1 130. OF HAMAN AND MORDECAI. Esther ii. 21-vi. MORDECAI discovered a conspiracy against king Ahasuerus, and Esther made it known to the king. Inquisition was made and Bigthan and Teresh two of the king's chamberlains were hanged for their crime. After these things Ahasuerus promoted Haman, an Agagite, to be above all the other princes, and all the king's servants reverenced him. Mordecai alone bowed not to him. Haman was very angry, and resolved to obtain a decree from the king to destroy all the Jews in Persia. He spoke of the Jews, to the king, as a disloyal people, and obtained a decree against them. He sent letters through all the provinces for the destruction of the Jews on a certain day. Then Mordecai informed Esther of the king's decree, and that her own life was endangered by Haman's designs. The queen then went to Ahasuerus, and she made a request to him that he and Haman would NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. Agagite-as Agag was the common name of many of the kings of Amalek, it appears probable that Haman was of the royal line. p. 132, Agag; p. 155. smote. bowed not-the bowing spoken of seems to refer to that kind of homage which was paid to the king himself; in which there was a kind of divine honour paid, which we are told even the Greeks refused. resolved-it is said that in order to de termine on what day he should carry readiness at stations at certain distances from each other. Neither snow, rain, heat, nor darkness interfered with these posts. to destroy all-the implacable hatred informed-by means of Hatach, one of of his ancestors towards the Hebrews decree-p. 371. unalterable. sent letters-Cyrus established posts throughout the Persian dominionsmen with horses were kept in the king's chamberlains, whom Esther had sent to inquire of Mordecai the cause of his mourning. endangered-the king's decree would apply to her also, she being a Jewess; It does not appear that Ahasuerus was acquainted with her nation and religion. Mordecai showed her, however, that her position, though it offered no sufficient screen to insure her safety, enabled her to effect safety for her people. come to a banquet, which she had prepared. Haman went forth joyfully, but when he saw. that Mordecai bowed not to him, he was full of indignation against him. When Haman came home, he boasted of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him; and that Esther the queen had invited him to the banquet. "Yet," said he, "all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate." Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, "Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to-morrow speak thou the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon; then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet." And he caused the gallows to be made. unto On that night the king could not sleep, the chronicles of his kingdom were read to him, concerning the conspiracy of Bigthan and Teresh. The king inquired "What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this?" His servants told him that nothing had been done for him. Haman then came to the king to speak to him about Mordecai, that he should be hanged on the gallows he had prepared. The king asked him, "What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour?" Haman thought only of himself, and suggested that such man should be clothed in royal apparel, and placed on the king's horse, and that one of the most noble of the NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. chronicles-the Persian kings exercised the utmost care to register every Occurrence worthy of preservation, chiefly, however, the events connected with the court, By a singular Providence, the king could not sleep, the chronicle was called for, and the reader turned to that part in which Mordecai's services were recorded; honour was decreed him, and Haman was to be the means of conferring it. clothed-Haman's advice included the investiture of the king's favourite with the royal turban as well as the royal robe. The privilege of wearing the royal robe was a dignity of a very exalted kind; and the succession to the crown might be implied in it. Thus Eliakim was to be clothed with Shebna's robe, when princes should go with him through the city, and proclaim before him, "Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour." The king approved of this, and said to Haman, "Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate; let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken." Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, "Thus shall it be done. unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour." NOTES AND EXPALNATIONS. conferred. The people of the East, not excepting the Hebrews, esteemed it criminal for any one to use what had once been appropriated to royalty; but in Persia this exclusiveness was carried to its utmost limits, death being the punishment of the offender. proclaimed-thus Haman was called on to proclaim Mordecai's honour, at the very instant when he came to petition for his destruction. A KING'S SLEEPLESS NIGHT. Long was his reward delayed, Yet in patient faith he sate Come at last the destined hour Then the Chronicles which told BARTON. 131. HAMAN ACCUSED AND HANGED. OF NEHEMIAH. Esther vi-x; Nehemiah i, ii. AFTER Haman had shown honour to Mordecai according to the king's command, he went to his house mourning, and told his friends what had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, " If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him." And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared. There Esther accused him of having contrived the death of herself and her people, and Haman was hanged on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai. The king then issued another decree by which the Jews were allowed to defend themselves; (for the first decree could not be altered ;) and the Jews slew many of their enemies in Shushan in the province of Persia. Mordecai was promoted to great honour; he was next to the king, and great among the Jews, accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his 'seed. The feast of Purim was instituted by the Jews as a memorial of their deliverance from Haman, their adversary. NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. wise men-Haman had no doubt a princely establishment, including physicians, wise men, servants, horses, &c. The large sum offered by him to indemnify the royal treasury for the loss of the Jewish tribute proves that he had immense wealth, easily replaced by the Eastern habits of peculation. hanged-thus, within the compass of a day, Haman's fortune was completely reversed; it was no extraordinary manifestation of God's power, but it was a notable instance of retributive justice. many- 75,800. It is distinctly stated that they stood for their lives,' or slew these people in self-defence, and that they abstained from taking any spoil, although that was included in the king's decree. Esth. viii. 11. Purim-lots;' p. 382. resolved. This feast is still observed by the Jews in all parts of the world, and is usually a day of total rest from labour, of hilarity, and frequently of excess; in the synagogue the book of Esther is read, and whenever the reader utters the name of Haman the whole congregation-men, women, and children, rise up and clap with their hands, and stamp with their feet, exclaiming, "Let his name and his memory be blotted out;" when the reading is finished they all exclaim, " Cursed be Haman! Blessed be Mordecai ! Cursed be Zeresh! Blessed be Esther! Cursed be all idolaters! Blessed be all Israelites! and blessed also be Harbonah, at whose instance Haman was hanged." At this feast alms are given to the poor; relations and friends send presents to each other, and all furnish their tables with such luxuries as they can command. B B Nehemiah was cup-bearer to the king of Persia. He learned from Hanani that the brethren in Jerusalem were in great affliction, and that the walls of the city were broken down and the gates burned with fire. He mourned and wept, and fasted certain days, and prayed to God for his people. When he offered wine to the king, he asked Nehemiah why he was so sad; and Nehemiah said, "Why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste." Then the king said unto him, " For what dost thou make request ?" So Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven. He then said unto the king, "If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it." And the king said unto him, "For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return?” So Nehemiah stated the time, and and it pleased the king to send him. Moreover Nehemiah said unto the king, “If NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. Nehemiah whom Jehovah comforts;' office, the cupbearer being the most CUP-BEARER. Hanani-he was noted for deep piety and unswerving integrity; he had gone up to Jerusalem with some of the returned captives, but soon came back with a gloomy account of the state of affairs there. offered wine-the cup was washed under the king's eye, and being filled was presented in a graceful manner; it was a part of the duty of the cupbearer to taste the wine offered to the king, so as to assure him that it was free from poison. so sad when friends, servants, or acquaintances have a request to make, or a secret to disclose, they walk about with a gloomy countenance, and never speak but when spoken to. The object is to induce you to ask what is the matter; because they think you will then be disposed to listen to them. Roberts. prayed-silently; within himself; he offered an ejaculatory prayer. The book of Nehemiah abounds with instances of his zeal and piety. fathers' sepulchres-p. 44, charged, 56, took 193 buried. it pleased-the queen, Esther, was sitting by the king when Nehemiah made his request; her influence therefore would not be wanting to induce |