sudden great increase in the the others may have disliked Ha.man's edict, nnmhers of the Jewish nation.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1, 2.-The lowly exalted. In the East, where monarchs are absolute, and where king's favourites are ministers of state, changes of fortune are familiar and pro- verbial. When one of our statesmen quits office he usually does so in an honourable way, and loses little of consideration by the change. But a vizier when deposed is disgraced, his property is often forfeited, and he himself is often put to a violent death. So was it with Haman. When the king's wrath turned against him be was slain, and his palace and establishment given to the queen, and his office and authority to Mordecai. I. IN GOD'S PROVIDENCE THE RIGHTEOUS AND LOWLY ARE, EVEN IN THIS WORLD, OFTEN EXALTED TO HONOUR. "The Lord bringeth low, and lifteth up .. He raiseth up the poor out of the duet, and lifteth up the beggar from the dung-hill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory." History records many striking instances of the elevation to high positions in Church and State of those born in poverty, but qualified by natural gifts, by high character, by faithful service, for exalted station. It is a Divine law, and no artificial regulations should interfere with its working. In Scripture we often meet with instances of the yonnger, the weaker, the despised being raised to honour and power. II. UNDER GoD's RIGHTEOUS GOVERNMENT THE LOWLY AND FAITHFUL ON EARTH SHALL BE RAISED TO HONOUR AND HIGH SERVICE HEREAFTER. If it be asked why so many pure and gentle characters are allowed by Providence to remain through life in positions of obscurity, the true answer is this : They are truining for positions of authority and honour in the future life. Those who here are faithful over a few things shall there be made rulers over many things, shall enter into the joy of their Lord. There are mansions for them there to inhabit; there is authority for them there to exercise; there is favour for them there consciously and eternally to enjoy.
Ver. 3.-P1ttting away mischief There was great wisdom in Esther's application to the king. In appearing before him unbidden she did so, as before, at the risk of her life. But her confidence in the power of her charms over the king was not un- warranted. She was too prudent to ask Ahasuerus to revoke his own decree for the destruction of the Jews. She treated it as the decree of the wicked Haman, and implored him to "put away the mischiof of Haman, and the device that he bad devised 144 THE BOOK OF ESTHER. [arr. vm. 1-17.