Esther 8 Bible Study
Aug. 21st, 2011 07:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fardell24A Bible study I prepared for a study-group I go to
Esther 8
1 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her.
Haman's house having been justly forfeited to the King, the King bestows it on Esther, the Queen, as compensation.
Esther had told the King how Mordecai was related to her.[1]
Mordecai was introduced at court and appointed to a position as one of the seven counsellors.[2]
Mordecai was the principal object of Haman's malice, it was just to transfer his property to Mordecai.[3]
It was common practice for the property of people who were condemned to revert to the crown.[4]
Yet the victory here belonged to God. for despite Saul's disobedience leading to a dynasty that lead to Haman's plot against the Jews, God was there for His people. The house of Haman wasn't just compensation, it was the spoils of war.
Ref 1 Chronicles 26: 27
Some of the plunder taken in battle they dedicated for the repair of the temple of the LORD.
The verse refers to spoils that are won in battle. Esther had battled for the freedom of the Jews from annihilation. The spoils were then dedicated to the building up of God's house.
Chronicles was talking about physical spoils, but we are also fighting a spiritual battle.
Ref Ephesians 4:8
This is why it[5] says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.”[6]
Jesus led away our spirtual enemies captive. After His ascension there was a fulfilment of riches to the Church.
[7]
2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.
The King places the trust he had placed in Haman, in Mordecai. If Haman knew that his estate would go to Mordecai, he would had veiwed it with great vexation! We need to be sure of the riches that will not be left behind![8]
Haman has been hanged and the King has given all of his estate, all of his wealth to Esther in recompense for the fright that he had given her. The Estate of Haman would have included much property and all the money that he had been receiving as the King's advisor. This money would have been added to the allowance that she would have had as Queen.
Ref, Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.
Job 27: 17, 18
what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver. 18 The house he builds is like a moth's cocoon, like a hut made by a watchman.
What Haman has used for evil, Esther will use for good.
The King transfers all the power he had entrusted to Haman to Mordecai. All the trust and power that had been given to Haman is now in Mordecai's hands.
Esther also places Mordecai as steward of Haman's estate. This points to the vanity of laying up of treasure upon the Earth.
Ref, Psalm 39:6
Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.
Eccelsiastes 2:19
And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.
[9]
The Ring which had previously been given to Haman is now given to Mordecai by the King, and with it the King symbolically gives him the power that had previously been given to Haman.[10],[11]
The ring was the King's seal and that of the Kingdom.[12]
3 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.
Esther asks the King to find a way to repeal the decree that Haman had put out in his hate of the Jews.[13] Her commitment to her people was very selfless and accounts for the reason why the Jews continue to hold Esther in high honour.[14]
4 Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.
The King accepted Esther's request to talk to him.[15]
5 “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.
Esther prudently blames Haman, not the King for the action that lead to the decree for the Jews to be destroyed being issued.[16]
She enforced her petition with a plea; "For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come upon my people? For she did not want to see the Jews, her people, destroyed.[17]
6 For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”
Before she was welcomed by the King officially, Esther starts to plead with him to save her people. This showed just how important her request was. Haman may have been hung, but his order to annihilate the Jews still remained.[18]
Esther had great tact. She took a while in preparing to tell the King about Haman's plot. Here she tactfully tells the King that the decree that Haman had drawn up should be reversed immediately. The manner in which she did this indicates her wisdom and skill.[19]
7 King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up.
8 Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”
The first order (the one given out by Haman) could not be repealed because the Persian Kings did not want to admit that they had made a mistake.[20] Thus the laws of the Medes and Persians were irreversible.[21] So another decree had to be given and the King degated this job to Esther and Mordecai.
We can be like this at times, not wanting to admit that we had done something wrong. Howerver, covering it up and being in denial can be worse! It is better to admit that we were wrong and apologise. Apologising straight away could avoid making the situation worse.[22]
It is God's prerogative to say what can never be altered, not ours.[23]
9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.[a][24] These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.
This was two months after the previous decree (the one sent out by Haman), during which time God allowed the Jews to be humbled in the presence of their sins in not returning to the Promised Land, instead being scattered through the Persian's domain. [25]
10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.
The previous decree was not sent out with errand riders. This was, so as the reach all of the Jews in all of the 127 provences (an area extending from Northern Sudan, up to Anatolia and across to the Indus River, in what is now Pakistan) in time for them to prepare to defend themselves.[26]
The errand riders would have used very fast camels bred for the purpose.[27]
11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,[b][28] and to plunder the property of their enemies.
12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
The first decree couldn't be reversed, so how could the problem be solved? Mordecai wisely[29] wrote an order that stated that the Jews could defend themselves against their attackers (although not initiate the attack) and to plunder the property of their enemies.[30]
13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.
Esther wept for her people in front of the King so that they would be delivered from Haman's plot. She didn't weap for herself, rather for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most Christ-like. According the 'constitution' of the Persians no law could be recalled, or repealed. Far from indicating the wisdom of the Medes and Persians, instead it tells of their pride and folly! This is like God. Only He can say what can never be altered or unsaid. Another way was found in that another decree was written so that the Jews could stand in their own defense.
The decree was published in all the languages spoken and written in the Empire so that all the people would know what it said![31]
This situation with the decree is similar to our own situation. A righteous decree of God demands our death. Ref. Ezekiel 18:4
For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son – both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
God solves this problem by forfilling Justice via Jesus' death on the Cross. Ref. Romans 3:26
He did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.[32]
15 When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.
16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor.
17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.
Mordecai's rich robes were a sign of the King's favour, and that of God.
There is a parallel between the experience of the Jews in this instance and the experience of the Church. Many join the church when it prospers, whereas they wouldn't when it is in trouble. The Devil's attempts to destroy the church, tend to bring about growth.[33]
The new order, written by Mordecai was sent out throughout the Empire so that every single person would know about it.
Like the Jews in the situation we are also facing certain death with no way to save ourselves from that situation.
However, Jesus' death on the cross has provided us a way out of that situation. He took the punishment that we deserved so that we could have the opportunity to have eternal life with Him.[34]
References
[1] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[2] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[3] Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary - Esther 8
[4] VOL08OT (Page 295)
[5] NIV subnote: or God
[6] NIV subnote: Crossreference; Psalm 68:18
[7] The Book of Esther: Esther 8:1
[8] Esther 8 - Matthew Henry's Commentary - Bible Commentary
[9] Esther 8 - Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
[10] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[11] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[12] Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary - Esther 8
[13] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[14] Bible Commentary - Esther 8
[15] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[16] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[17] Esther 8 - Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
[18] Hannah Likes Sheep :Baa": Esther 8
[19] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[20] Hannah Likes Sheep :Baa": Esther 8
[21] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[22] Hannah Likes Sheep :Baa": Esther 8
[23] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[24] NIV subnote: That is, the upper Nile Region
[25] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[26] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[27] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[28] NIV subnote: Or province, together with their women and children, who might attack them;
[29] Possibly God Given.
[30] Hannah Likes Sheep :Baa": Esther 8
[31] Esther 8 - Matthew Henry's Commentary - Bible Commentary
[32] Esther 8 - Proclamation to Help the Jews
[33] Esther 8 - Matthew Henry's Commentary - Bible Commentary
[34] Hannah Likes Sheep :Baa": Esther 8
Esther 8
1 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her.
Haman's house having been justly forfeited to the King, the King bestows it on Esther, the Queen, as compensation.
Esther had told the King how Mordecai was related to her.[1]
Mordecai was introduced at court and appointed to a position as one of the seven counsellors.[2]
Mordecai was the principal object of Haman's malice, it was just to transfer his property to Mordecai.[3]
It was common practice for the property of people who were condemned to revert to the crown.[4]
Yet the victory here belonged to God. for despite Saul's disobedience leading to a dynasty that lead to Haman's plot against the Jews, God was there for His people. The house of Haman wasn't just compensation, it was the spoils of war.
Ref 1 Chronicles 26: 27
Some of the plunder taken in battle they dedicated for the repair of the temple of the LORD.
The verse refers to spoils that are won in battle. Esther had battled for the freedom of the Jews from annihilation. The spoils were then dedicated to the building up of God's house.
Chronicles was talking about physical spoils, but we are also fighting a spiritual battle.
Ref Ephesians 4:8
This is why it[5] says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.”[6]
Jesus led away our spirtual enemies captive. After His ascension there was a fulfilment of riches to the Church.
[7]
2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.
The King places the trust he had placed in Haman, in Mordecai. If Haman knew that his estate would go to Mordecai, he would had veiwed it with great vexation! We need to be sure of the riches that will not be left behind![8]
Haman has been hanged and the King has given all of his estate, all of his wealth to Esther in recompense for the fright that he had given her. The Estate of Haman would have included much property and all the money that he had been receiving as the King's advisor. This money would have been added to the allowance that she would have had as Queen.
Ref, Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.
Job 27: 17, 18
what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver. 18 The house he builds is like a moth's cocoon, like a hut made by a watchman.
What Haman has used for evil, Esther will use for good.
The King transfers all the power he had entrusted to Haman to Mordecai. All the trust and power that had been given to Haman is now in Mordecai's hands.
Esther also places Mordecai as steward of Haman's estate. This points to the vanity of laying up of treasure upon the Earth.
Ref, Psalm 39:6
Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.
Eccelsiastes 2:19
And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.
[9]
The Ring which had previously been given to Haman is now given to Mordecai by the King, and with it the King symbolically gives him the power that had previously been given to Haman.[10],[11]
The ring was the King's seal and that of the Kingdom.[12]
3 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.
Esther asks the King to find a way to repeal the decree that Haman had put out in his hate of the Jews.[13] Her commitment to her people was very selfless and accounts for the reason why the Jews continue to hold Esther in high honour.[14]
4 Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.
The King accepted Esther's request to talk to him.[15]
5 “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.
Esther prudently blames Haman, not the King for the action that lead to the decree for the Jews to be destroyed being issued.[16]
She enforced her petition with a plea; "For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come upon my people? For she did not want to see the Jews, her people, destroyed.[17]
6 For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”
Before she was welcomed by the King officially, Esther starts to plead with him to save her people. This showed just how important her request was. Haman may have been hung, but his order to annihilate the Jews still remained.[18]
Esther had great tact. She took a while in preparing to tell the King about Haman's plot. Here she tactfully tells the King that the decree that Haman had drawn up should be reversed immediately. The manner in which she did this indicates her wisdom and skill.[19]
7 King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up.
8 Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”
The first order (the one given out by Haman) could not be repealed because the Persian Kings did not want to admit that they had made a mistake.[20] Thus the laws of the Medes and Persians were irreversible.[21] So another decree had to be given and the King degated this job to Esther and Mordecai.
We can be like this at times, not wanting to admit that we had done something wrong. Howerver, covering it up and being in denial can be worse! It is better to admit that we were wrong and apologise. Apologising straight away could avoid making the situation worse.[22]
It is God's prerogative to say what can never be altered, not ours.[23]
9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.[a][24] These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.
This was two months after the previous decree (the one sent out by Haman), during which time God allowed the Jews to be humbled in the presence of their sins in not returning to the Promised Land, instead being scattered through the Persian's domain. [25]
10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.
The previous decree was not sent out with errand riders. This was, so as the reach all of the Jews in all of the 127 provences (an area extending from Northern Sudan, up to Anatolia and across to the Indus River, in what is now Pakistan) in time for them to prepare to defend themselves.[26]
The errand riders would have used very fast camels bred for the purpose.[27]
11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,[b][28] and to plunder the property of their enemies.
12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
The first decree couldn't be reversed, so how could the problem be solved? Mordecai wisely[29] wrote an order that stated that the Jews could defend themselves against their attackers (although not initiate the attack) and to plunder the property of their enemies.[30]
13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.
Esther wept for her people in front of the King so that they would be delivered from Haman's plot. She didn't weap for herself, rather for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most Christ-like. According the 'constitution' of the Persians no law could be recalled, or repealed. Far from indicating the wisdom of the Medes and Persians, instead it tells of their pride and folly! This is like God. Only He can say what can never be altered or unsaid. Another way was found in that another decree was written so that the Jews could stand in their own defense.
The decree was published in all the languages spoken and written in the Empire so that all the people would know what it said![31]
This situation with the decree is similar to our own situation. A righteous decree of God demands our death. Ref. Ezekiel 18:4
For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son – both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
God solves this problem by forfilling Justice via Jesus' death on the Cross. Ref. Romans 3:26
He did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.[32]
15 When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.
16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor.
17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.
Mordecai's rich robes were a sign of the King's favour, and that of God.
There is a parallel between the experience of the Jews in this instance and the experience of the Church. Many join the church when it prospers, whereas they wouldn't when it is in trouble. The Devil's attempts to destroy the church, tend to bring about growth.[33]
The new order, written by Mordecai was sent out throughout the Empire so that every single person would know about it.
Like the Jews in the situation we are also facing certain death with no way to save ourselves from that situation.
However, Jesus' death on the cross has provided us a way out of that situation. He took the punishment that we deserved so that we could have the opportunity to have eternal life with Him.[34]
References
[1] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[2] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[3] Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary - Esther 8
[4] VOL08OT (Page 295)
[5] NIV subnote: or God
[6] NIV subnote: Crossreference; Psalm 68:18
[7] The Book of Esther: Esther 8:1
[8] Esther 8 - Matthew Henry's Commentary - Bible Commentary
[9] Esther 8 - Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
[10] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[11] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[12] Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary - Esther 8
[13] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[14] Bible Commentary - Esther 8
[15] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[16] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[17] Esther 8 - Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
[18] Hannah Likes Sheep :Baa": Esther 8
[19] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[20] Hannah Likes Sheep :Baa": Esther 8
[21] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[22] Hannah Likes Sheep :Baa": Esther 8
[23] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[24] NIV subnote: That is, the upper Nile Region
[25] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[26] Esther 8 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary
[27] Esther - Chapter 8 - Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary on SearchGodsWord.org
[28] NIV subnote: Or province, together with their women and children, who might attack them;
[29] Possibly God Given.
[30] Hannah Likes Sheep :Baa": Esther 8
[31] Esther 8 - Matthew Henry's Commentary - Bible Commentary
[32] Esther 8 - Proclamation to Help the Jews
[33] Esther 8 - Matthew Henry's Commentary - Bible Commentary
[34] Hannah Likes Sheep :Baa": Esther 8
