Yǐsītièjì 6

1 Nà yè wáng shuì bù zhe jué , jiù fēnfu rén qǔ lìshǐ lái , niàn gĕi tā tīng .

2 Zhēng yùjiàn shū shang xiĕ zhe shuō , wáng de taì jiān zhōng yǒu liǎng gè shǒu mén de , bì tàn hé Tíliè , xiǎng yào xià shǒu haì Yàhǎsuílǔ wáng , Mòdǐgǎi jiāng zhè shì gàosu wáng hòu .

3 wáng shuō , Mòdǐgǎi xíng le zhè shì , cì tā shénme zūnróng jué wèi méiyǒu . cìhou wáng de chénpú huídá shuō , méiyǒu cì tā shénme .

4 Wáng shuō , shuí zaì yuànzi lǐ . ( nàshí Hǎmàn zhēng jìn wánggōng de waì yuàn , yào qiú wáng jiāng Mòdǐgǎi guà zaì tā suǒ yùbeì de mù jià shang

5 Chénpú shuō , Hǎmàn zhàn zaì yuàn neì . wáng shuō , jiào tā jìnlái .

6 Hǎmàn jiù jìn qù . wáng wèn tā shuō , wáng suǒ xǐyuè zūnróng de rén , dāng rúhé dāi tā ne . Hǎmàn xīnli shuō , wáng suǒ xǐyuè zūnróng de , bú shì wǒ shì shuí ne .

7 Hǎmàn jiù huídá shuō , wáng suǒ xǐyuè zūnróng de rén ,

8 Dāng jiāng wáng cháng chuān de zhāo fù hé daì guān de yù mǎ ,

9 Dōu jiāo gĕi wáng jí zūnguì de yī gè dàchén , méng tā jiāng yīfu gĕi wáng suǒ xǐyuè zūnróng de rén chuān shang , shǐ tā qí shang mǎ , zǒu biàn chéng lǐ de jiēshì , zaì tā miànqián xuāngào shuō , wáng suǒ xǐyuè zūnróng de rén , jiù rúcǐ dāi tā .

10 Wáng duì Hǎmàn shuō , nǐ sù sù jiāng zhè yīfu hé mǎ , zhào nǐ suǒ shuō de , xiàng zuò zaì zhāo mén de Yóudà rén Mòdǐgǎi qù xíng . fán nǐ suǒ shuō de , yíyàng bùkĕ quē .

11 Yúshì Hǎmàn jiāng zhāo fù gĕi Mòdǐgǎi chuān shang , shǐ tā qí shang mǎ , zǒu biàn chéng lǐ de jiēshì , zaì tā miànqián xuāngào shuō , wáng suǒ xǐyuè zūnróng de rén , jiù rúcǐ dāi tā .

12 Mòdǐgǎi réng huí dào zhāo mén , Hǎmàn què yōu yōu mēn mēn de méng zhe tóu , jímáng huí jiā qù le .

13 Jiāng suǒ yù de yīqiè shì , xiángxì shuō gĕi tāde qī Xìlìsī , hé tāde zhòng péngyou tīng . tāde zhìhuì rén , hé tāde qī Xìlìsī duì tā shuō , nǐ zaì Mòdǐgǎi miànqián shǐ ér baì luō , tā rúguǒ shì Yóudà rén , nǐ bì bùnéng shēng tā , zhōng bì zaì tā miànqián baì luō .

14 Tāmen hái yǔ Hǎmàn shuōhuà de shíhou , wáng de taì jiān lái cuī Hǎmàn , kuaì qù fù Yǐsītiĕ suǒ yùbeì de yánxí .

Yǐsītièjì 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

Providence recommends Mordecai to the king's favour. (1-3) Haman's counsel honours Mordecai. (4-11) Haman's friends tell him of his danger. (12-14)

Verses 1-3 The providence of God rules over the smallest concerns of men. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without him. Trace the steps which Providence took towards the advancement of Mordecai. The king could not sleep when Providence had a design to serve, in keeping him awake. We read of no illness that broke his sleep, but God, whose gift sleep is, withheld it from him. He who commanded a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, could not command one hour's sleep.

Verses 4-11 See how men's pride deceives them. The deceitfulness of our own hearts appears in nothing more than in the conceit we have of ourselves and our own performances: against which we should constantly watch and pray. Haman thought the king loved and valued no one but himself, but he was deceived. We should suspect that the esteem which others profess for us, is not so great as it seems to be, that we may not think too well of ourselves, nor trust too much in others. How Haman is struck, when the king bids him do honour to Mordecai the Jew, the very man whom he hated above all men, whose ruin he was now designing!

Verses 12-14 Mordecai was not puffed up with his honours, he returned to his place and the duty of it. Honour is well bestowed on those that do not think themselves above their business. But Haman could not bear it. What harm had it done him? But that will break a proud man's heart, which will not break a humble man's sleep. His doom was, out of this event, read to him by his wife and his friends. They plainly confessed that the Jews, though scattered through the nations, were special objects of Divine care. Miserable comforters are they all; they did not advise Haman to repent, but foretold his fate as unavoidable. The wisdom of God is seen, in timing the means of his church's deliverance, so as to manifest his own glory.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 6

Ahasuerus, not being able to sleep in the night, ordered the book of records to be brought and read to him, where a fact of Mordecai's was registered, and, upon inquiry, it appeared that nothing had been done to him for it, Es 6:1-3 and Haman being in the outward court, was ordered in, with whom the king consulted what should be done to the man the king delighted to honour; to which Haman gave answer, and was bid to do as he said, Es 6:4-10, which he did, but went home after it confounded and sorrowful, and told his mournful case to his wife and friends, who plainly foresaw his downfall, Es 6:11-14.