Esther 2

Es 2:1-20.

ESTHER

CHOSEN TO

BE

QUEEN.

1-3. After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was

appeased--On recovering from the violent excitement of his revelry

and rage, the king was pierced with poignant regret for the unmerited

treatment he had given to his beautiful and dignified queen. But,

according to the law, which made the word of a Persian king

irrevocable, she could not be restored. His counsellors, for their own

sake, were solicitous to remove his disquietude, and hastened to

recommend the adoption of all suitable means for gratifying their royal

master with another consort of equal or superior attractions to those

of his divorced queen. In the despotic countries of the East the custom

obtains that when an order is sent to a family for a young damsel to

repair to the royal palace, the parents, however unwilling, dare not

refuse the honor for their daughter; and although they know that when

she is once in the royal harem, they will never see her again, they are

obliged to yield a silent and passive compliance. On the occasion

referred to, a general search was commanded to be made for the greatest

beauties throughout the empire, in the hope that, from their ranks, the

disconsolate monarch might select one for the honor of succeeding to

the royal honors of Vashti. The damsels, on arrival at the palace, were

placed under the custody of "Hege, the king's chamberlain, keeper of

the women," that is, the chief eunuch, usually a repulsive old man, on

whom the court ladies are very dependent, and whose favor they are

always desirous to secure.

5. Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew--Mordecai held

some office about the court. But his "sitting at the king's gate"

(Es 2:21)

does not necessarily imply that he was in the humble condition of a

porter; for, according to an institute of Cyrus, all state officers

were required to wait in the outer courts till they were summoned into

the presence chamber. He might, therefore, have been a person of some

official dignity. This man had an orphan cousin, born during the exile,

under his care, who being distinguished by great personal beauty, was

one of the young damsels taken into the royal harem on this occasion.

She had the good fortune at once to gain the good will of the chief

eunuch

[Es 2:9].

Her sweet and amiable appearance made her a favorite with all who

looked upon her

(Es 2:15,

last clause). Her Hebrew name

(Es 2:7)

was Hadassah, that is, "myrtle," which, on her introduction into the

royal harem, was changed to Esther, that is, the star Venus, indicating

beauty and good fortune [GESENIUS].

11. Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's

house--The harem is an inviolable sanctuary, and what is transacted

within its walls is as much a secret to those without as if they were

thousands of miles away. But hints were given him through the eunuchs.

12. Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus--A

whole year was spent in preparation for the intended honor. Considering

that this took place in a palace, the long period prescribed, together

with the profusion of costly and fragrant cosmetics employed, was

probably required by state etiquette.

17. the king loved Esther above all the women--The choice fell on

Esther, who found favor in the eyes of Ahasuerus. He elevated her to

the dignity of chief wife, or queen. The other competitors had

apartments assigned them in the royal harem, and were retained in the

rank of secondary wives, of whom Oriental princes have a great number.

he set the royal crown upon her head--This consisted only of a purple

ribbon, streaked with white, bound round the forehead. The nuptials

were celebrated by a magnificent entertainment, and, in honor of the

auspicious occasion, "he made a release to the provinces, and gave

gifts, according to the state of the king." The dotation of Persian

queens consisted in consigning to them the revenue of certain cities,

in various parts of the kingdom, for defraying their personal and

domestic expenditure. Some of these imposts the king remitted or

lessened at this time.

Es 2:21-23.

MORDECAI,

DISCOVERING A

TREASON,

IS

RECORDED IN THE

CHRONICLES.

21. In those days . . . two of the king's chamberlains . . . were

wroth and sought to lay hand on the king, &c.--This secret conspiracy

against the king's life probably arose out of revenge for the divorce

of Vashti, in whose interest, and at whose instigation, these eunuchs

may have acted. Through the vigilance of Mordecai, whose fidelity,

however, passed unnoticed, the design was frustrated, while the

conspirators were condemned to be executed and as the matter was

recorded in the court annals, it became the occasion afterwards of

Mordecai's preferment to the place of power and influence for which, in

furtherance of the national interests of the Jews, divine providence

intended him.