talking with him, came the king's chamberlains and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared, for the Oriental custom required a special message to be sent to the guests just before the hour appointed for a feast to announce that

all things were now ready. Cp. Matt. 22, 3. 4; Luke 14, 17. That is the final reward of the unbelievers, particularly of those who persecute the Church of God: they fall before His might and will finally sink into everlasting destruction.

The Fall of Haman.

ESTHER PLEADS FOR HER PEOPLE. — V. 1. So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther, the queen, the drinking after the feast being regarded as the most important part of the entertainment. V. 2. And the king, being more anxious even than on the day before to find out Esther's request, said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, repeating his promise in practically the same words, What is thy petition, Queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee; and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. She had but to name her desire, and the king would place all his resources at her command. V. 3. Then Esther, the queen, all her pent-up emotions breaking forth with a sudden rush of words, answered and said, If I have found favor in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition and my people at my request; she pleaded with the king that her own life and that of her race might be spared, saved from the impending calamity; v. 4. for we are sold, I and my people, a very fitting expression, since Haman had paid a large sum of money into the royal treasury to bring about the extermination of the Jews, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish, the heaping of the words showing the depth of her own emotions, and being intended to awaken similar feelings in the heart of the king. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, if the scheme had implied only slavery for herself and her people, I had held my tongue, unwilling to bother the king on that score alone, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage, that is, in the circumstances the punishment of the enemy must be considered less important than the averting of the damage which the king would suffer. Esther thus stated that all other considerations were secondary with her to the one great need of preserving the interests of the king, since all the gold which the enemy might pay would not compensate for the loss of the services which her people rendered to the empire. V. 5. Then the King Ahasuerus, filled with the greatest agitation on account of the condition revealed by Esther's words, answered and said unto Esther, the queen, Who is he, and where is

he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? literally, "Who has filled his heart to do so?" For it must have been a heart of extraordinary wickedness which could have thought out such a devilish scheme. V. 6. And Esther, now fully sure of her ground, said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. It was a moment of most dramatic intensity when Esther thus denounced the man who was filled with such enmity toward the Jews. Then Haman was afraid, he trembled for fear, before the king and the queen, for he had some premonition of what his fate would be. Thus Esther placed her position and her very life in jeopardy for the sake of her people. In the same way all believers who occupy positions of honor and power have the duty to use their influence in the interest of their fellow-believers.

HAMAN HANGED ON HIS OWN GALLOWS. V. 7. And the king, arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath, went into the palace garden, for he was so filled with agitation that he must needs take a turn in the royal park. And Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther, the queen, for he realized that this was his one chance of salvation; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king, that sentence upon him had virtually been pronounced. V. 8. Then the king returned out of the palace garden, where he had gone to recover from the first burst of anger, into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. In his importunate pleading for his life he had kneeled down before Esther and had then fallen forward with the upper part of his body on the sofa on which Esther reclined at the meal. Then said the king, now altogether beside himself with anger, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? The king took this act of Haman's to be an outrage on the modesty of the queen and a serious offense against the respect due to himself. As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face, it being the custom to veil the face of a condemned criminal as no longer worthy of looking at the king. V. 9. And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, in revealing the plot against the king's life, standeth in

the house of Haman. His words suggested, of course, that it was more fit for Haman to be hanged on the high gallows which he had erected than for Mordecai. Then the king said, Hang him thereon. V. 10. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he

had prepared for Mordecai, his feet thus being taken in the net which he had hidden for another, Ps. 9, 15. Then was the king's wrath pacified. That is the final fate of the enemies of the Church, a dreadful and terrible end, in the depths of shame and disgrace.

The Jews Receive Permission to Revenge Themselves.

MORDECAI ADVANCED. — V. 1. On that day did the King Ahasuerus give the house of Haman, the Jews' enemy, unto Esther, the queen; his property having been confiscated, the king gave it to Esther as a kind of compensation for the peril which she had suffered. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her; on the strength of his relationship to the queen he was made one of the officers belonging to the inner circle surrounding the king. V. 2. And the king took off his ring, his sealring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai, thereby promoting him to the position and the dignity which Haman had formerly held.. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman, as her steward, to manage the big estate which had been given to her by the king. V. 3. And Esther spake yet again before the king and fell down at his feet, in an attitude of the most humble pleading, and besought him with tears, imploring him as she wept, to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews, for the murderous decree was still in force, having not been repealed. V. 4. Then the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther, to indicate that he was ready to grant her request. So Esther arose and stood before the king, in order to discuss ways and means of undoing the mischief wrought by Haman's scheme, v. 5. and said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, her prudence, as usual, causing her to be most modest in presenting her request, and I be pleasing in his eyes, her appeal to his regard for her coming last, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces; for unless the decree would be repealed, the enemies of the Jews would still be able to effect their destruction; v. 6. for how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? Her words state, in the most emphatic manner, that she would never be able to stand it, to live through such a

calamity. That is the proper attitude for a Christian to take, a real live, personal interest in the welfare of those of the household of faith, a true grieving with those that weep.

THE DECREE OF AHASUERUS AND ITS EFFECT. V. 7. Then the King Ahasuerus said unto Esther, the queen, and to Mordecai, the Jew, in granting the request of Esther, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows because he laid his hand upon the Jews. V. 8. Write ye also for the Jews as it liketh you, as they thought best in the circumstances, in the king's name and seal it with the king's ring, which had a seal on it; for the writing which is written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring may no man reverse. It seems, then, that the king could not directly reverse or recall the decree which had been issued; but he could have a second decree issued, which would have the effect of annulling the provisions of that sent out at Haman's suggestion. V. 9. Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof, fully two months after Haman's edict of extermination; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India, on the eastern boundary of the great Persian empire, unto Ethiopia, in Northeastern Africa, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, for the larger satrapies were divided into smaller sections, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language. Cp. chap. 1, 22; 3, 12. V. 10. And he, Mordecai, wrote in the King Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, as he had been empowered to do, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries, for the post-system of the empire was both extensive and effective, v. 11. wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, such an act not being accounted a disturbance of the peace, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, whose

enmity would cause them to make use of the provisions of Haman's decree, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, v. 12. upon one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, the very day which had been named for the destruction of the Jews in the original decree. V. 13. The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, made known to them by means of the copies posted throughout the empire, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies, not merely in self-defense, but with the right to attack any hostile party. V. 14. So the posts, the king's messengers, that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan, the palace, being sent forth from this residence of the king. V. 15. And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, these being the royal colors of

Persia, and with a great crown of gold, a golden band, or coronet, and with a garment of fine linen and purple, his state robes as first minister of the court. And the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad, the sympathy of the inhabitants evidently being on the side of Esther. V. 16. The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honor, in contrast to the darkness of the pall which had but recently hung above them. V. 17. And in every province and in every city whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day, for the threatening peril had been averted, which was reason enough for a holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews, became proselytes to the Jewish faith; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them, they saw in all these events the ruling hand of God and therefore acknowledged Him who was so evidently on the side of the Jews. In the time of the New Testament also there are special times of grace, when God does great things for His Church, and therefore many hearts are turned to Him in true faith.

The Revenge of the Jews.

THE ENEMIES SLAIN.-V. 1. Now, in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, the last month of the Jewish church-year, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, namely, that which had been engineered by the crafty Haman, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them, the provisions of the first decree being neutralized by those of the second edict as sent out by Mordecai,) v. 2. the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, as they had received permission to do, chap. 8, 11, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt, who would take advantage of the original order, which could not be reversed outright. And no man could withstand them; for the fear of them, by virtue of the providence of God, which was so clearly evident in the trend of events, fell upon all people. V. 3. And all the rulers of the provinces, the national princes, and the lieutenants, the satraps of the larger divisions of the empire, and the deputies, the governors appointed by the king, and officers of the king, all persons of rank who were directly in the king's employ, helped the Jews, furthering their cause in every conceivable manner, because the fear of Mordecai, whose power as grand vizier of the em

pire was practically limitless, fell upon them. V. 4. For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces, making it a dangerous matter for any one to come into conflict with his orders; for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater. V. 5. Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, inflicting a great defeat upon them, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them, their enemies being helpless before them. V. 6. And in Shushan, the palace, the section of the capital where the royal palace was situated, the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. V. 7. And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, v. 8. and Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, v. 9. and Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha, v. 10. the ten sons of Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand, they did not take advantage of this right which had been given them in the second decree, chap. 8, 11, their only object being to defend themselves. V. 11. On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan, the palace, was brought before the king. V. 12. And the king said unto Esther, the queen, by way of showing her that he had granted her a great favor in permitting his decree to go forth, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan, the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have

they done in the rest of the king's provinces? He implied that the number of slain throughout his empire must be very great. Now, what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee; or what is thy request further? and it shall be done. He was ready to make still greater concessions, to grant still larger favors. V. 13. Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to-morrow also according unto this day's decree, as a measure to prevent the outbreak of any further aggressions, to subdue the enemies for all time, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows, their dead bodies being impaled or crucified with the intention of branding them with public disgrace as the enemies of the Jews. V. 14. And the king commanded it so to be done. And the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons. V. 15. For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar and slew three hundred men at Shushan, this fact showing that the party of Haman had still been pretty strong, since fully eight hundred men were destroyed by the Jews; but on the prey laid they not their hand, they did not appropriate any of their property. V. 16. But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, outside of those living at Shushan, and stood for their lives and had rest from their enemies, they succeeded in securing peace for themselves, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey, v. 17. on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, this being the one day which the Jews of the provinces took for their revenge; and on the fourteenth day of the same, which was the second day of revenge for the Jews of Shushan, rested they and made it a day of feasting and gladness, rejoicing over their deliverance from the hands of their enemies. V. 18. But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness. V. 19. Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelled in the unwalled towns, outside the capital, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, a special holiday, and of sending portions one to another, making presents as an expression of joy and thankfulness. God, who is the great Judge and Revenger, has often given His people the victory over their enemies. And on the Last Day all the enemies will be overthrown, and the Church of God will have rest and peace throughout eternity.

THE PURIM FESTIVAL INSTITUTED. — V. 20. And Mordecai wrote these things, a full account of all these happenings, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, wherever there were colonies and congregations of his countrymen, v. 21. to stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, making the celebration of the festival an event occupying two days, v. 22. as the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, when their deliverance from their oppressors brought them lasting peace, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy and from mourning into a good day, that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor, as manifestations of their great thankfulness. V. 23. And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, the first celebration having already taken place in an outburst of spontaneous joy, and as Mordecai had written unto them, v. 24. because Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, this being done through the astrologers and magicians, chap. 3, 7, to consume them, crush them out of existence, and to destroy them; v. 25. but when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his, Haman's, wicked device which he devised against the Jews should return upon his own head, that he be caught in his own net, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows, these two commands, as they were directed to the queen, being given in direct speech. V. 26. Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur, the word for the lot which Haman had used in trying to carry out his murderous scheme. Therefore, for all the words of this letter, which was sent out by Mordecai, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, their own experience agreeing with the account as given by Mordecai, and which had come unto them, which they found out from other reliable sources, v. 27. the Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed, all their descendants, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, not be passed by and forgotten, that they would keep these two days according to their writing and according to their appointed time every year, the time of celebration being determined by the order of Mordecai; v. 28. and that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail,

should never cease, from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish, come to an end, from their seed. V. 29. Then Esther, the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai, the Jew, wrote with all authority, with all emphasis, to confirm this second letter of Purim, the name of Mordecai giving the document full weight and legal power. The contents of this letter are not given, its existence being known to all Jews. V. 30. And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, since they were aimed at the welfare of Israel and were based upon facts, v. 31. to confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai, the Jew, and Esther, the queen, had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, themselves perfectly willing to agree to the establishment of the new festival, the matters of the fastings and their cry, in remembrance of the lamentations which the Jews indulged in before they were delivered by the decree of Mordecai. V. 32. And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book,

that which related the events connected with the establishment of the festival. The Feast of Esther, or that of Purim, is celebrated by the Jews to this day. "On both days of the feast the modern Jews read over the Megillah, or Book of Esther, in their synagogs. The copy read must not be printed, but written on vellum in the form of a roll; and the names of the ten sons of Haman are written on it in a peculiar manner, being ranged, they say, like so many bodies on a gibbet. The reader must pronounce all these names in one breath. Whenever Haman's name is pronounced, they make a terrible noise in the synagog. Some drum with their feet on the floor, and the boys have mallets with which they knock and make a noise. They prepare themselves for their carnival by a previous fast, which should continue three days, in imitation of Esther's; but they have mostly reduced it to one day." 2) It is perfectly right and proper that Christians celebrate also such festivals on which they remember some great teacher of the Church and the great things which the Lord did through such a chosen instrument of His grace, as in the case of Martin Luther.

2) Cp. Jennings, Jewish Antiquities.

The Extent of Mordecai's Power. V. 1. And the King Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, a special tax exacted from all parts of his great empire, and upon the isles of the sea, as far as his influence extended. V. 2. And all the acts of his power and of his might and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai whereunto the king advanced him, for the power of Mordecai grew with that of his sovereign, whose grand vizier, or prime minister, he was, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? Any one desiring further information could find it in the public records. V. 3.

For Mordecai, the Jew, was next unto King Ahasuerus, a power next to the king in the empire, and great among the Jews, influential also among his own countrymen, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, occupying a representative position among them, seeking the wealth of his people and speaking peace to all his seed; for he always took care to have his position in the empire redound to the benefit of his people. It is the duty of all believers to seek the peace of the city, but, above all, that of their people, of the Church of Christ, whose welfare they should endeavor to promote also by means of their secular calling.