The Pulpit Commentary — Esther — Section 150

fully made out and recorded. In the Baby- The LXX. had in their copies fifteen for lonian tmnscript of the Dehistun Inscription seventy-five, or one-fifth of the received tho numbers 11.re given with extreme exact- number. The smaller number is more in ness-e. (!, 646, 2024, 4203, &c. On this harmony with the 500 killed at Susa than occasion it woulcl seem thnt only 11 rough the larger one. ca.lculntion w11s m11de. Still the king took FESTIVAL HELD, AND II £AST OF PURIM tnre to be informed on the subject, 11nd the i11ws, 11.w11re of this, were not left absolutely INSTITUTED (eh. ix. 17-32). A natural uncontrolled. instinct led the Jews, so soon as their tri- Vor. 12.-What have they done in the umph was accomplished, to indulge them- rest of the king's provinces 1 Not an in- selves in e. day of rest and rejoicing (ver. quiry, but an exclamation. How many 17). After toil there is need of repose; and must they not have killed in the whole empire if they have slain 500 in Su&a alone l escape from a great danger is followed, almost Now, what is thy petition 1 Still, if this is of necessity, by "gladness." The writer of not enou h, if anything more is needed for the Book of Esther, practising his usual the Jews9 security, ask it, and " it shall be reticence, sa.ys nothing of the character of done." the "gladness ; " but we can scarcely be Ver. 13.-Esther's request for 11. second day of slaughter has a bloodthirsty ap- wrong in believing it to have been, in the pearance ; but, without a more complete main, religious, and to have included grati- knowledge of the facts than we possess, we tude to God for their deliverance, the ascrip- cannot say that it was unjustifiable. It tion of praise to his name, and an outpouring would seem that the Jews in Susa gathered of the heart before him in earnest and pro- themselves in the upper town on the ap- pointed day, and nere engaged there the longed thanksgiving. The circumstances or whole day with their enemies. Esther asks the struggle caused a difference, with regard that they may be allowed a second day- to the date of the day of rejoicing, between either in the upper or the lower town, it is not the Jews of the capital e.nd those of the clear which-to complete their work, and pron.nces. The metropolitical Jews had two free themselves from all danger of further persecution from their foes. She is not days of struggle, and could not "rest" until likely to have made this request unless the third day, which was the 15th of Adar prompted to make it by Mordecai, who (ver. 18); the provincial Jews began and must have had means of knowing how ended their work in one day, the 13th, and matters really stood, and, as the chief so their thanksgiving-day was the 14th, and minister over the whole nation, is likely to have been actuated rather by general views not the 15th of the month (ver. 17). The of policy than by a blind spirit of revenge. consequence was, that when Mordecai and Still it must be granted that there is some- Esther determined on commemorating the thing essentially Jewish in Esther's request, wonderful deliverance of their time by an and indeed in the tone of the entire book annual festival, analogous to that of the which bears her name. Ver. 14.-They hanged the ten sons of passover, to be celebrated by all Jews every- Raman. Exposure on a cross was regarded where throughout all future ages, some hesi- o.s o. deep disgrace, and was a punishment tation naturally a.rose as to the proper day often inflicted by the Persians on persons to be kept holy. If the 14th were kept, the killed in some other way (see Herod., iii provincial Jews would be satisfied, but those 125; vii. 238; Xen., 'Anab.,' iii. 1, § 17; Plut., 'Vit. Artax.,' § 17). of Susa would have cause of complaint ; if Ver. 15.-For the Jews. Rather, "and the 15th were the day selected, the two the Jews," or" so the Jews." The Hebrew parties would simply exchange feelings. has the vau conjunctive, which is here Under these circumstances it was wisely certainly expressive of a sequence, or conse- resolved to keep both days (ver. 21). Nothing quence. Ver. 16.-0athered themselves together, seems to have been determined as to the and stood for their lives. I. e. did as the mode of keeping the feast, except that both edict directed them (eh. viii 11). And had days were to be "days of feasting and joy," rest from their enemies. The idea of "rest" and days upon which the richer members of seems out of place when the subject of the the community should send "portions" and narrative is slaughter, and the number of the slain has still to be told. Some suspect "gifts" to the poorer ones (ver. 22). The corruption, others e.n interpolation. And ne.me, "feast of Purim," was at once attached elew of their foes seventy •nd flve thoiisand. to the festival, ill memory of Haman's con-  15R THE BOOK OF ESTHEU [CR. IX. 1-32.