Jump to:
Esther
Chapter 2
{Chapters
1-5: Danger of the Jews Extermination - Continued}
{Choosing
of Esther as New Queen}
1~~~After
these things,
{approximately 4 years has passed}
when
the anger of king {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh had subsided/receded,
{shakak - used also concerning Noah's flood - it caused
devastation, then receded - same with the anger of the king}
he
remembered Vashti {zakar - to remember}
{probably remembering with a hint of some regret},
and
what she had done,
and
what was decreed against her.
2-4~~~
Then said the king's servants who served him,
"Let
there be extremely beautiful young virgins
sought
for the king. 3~~~
And
let the king appoint officers
in
all the provinces of his kingdom,
that
they may gather together
all
the extremely beautiful young virgins
unto
Shushan the palace,
to
the house of the women,
unto
the custody of Hege the king's eunuch,
who
was in charge of the women
and
let their cosmetics be given unto them. 4~~~
{the palace "spa"}
And
let the young lady who pleases the king
be
queen instead of Vashti."
And
the thing pleased the king
and
he did accordingly.
{Verses
5-7: New Character Introduced -
Mordecai (Maybe the Author of the Book)}
5-6~~~Now
in Shushan, the palace,
there
was a certain Jew,
whose
name was Mordecai,
{name is a variation of the Chief god of the Persians -
equivalent to Zeus Jews often also took local names to survive -
to blend in}
the
son of Jair {Mordecai's father},
the
son of Shimei{Mordecai's Grandfather},
the
son of Kish {Mordecai's Great-Grandfather},
a
Benjamite {all from the tribe of Benjamin} 6~~~
who
had been carried away from Jerusalem
with
the captivity who had been carried away
with
Jeconiah, king of Judah,
whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7~~~And
he {Mordecai}
was
bringing up Hadassah,
{Hadaccah - Esther's Hebrew name - translates to Myrtle}
that
is, Esther,
{'Ecter - Persian name means 'star'}
his
uncle's daughter
{Esher and Mordecai were cousins}.
For
she had neither father nor mother,
and
the maid was extremely beautiful
and
'good on which to look' . . .
whom
Mordecai,
when
her father and mother were dead,
took
for his own daughter.
{Note:
It is important to note that Esther is a Persian name. Remember the
King will marry Esther and not realize she is a Jewess. He probably
would not have married her had he known.}
8~~~So
it came to pass,
when
the king's commandment and his decree was heard,
and
when many young ladies were gathered together
unto
Shushan, the palace,
to
the custody of Hegai,
that
Esther was brought also unto the king's house,
to
the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9~~~And
the young lady pleased him,
and
she {Esther} found favor with him
and
he quickly gave her
her
cosmetics {spa treatment and makeovers},
and
food
and
gave her seven choice maids
{her own personal attendants},
out
of the king's house.
And
he 'changed her and her maids housing'
to
the best place of the house of the women.
{Note:
Esther's name means star, but she was really a 'super-star'. She
immediately is getting the superstar treatment from Hegai who is in
charge of all the beauty queens. She is getting the best of the best.}
10~~~Esther
had not showed her people nor her kindred . . .
for
Mordecai had charged her that she should not show it.
{she did not declare that she was a Jewess}
11~~~And
Mordecai walked every day
before
the court of the women's house,
to
know how Esther did,
and
what should become of her.
{Verses
12-14: General View of the Rules of the Beauty Contest}
12-13~~~Now
when every maid's turn was come
to
go in to king {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh,
after
that she had been twelve months,
according
to the manner of the women
(for
so were the days of their purifications accomplished,
to
wit, six months with oil of myrrh,
and
six months with sweet odors,
and
with other things for cosmetics of the women) 13~~~
then
thus came every maiden unto the king.
Whatsoever
she desired was given her
to
go with her out of the house of the women
unto
the king's house.
{Note:
The young women were trained in the art of seduction for one year.
Then on their individual "graduation day" they went into
have sex with the king for one night. She could take with her any
tool of seduction she wanted.}
14a~~~In
the evening,
she
{each girl on their night} went,
and
on the morrow she returned
into
the second harem of the women,
to
the custody of Shaashgaz,
the
king's chamberlain,
who
kept the concubines.
{Note:
Once the young girl had her turn with the king, she did NOT return
to the original group of women. Instead she went into the second
harem - with the other women who had now already slept with the king.
This was a 'graduation' of sorts.}
14b~~~She
came in unto the king no more,
except
the king delighted in her,
and
that she were called by name.
{Note:
If she was successful, she would be invited back for another round
or even made queen. If she was not memorable, the rest of her life
would be spent in the harem, maybe never again to be in the king's
presence, in the royal court, or even to have contact with the
outside world - virtually a prisoner in a very gilded cage.}
{Esther's
Turn on Stage}
15a~~~Now
when the turn of Esther,
the
daughter of Abihail,
the
uncle of Mordecai,
who
{Mordecai} had taken her for his daughter,
was
come to go in unto the king,
she
required nothing but what Hegai, the king's eunuch,
the
keeper of the women, advised.
{Note:
Remember Esther was Hegai's immediate favorite. Esther understands
that Hegai knows what the king would like better than anyone else she
knows. She is going to place her fate in Hegai's hands.}
15b~~~And
Esther obtained grace/favor
in
the sight of all those who looked upon her.
{Note:
Even her rival girls had to admit to her desirability.}
16~~~So
Esther was taken unto king {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh
into
his house royal in the tenth month,
which
is the month Tebeth {December- January},
in
the seventh year of his reign {479 BC}.
17~~And
the king loved Esther
more
than all the women,
and
she obtained grace/acceptance and grace/favor
in
his sight more than all the virgins;
so
that he set the royal crown upon her head,
and
made her queen instead of Vashti.
{Banquet
in Esther's Honor}
18~~
Then the king made a great banquet
unto
all his princes and his servants . . .
even
Esther's banquet.
And
he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts,
according
to the bounty of the king.
{Note:
The king gave a party in the court and even the lowest servant of
the court was invited. Then in all the land, a holiday was declared -
everyone got the day off. And, instead of receiving gifts, the king
showed his generosity by giving gifts to show how much he delighted
in Esther.}
19~~~And
when the virgins were gathered
together
a second time,
then
Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
{Note:
Unstated here is the fact that with Esther becoming queen, Mordecai
has been given a great position - as a judge of commerce and law
because it was at the king's gate where these functions take place.
However, both of these positions of greatness in the land will cause
jealousy and jealous people get together and plot evil.}
20~~~(Esther
had not yet
showed
her kindred nor her people . . .
as
Mordecai had charged her . . .
for
Esther did the commandment of Mordecai,
like
as when she was brought up with him).
{Note:
This verse is a parenthesis that shows that Esther still is
listening to what Mordecai instructed her. She is being faithful to
her authority, but at the same time is denying her heritage.}
21~~~In
those days,
while
Mordecai sat in the king's gate,
two
of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh,
of
those which kept the door, were angry/wroth,
and
sought to lay hand on the king {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh.
{Note:
Verse 19 and 21 go together. These two powerful nobles saw Esther
get a position of authority and immediately get 'her man' promoted.
They realize that if they can get Esther out of the way, they can get
one of their girls made queen and therefore they can get even more
power. Apparently these two plotted and Mordecai caught wind of the plot.}
22~~~And
the thing was known to Mordecai,
who
told it unto Esther the queen
and
Esther kept on telling the king thereof
in
Mordecai's name.
23a~~~And
when the matter was investigated,
it
was discovered/found out
{the plot to kill the king was verified}.
23b~~~Therefore
they were both impaled on a tree.
{Note:
The Persian form of capital punishment did discourage others from
following suit. These men were thrust threw and hung up on a piece of
wood or tree and the bloody mess was left out for all to see.}
23c~~~And
it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
{Note:
This was the Persian record of events, not the book(s) of Chronicles
in the Old Testament.}
{Note:
The event of this chapter once again demonstrate to us how God
controls history. No one is promoted unless God promotes them.}
|
|
|
|
