Ester 1:12-22

12 Aber die Königin Vasthi wollte nicht kommen nach dem Wort des Königs durch seine Kämmerer. Da ward der König sehr zornig, und sein Grimm entbrannte in ihm.

13 Und der König sprach zu den Weisen, die sich auf die Zeiten verstanden (denn des Königs Sachen mußten geschehen vor allen, die sich auf Recht und Händel verstanden; {~}

14 die nächsten aber die bei ihm waren Charsena, Sethar, Admatha, Tharsis, Meres, Marsena und Memuchan, die sieben Fürsten der Perser und Meder, die das Angesicht des Königs sahen und saßen obenan im Königreich),

15 was für ein Recht man an der Königin Vasthi tun sollte, darum daß sie nicht getan hatte nach dem Wort des Königs durch seine Kämmerer.

16 Da sprach Memuchan vor dem König und den Fürsten: Die Königin Vasthi hat nicht allein an dem König übel getan, sondern auch an allen Fürsten und an allen Völkern in allen Landen des Königs Ahasveros.

17 Denn es wird solche Tat der Königin auskommen zu allen Weibern, daß sie ihre Männer verachten vor ihren Augen und werden sagen: Der König Ahasveros hieß die Königin Vasthi vor sich kommen; aber sie wollte nicht.

18 So werden nun die Fürstinnen in Persien und Medien auch so sagen zu allen Fürsten des Königs, wenn sie solche Tat der Königin hören; so wird sich Verachtens und Zorn genug erheben.

19 Gefällt es dem König, so lasse man ein königlich Gebot von ihm ausgehen und schreiben nach der Perser und Meder Gesetz, welches man nicht darf übertreten: daß Vasthi nicht mehr vor den König Ahasveros komme, und der König gebe ihre königliche Würde einer andern, die besser ist denn sie.

20 Und es erschalle dieser Befehl des Königs, den er geben wird, in sein ganzes Reich, welches groß ist, daß alle Weiber ihre Männer in Ehren halten, unter Großen und Kleinen.

21 Das gefiel dem König und den Fürsten; und der König tat nach dem Wort Memuchans.

22 Da wurden Briefe ausgesandt in alle Länder des Königs, in ein jegliches Land nach seiner Schrift und zu jeglichem Volk nach seiner Sprache: daß ein jeglicher Mann der Oberherr in seinem Hause sei und ließe reden nach der Sprache seines Volkes.

Ester 1:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ESTHER

This book has its name from the person who is the principal subject of it; it is by Clemens of Alexandria {a} called the Book of Mordecai also; it is commonly called, in the Hebrew copies, "Megillah Esther", the Volume of Esther; and sometimes in the Jewish writings only "Megillah", by way of eminency, "the Volume". It was written, according to the Talmudists {b}, by the men of the great synagogue, composed by Ezra; and some think it was written by Ezra himself {c}; but Aben Ezra is of opinion it was written by Mordecai, since he was concerned in, and had perfect knowledge of, all things related in it; which is rejected by Spinosa {d}, who conceits that this, and the books of Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, were written by one and the same historian long after the times of Judas Maccabaeus: as to the canonical authority of it, it has been generally received by Jews and Christians; our wise men, says Maimonides {e}, openly and plainly affirm of the book of Esther, that it was dictated by the Holy Spirit; so Aben Ezra on Es 6:6, and he himself {f} affirms, that

``all the books of the prophets, and all the Hagiographa (or holy writings), shall cease in the days of the Messiah, except the volume of Esther; and, lo, that shall be as stable as the Pentateuch, and as the constitutions of the oral law, which shall never cease.''

Though the versions of other books of Scripture might not be read in the synagogues, versions of this book might to those who did not understand Hebrew {g}; and so Luther {h} says, the Jews more esteem the book of Esther than any of the prophets. Whence Mr. Baxter {i} had that notion, I can not devise, that the Jews used to cast to the ground the book of Esther before they read it, because the name of God was not in it: nor is that any objection to its authenticity, since the hand and providence of God may be most clearly seen in it; in raising Esther to such grandeur, and that for the deliverance of the people of the Jews, and in counter working and bringing to nought the plots of their enemies, and in saving them: nor that it is not quoted in the New Testament; it is sufficient there is no disagreement between them, yea, an entire agreement, particularly in the account of the captivity of Jeconiah, which is expressed almost in the same words in Es 2:6 as in Mt 1:11,12. It stands in Origen's catalogue {k} of the books of the Old Testament; nor is it any material objection that it appears not in the catalogue of Melito {l}, since in that list is comprehended under Ezra not Nehemiah only, but Esther also, which Jerom {m} mentions along with it. This book is not only of use to the Jews, as it shows the original and foundation of a feast of theirs, still kept up by them, the feast of Purim, and makes for the glory of their nation, and therefore it is no wonder it should be so highly esteemed by them; but serves to show the singular providence of God in taking care of his people in adversity, in humbling the proud, and exalting the lowly, and saving those that pray to him, and trust in him; it furnishes out various instructions in the conduct of the several persons herein mentioned; it is a history but of ten or eleven years at most, from the third of Ahasuerus, to the twelfth of his reign, Es 1:3, 3:7.

{a} Stromat. l. 1. p. 329. {b} T. Bava Bathra, fol. 15. 1. {c} August. de Civ. Dei, l. 18. c. 36. Isidor. Origin. l. 6. c. 2. {d} Tract. Theolog. Politic. c. 10. p. 189 {e} Moreh Nevochim, par. 2. c. 45. {f} Hilchot Megillah, c. 2. sect. 18. {g} Misn. Megillah, c. 2. sect. 1. T. Bab. Megillah, fol. 18. 1. {h} Mensal. Colloqu. c. 31. p. 358. {i} The Saints Everlasting Rest, part 4. c. 3. sect. 1. {k} Apud Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 6. c. 25. {l} Apud ib. l. 4. c. 26. {m} Ad Domnion. & Rogat. tom. 3. fol. 7. F.

\\INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 1\\

This chapter relates, how that Ahasuerus, a great king of Persia, made a feast, first for the grandees of his kingdom, and then for his people, as his queen did for the women, Es 1:1-9, who being sent for by him, and she refusing to come, was, by the advice of one of his counsellors, divorced from him, and an order made and published throughout his dominions, that every man should bear rule in his own house, Es 1:10-22.