Esther 8

1 On that day did the king Achashverosh give the house of Haman the Yehudim' enemy to Ester the queen. Mordekhai came before the king; for Ester had told what he was to her.

2 The king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordekhai. Ester set Mordekhai over the house of Haman.

3 Ester spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Yehudim.

4 Then the king held out to Ester the golden scepter. So Ester arose, and stood before the king.

5 She said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedata the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Yehudim who are in all the king's provinces:

6 for how can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?

7 Then the king Achashverosh said to Ester the queen and to Mordekhai the Yehudi, See, I have given Ester the house of Haman, and him they have hanged on the gallows, because he laid his hand on the Yehudim.

8 Write you also to the Yehudim, as it pleases 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 reverse.

9 Then were the king's Sofrim called at that time, in the third month Sivan, on the three and twentieth [day] of it; and it was written according to all that Mordekhai commanded to the Yehudim, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from Hoddu to Kush, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, and to the Yehudim according to their writing, and according to their language.

10 He wrote the name of king Achashverosh, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by post on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king's service, bred of the stud:

11 in which the king granted the Yehudim who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, [their] little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

12 on one day in all the provinces of king Achashverosh, [namely], on the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

13 A copy of the writing, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, and that the Yehudim should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14 So the posts who rode on swift steeds that were used in the king's service went out, being hurried and pressed on by the king's mitzvah; and the decree was given out in Shushan the palace.

15 Mordekhai went forth from the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan shouted and was glad.

16 The Yehudim had light and gladness, and joy and honor.

17 In every province, and in every city, wherever the king's mitzvah and his decree came, the Yehudim had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land became Yehudim; for the fear of the Yehudim was fallen on them.

Esther 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

Mordecai is advanced. (1,2) Esther makes suit for the Jews. (3-14) Mordecai honoured, The joy of the Jews. (15-17)

Verses 1-2 What Haman would have done mischief with, Esther will do good with. All the trust the king had reposed in Haman, he now placed in Mordecai: a happy change. See the vanity of laying up treasure upon earth; he that heapeth up riches, knoweth not who shall gather them. With what little pleasure, nay, with what constant vexation, would Haman have looked upon his estate, if he could have foreseen that Mordecai, the man he hated above all men in the world, should have rule over all that wherein he had laboured! It is our interest to make sure of those riches which will not be left behind, but which will go with us to another world.

Verses 3-14 It was time to be earnest, when the church of God was at stake. Esther, though safe herself, fell down and begged for the deliverance of her people. We read of no tears when she begged for her own life, but although she was sure of that, she wept for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most Christ-like. According to the constitution of the Persian government, no law or decree could be repealed or recalled. This is so far from speaking to the wisdom and honour of the Medes and Persians, that it clearly shows their pride and folly. This savours of that old presumption which ruined all, We will be as gods! It is God's prerogative not to repent, or to say what can never be altered or unsaid. Yet a way was found, by another decree, to authorize the Jews to stand upon their defence. The decree was published in the languages of all the provinces. Shall all the subjects of an earthly prince have his decrees in languages they understand, and shall God's oracles and laws be locked up from any of his servants in an unknown tongue?

Verses 15-17 Mordecai's robes now were rich. These things are not worth notice, but as marks of the king's favour, and the fruit of God's favour to his church. It is well with a land, when ensigns of dignity are made the ornaments of serious piety. When the church prospers, many will join it, who will be shy of it when in trouble. When believers have rest, and walk in the fear of the Lord, and the comfort of the Holy Ghost, they will be multiplied. And the attempts of Satan to destroy the church, always tend to increase the number of true Christians.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 8

This chapter relates the gifts Ahasuerus gave to Esther and Mordecai, Es 8:1,2, the suit Esther made to him to reverse the letters for the destruction of the Jews, Es 8:3-6, which, though it could not be formally granted, was in effect done by letters sent to the Jews, giving them power to rise in their own defence, and slay their enemies, Es 8:7-14, the consequence of which, and the advancement of Mordecai, were matter of great joy to the Jews, Es 8:15-17.