Bible Commentaries
Esther 3

Verse 1

After these things. Hainan was not made Grand Vizier till five years later. See Esther 3:7 .

Ahasuerus. See note on Esther 1:1 .

Agagite. A descendant of Amalekite kings (Numbers 24:7 . 1 Samuel 15:8 , 1 Samuel 15:32 ). Called an Amalekite by Josephus ( Antiquities xi. 6, 5).

Verse 2

gate = lofty porch. Hebrew. sha'ar. See note on Esther 2:21 .

bowed. Hebrew. kara', Kara' , used of idols (1 Kings 19:18 . 2 Chronicles 29:29 ). Shahah is the word used of bowing to kings and others.

commanded = appointed or charged. Hebrew. zavah.

Mordecai. See note on Esther 2:5 .

bowed not. He could not bow to an Amalekite, against whom Jehovah had declared perpetual war. See note on Exodus 17:16 .

Verse 6

Haman sought. Another assault of Satan against the nation through whom the Seed of the woman was to come. See App-23 .

Verse 7

they cast. From 1st Nisan 462 Timothy 1:0 3th Adar 462.

Pur. Persian for "lot". The reference is to "the monthly prognosticates" of Isaiah 47:13 . This was to fix on a fortunate time. Compare Esther 9:24 .

Verse 8

Haman said. Having got the month and the day (the thirteenth, see Esther 3:13 , compare App-10 ), he could go to the king,

There is a certain People. Would it have been necessary for Haman thus to have explained and described the Jews, if they had already received their emancipation? Impossible! We are asked to believe this according to the traditional teaching. But see note on Esther 10:3 , and App-67 and App-58 .

scattered abroad, &c. Compare 2 Chronicles 36:23 .Ezra 1:1-4 . There is no reference to any emancipation here.

laws. See note on Esther 1:8 .

Verse 10

the Jews' enemy. Haman so called four times: Esther 3:10 ; Esther 8:1 ; Esther 9:10 , Esther 9:24 . No one else so called in Scripture.

Verse 11

the People also. This was the aim of the great enemy, who was using Haman as he had tried to use Pharaoh in Egypt. See App-23 .

Verse 12

the thirteenth day. Ominous number. See App-10 . Note the three thirteens: Esther 3:12 , Esther 3:13 ; Esther 8:12 .

Verse 13

posts = the hand of the runners. Compare Esther 8:10 .

destroy . . . kill . . . cause to perish. Note the Figure of speech Synonymia , to emphasize the utter destruction contemplated.

perish. Hebrew. 'abad. Here and Esther 4:16 ; Esther 7:4 ; Esther 8:11 , not Esther 9:28 .

take the spoil. See note on Esther 9:10 .

Verse 14

commandment = Imperial decree. Hebrew. dath. See note on Esther 2:8 .

people = peoples.

Verse 15

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

decree. Hebrew. dath. See notes on Esther 1:8 ; Esther 2:8 .

sat down to drink. So Joseph's brethren (Genesis 37:25 ), and Herod (Matthew 14:6 . Mark 6:21 ). So will it be (Revelation 11:7-10 ).

the city. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for the inhabitants.

perplexed. A rare word. Exodus 14:3 , "entangled". Joel 1:18 . This verse speaks of the effect on the Persians. Esther 4:0 speaks of the effect on the Jews. Contrast Esther 8:15 .