And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.

So

Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate. And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people. And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai; All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Then Esther bade them return to Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law and if I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Question. What is meant by the expression, "Whether Mordecai's matters would stand"? Answer-It means, whether Mordecai could disregard

Haman without being punished for it; for Haman was a proud and haughty man, who might be expected to resent to the utmost any slight put upon him. Q. What was the meaning of the king taking his ring from his finger, and giving it to Haman?" A-Probably it was given as a token or sign that Haman might exhibit to the various people to whom he gave orders, that they might know that he was acting by the permission and authority of the king.

A. Because he not only executed Esther's commission faithfully, but gave a very important warning to Mordecai, shewing him the danger in which the Jewish nation stood.

Q-How can we explain the existence of a law so severe as to denounce death to all who entered the king's presence without being summoned ?

A. The veneration paid to Eastern monarchs was excessive and exaggerated; and there was also the suspicion that those who approached the king uncalled might have designs upon his life. The extending of the golden sceptre to an applicant was a sign of favour and acceptance.

Q. What was the strongest point in the appeal of Mordecai to Esther on behalf of their people? A.-It is in the assurance to Esther that if she "altogether held her peace," that is, if she failed to interfere on behalf of the Jews, she herself would perish, as a Jewess, and deliverance would come later from another quarter. Then Esther resolved to risk all for her people.

Now

MORDECAI HONOURED

it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom. And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted

AND HAMAN PUNISED.

thee, and what is thy request? even to to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to-morrow as the king hath said. Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman refrained himself and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but

myself; and to-morrow am I invited unto her also with the king. Yet 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 unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

Question.-In what sense are the words "What it was, and why it was," used here?

Answer.-Esther, surprised at seeing Mordecai exhibit signs of extreme grief and apprehension, naturally asked what it was that made him sad, and why it was that he put on sackcloth.

Q. Why did Esther hesitate to intercede with the king for her people; and what is the meaning of "If I perish, I perish"?

A.-As stated, the despotic kings were treated with great ceremony, and exact such reverence, that they were looked upon as something higher than mortal men. When the king went into his inner court, only those he

called might come to him, under the pain of death, and Esther might well doubt if the king would extend grace to her, as she had not been called to him for thirty days. By "If I perish, I perish," Esther meant that she was ready to die, if necessary, in the effort to bring safety to her people.

Q. What lesson may be especially learned from the conduct of Haman towards Mordecai?

A. That the wicked man who digs a pit for his foe, is likely to fall into it himself. Haman was exulting in advance over the ruin he should bring on Mordecai, and was puffed up at the favour in which he found himself. He did not consider that "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

ΟΝ

N that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him. And the king said, Who is in the court? And the king's servants said unto him, Behold Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to

honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour, Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to

honour.

Then the king 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 streets of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour. [Haman was much mortified by this event, But presently he was summoned to queen Esther's banquet.]

So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, 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.

Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour 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: For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish.

Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen, And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen: for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; 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, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang

him thereon. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

[At the petition of Esther the king took measures to undo the mischief Haman would have done to the Jewish nation.] Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, 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. Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man re

verse.

And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by post on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries: Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, 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, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. So the posts 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. And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

Question.-Why was the king's command to Haman concerning Mordecai, especially mortifying to Haman?

Answer. Because he was compelled to accord to his enemy the honours he had hoped were to be conferred on himself, and when Mordecai had once been publicly honoured in the sight of all the people, Haman could never hope to be allowed to carry out his vengeance on Mordecai by hanging him, and as Mordecai was one of the foremost men among the Jews, the fact of honouring him, was in a certain sense shewing favour to his nation.

Q. What is the meaning of the expression, “Even to the half of my kingdom"?

A.-It was a general phrase, often used by the kings, meaning that however great the boon might be, it should not be refused.

Q. In what way was the punishment of Haman singularly appropriate to his offence?

A.-The very method of death, and the means which he had prepared for inflicting that death upon his enemy, were

put into action against himself by the command of the king; while his evil designs turned to the advantage of those he had intended to destroy.

Q. What is meant by giving the house of Haman unto Esther?

A.-As Haman was a traitor, his property was by law for feited to the king; and it was natural that Ahasuerus should give that property to queen Esther, as she was the representative of the nation Haman had intended to destroy.

Q. What Jewish feast was instituted to keep alive the remembrance of what Esther had done for her people?

A. The festival called Purim, or the feast of lots; because Haman is said to have cast lots to discover a favourable time to carry out his designs against the Jews. At the services in the synagognes the book of Esther is read through at this feast, which is annually celebrated in March, to commemorate Haman's fall, and Esther's triumph.

And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and

offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God