Lectionary Calendar
Friday, March 29th, 2024
Good Friday
There are 2 days til Easter!
Attention!
We are taking food to Ukrainians still living near the front lines. You can help by getting your church involved.
Click to donate today!

Bible Commentaries
Esther 2

Bullinger's Companion Bible NotesBullinger's Companion Notes

Verse 1

After these things: i.e. in 467. Astyages was now twenty-one. In the seventh year (Esther 2:16 ); one of these spent in preparations (Esther 2:12 ).

Ahasuerus. See note on Esther 1:1 .

Vashti. See note on Esther 1:9 .

Verse 2

virgins. Hebrew. bethulah. See note on Genesis 24:43 .

Verse 3

custody = hand.

chamberlain = eunuch.

Verse 4

maiden = a young person. Hebrew. na'ar.

Verse 5

a certain Jew = a man (Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .), a Jew. The contrast between Judah and Israel was lost in a strange land; and, as Nebuchadnezzar's campaign was against Judah, so "Jew" became the name used by Gentiles.

Mordecai. Daniel and Ezekiel taken to Babylon (2 Kings 24:14 , 2 Kings 24:15 ); Nehemiah and Mordecai to Shushan; and Mordecai dwelt in the royal palace, as did Daniel and others (Daniel 1:4 . 2 Kings 20:16-18 ).

a Benjamite. Thus Mordecai, a Benjamite, ends Jehovah's war against Amalek, Exodus 17:16 . Compare Esther 3:1 with Esther 7:10 ; Esther 9:10 . A work entrusted to Saul (a Benjarnite). 1 Samuel 15:2-33 .

Verse 6

Jeconiah = Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:6 ).

carried away. Compare 2 Kings 24:14 , 2 Kings 24:15 . Jer 52:24-34:133 years before the generally received date (i.e. 598-465 = 133), which, therefore, cannot be correct. From the carrying away of Jeconiah to the marriage of Esther to Astyages in his seventh year was only twenty-two years (489-467). See App-50 .

Verse 7

Hadassah = myrtle. Not living with Mordecai (who was in the palace, Esther 2:5 ), but brought up by him.

Esther = star. But Rabbi Yehudah derives it from sathar, to hide, because she was hidden in her guardian's house; and her nationality also was concealed (Esther 2:10 ).

Verse 8

commandment = word. Hebrew. dabar. See note on Esther 1:12 .

decree = Imperial decree. Hebrew. dath , as in Esther 3:15 ; Esther 4:3 , Esther 4:8 ; Esther 8:14 , Esther 8:17 ; Esther 9:1 , Esther 9:13 , Esther 9:14 .

Verse 9

obtained = won.

preferred = promoted. Probably influenced by Mor-deoai.

Verse 10

not shewed. Not till Esther 7:3-5 . This was Mordecai's wisdom. Compare Esther 2:20 .

Verse 11

to know. This was Mordecai's solicitude. All this proves that these events must have taken place before the emancipation made by Cyras (the son of this Astyages, App-57 ), recorded in Ezr . No such secrecy would have been necessary, and no thought of allowing the People, whom he had just emancipated, to be exterminated, as is described in the book of Esther: But Cyrus, being her son, would be carefully prepared by her and Mordecai to begin his reign by such emancipation from Babylon (note, not from Shushan: compare Esther 1:1 with Jeremiah 25:11 , Jeremiah 25:12 ), thus fulfilling Isaiah 44:28 with Isaiah 45:1-4 .

Verse 12

for. Another Parenthesis . App-6 . See note on Esther 1:7 .

Verse 16

Tebeth. See App-51 .

seventh year. The first feast was in the third year. The search probably took one year; the preparation another; oblations another. Other seasons are unnamed.

Verse 18

release = a holiday. Hebrew. hanahah.

Verse 19

when, &c. = while they were collecting, &c.

sat in the king's gate. Mordecai was of the king's household. See Esther 2:5 . This guarded Esther's interests, and enabled him to obtain all information. (N. B. Haman lived in his own house with his family in the city.)

Verse 20

as = according as.

for, &c. Thus revealing a new characteristic of Esther. This secrecy was hardly needed if the emancipation of Ezra 1:1 had already taken place.

commandment. Hebrew. 'amar , as in Esther 1:10 .

Verse 21

gate. Hebrew. sha'ar = the lofty gate of a palace, not the same word as "door", Esther 2:21 ; Esther 6:2 .

door = threshold. Hebrew. saph.

Verse 22

was known. Mordecai sat in the king's gate: the very place to hear all news.

Verse 23

written. See note on Esther 6:1 .

Bibliographical Information
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Esther 2". "Bullinger's Companion bible Notes". https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bul/esther-2.html. 1909-1922.
adsFree icon
Ads FreeProfile