Esther 2:1-23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Esther 2:1-20

How God put down one that was high and mighty from her seat we read in the chapter before, and are now to be told how he exalted one of low degree, as the virgin Mary observes in her song (Luke 1:52) and Hannah before her, 1 Sam. 2:4-8. Vashti being humbled for her height, Esther is advanced for her humility. Observe, I. The extravagant course that was taken to please the king with another wife instead of Vashti. Josephus says that when his anger was over he was exceedingly grieved that the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Esther 2:21-23

This good service which Mordecai did to the government, in discovering a plot against the life of the king, is here recorded, because the mention of it will again occur to his advantage. No step is yet taken towards Haman's design of the Jews? destruction, but several steps are taken towards God's design of their deliverance, and this for one. God now gives Mordecai an opportunity of doing the king a good turn, that he might have the fairer opportunity afterwards of doing the Jews a good turn.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:1

After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased ,.... Which went off with his wine, and so was quickly after, a few days at most, unless this can be understood as after the expedition of Xerxes into Greece, from whence he returned to Shushan, in the seventh year of his reign; and if he is the Ahasuerus here meant, he married Esther that year, Esther 2:16 and it seems certain, that after his expedition he gave himself up to his amours, and in his way to Sardis he fell in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:2

Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him ,.... Fearing that, if Vashti should be restored, vengeance would be taken on them; or however to remove the grief and melancholy of the king, they gave the following advice: let there be fair young virgins sought for the king ; that he might enjoy them, and choose one of them, the most agreeable to him, and put her in the room of Vashti. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:3

And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom ,.... Who best knew where beautiful virgins might be found in their respective provinces, in which they dwelt: that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace ; the metropolis of the kingdom, where was the royal palace: to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women ; in which house it seems were two apartments, one for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:4

And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti ,.... Have the royal estate, that was taken from Vashti, given to her, the crown royal set on her head, &c.; and the thing pleased the king, and he did so ; appointed officers in all his provinces to seek out the most beautiful virgins, and bring them to his palace; so with the Chinese now, the king never marries with any of his kindred, though ever so remote; but there is sought throughout his kingdom a damsel of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:5

Now in Shushan the palace was a certain Jew ,.... Not one of the tribe of Judah, for he was afterwards called a Benjaminite; but was so called, because he was of the kingdom of Judah, which consisted of both tribes. Jarchi says, all that were carried captive with the kings of Judah were called Jews among the nations, though of another tribe: whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite ; who was among those that came with Zerubbabel from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:6

Who had been carried away from Jerusalem ,.... Which, according to some F6 Vid. Rainold. de Lib. Apocryph. Praelect. 113, 117, 146. , is to be connected, not with Mordecai, but with Kish, his great-grandfather; and indeed otherwise Mordecai must be now a very old man, and Esther his first cousin, they being brothers' children, must be at an age, one would think, not to be reckoned among young virgins, and not be so amiable as she is represented; and indeed, according to the former... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:7

And he brought up Hadassah (that is Esther) his uncle's daughter ,.... Her Hebrew name was Hadassah, which signifies a myrtle, to which the Israelites, and good men among them, are sometimes compared, Zechariah 1:8 . Her Persian name was Esther, which some derive from "satar", to hide, because hidden in the house of Mordecai, so the former Targum, and by his advice concealed her kindred: or rather she was so called by Ahasuerus, when married to him, this word signifying in the Persian... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:8

So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and decree was heard ,.... In the several provinces of his kingdom: and when many maidens were gathered unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai ; Josephus F15 Ibid. (Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 2.) says, there were gathered to the number of four hundred: that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, the keeper of the women : by force, as Aben Ezra and the former Targum, and so the word is... read more

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