Esther 6:3

3. What honour… to Mordecai We have a life-picture here. We seem to see the excited monarch start up and raise this question, as if some great duty had been forgotten. “It was a settled principle of the Persian government that ‘royal benefactors’ were to receive adequate reward. The names of such persons were placed on a special roll, ( Herod., 8:85,) and great care was taken that they should be properly recompensed. See Herod., 3:140; 5:11; 8:85; Thucyd., 1:138; Xen., ‘Hel.,’ iii; 1:6. It is a mistake, however, to suppose (Davidson) that they were always rewarded at once. Themistocles was inscribed on the list in B.C. 480, but did not obtain a reward until B.C. 465. Other benefactors waited for months, ( Herod., Esther 5:11,) or perhaps years, ( ib., 9:107,) before they were recompensed. Sometimes a benefactor seems to have received no reward at all. ( Ib., 3:138.”) Rawlinson.