A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 5
Eſther CHAP. V.
THIS Chapter conſiſts of Two Parts; Firſt, Eſther's Acceptable Acceſs to the King; and Secondly, Mordecai's danger of Death upon his ſecond Provocation of not bowing to Haman.
Remarks upon the Firſt Part, are
Firſt, Upon the Third Day of that Solemn Faſt; ſhe goes in confidence of the Benefit of her Peoples extraordinary Prayers, and ſhe puts on [Malchuth, Hebr. the Kingdom] that is, (ſaith Druſius) the Royal Apparel of the Queen of the Kingdom. N. B. Having put off her Sackcloth and Aſhes in her Addreſſes to God, ſhe dreſs'd her ſelf with her Richeſt and moſt Royal Attire in her Addreſſes to the King, ver. 1. to allure her Husband to like her, knowing well that he looked much at beautifying Braveries and glittering Glories, whereas the Lord looks not as Man looks, but at the heart, 1 Sam. 16.7. In this delicate and deſirable Dreſs, (hoping God would put upon her his Comelineſs alſo, Ezek. 16.10, 11, 12, 13, 14.) ſhe goes and ſtands [in the Inner Court of the King's Houſe] where ſhe might ſee him and be ſeen by him: This was doubtleſs a bold Adventure; for tho' ſhe was Queen, yet ſo had Vaſthi been, but was diſcarded for Diſobedience; ſhe could have no confidence in the King's Affections towards her, becauſe he had not ſeen her for a Month, nor did ſhe know but Haman might be preſent, who, if he knew her to be a Jeweſs, would prejudice the King againſt her Perſon by his Satanical ſuggeſtions to alienate his Affections from her; nor did ſhe know God's Mind herein, until he ſignify'd it by the Event. N. B. This therefore was an Heroical and Couragious Act in Eſther proceeding from her Faith, and the fruit of fervent Prayer.
Remark the Second; The Favour ſhe found from the King, ver. 2.
Mark 1. The King manifeſted his Favour to her firſt by his Geſtures: No ſooner had he ſeen her charming Countenance and lovely Looks, (ſo far was he from being offended with her coming) but he immediately held forth his Royal Scepter to her, which tho' a Dumb, yet was a demonſtrative Sign that ſhe might come and be welcome. N. B. Here God ſhew'd himſelf to be the grand Heart-diſpoſer, even of the hearts of Kings, Prov. 21.1. God's Providence order'd it ſo, that [ſhe obtained favour in his ſight] and not at firſt did the King frown upon her, ſo that ſhe fell into a Swoon before him, as Joſephus ſaith; nor did he caſhier her out of his Preſence, as he had done Vaſthi. The ſame God who is the Heart maker, is the Heart-mover and mender. 'Twas alike the Lord's work long before this, that Laban ſhould leave Jacob with one Kiſs, and Eſau meet him with another, who rather would have Kill'd him than Kiſs'd him, &c.
Mark 2. Then the King teſtify'd his Amicable Acceptance of his Amiable Queen by Words as well as Geſtures, ſpeaking to her good words and comfortable, ver. 3. as Zech. 1.13. When Eſther ſaw the Scepter ſtretched out toward her, as a Teſtimony her Preſumption was pardoned (for foreign, ſaith Joſephus, He that toucheth it is out of Danger, Chap. 4.11.) then ſhe drew near and firſt kiſs'd it (ſaith Mariana) and after did ſhe touch it in token of her thankful acknowledgment of that Rich and Royal favour; and the King perceiving by her both bold Adventure and raviſhing Poſture, that ſhe had ſome preſſing Petition to preſent to him, he Salutes her with a Sugar'd Speech, accoſting her with the Honourable Attribution of her own Name, ſaying, [What wilt thou, Queen Eſther?] Whereas Angry Envious ones will not vouchſafe to name the Perſons they have an Hatred againſt, as Gen. 37.19. Joh. 7.11. and 9.29. [Thy Suit ſhall be granted to the half of my Kingdom] fear not to utter it, &c. N. B. If this Proverbial and even Prodigal Promiſe (ſo much in this King's Mouth) did encourage Eſther to open her Mouth, &c. How much more may the exceeding great and precious Promiſes of our gracious God, 2 Pet. 1.4. encourage us to pour out our Petitions before him, ſeeing an admirable Exuberancy of Divine loving kindneſs and an unſpeakable confluence of all kind of Comforts (both for this World and for a better) is contained in them, eſpecially conſidering what confidence is given us of God, that when our Faith turns his Promiſe into Prayer, then will God turn that Promiſe into a Performance; he will perform with his Hand what his Mouth hath ſpoken, and do what he hath ſaid, 2 Sam. 7.25. 2 Chron. 6.15, 17.
Remark the Third; Eſther, having heard this prodigious Promiſe from the King to her, did not preſently pour forth her whole deſires to him, ver. 4. but prudently improveth his Royal Favour and Offer with all Modeſty, deſiring at preſent only [Let the King and Haman come this Day to my Banquet, &c.] Many (ſaith Menochius) were now preſent, whom Eſther deſired to be abſent, and Haman was abſent whom ſhe principally deſired to be preſent: She doth not (with the Fool) utter all her Mind at firſt, Prov. 29.11. but (with the Wiſe) reſerves it for a fitter opportunity, well knowing the King loved Haman's Company, and eſpecially at a Banquet, wherewith ſhe would wiſely oblige him, that being made Merry with Wine, his Mind might be ſweetned into a Complaiſant Humour, and ſo more prompt to promiſe what ſhe had particularly to propoſe to him. Lyra hath a Notion from Rabbi Solomon, That Eſther invited Haman alone to accompany the King, that ſo the other grand Courtiers might therefore envy him, and thereupon endeavour to undermine him, &c. ver. 5.
Remark the Fourth; The King obſerving Haman (at this time) Abſent, calls aloud, ſaying, [Haſten Haman to be preſently preſent, ver. 5.] He comes in all haſte, but to a bad Bargain at the Iſſue, and accompanies the King to Esther's prepared Banquet, where when the King was well warmed with Wine, he again renews his former profuſe Promiſe, ſaying, [What is thy Petition, &c. to the half of my Kingdom] ver. 6. ſuppoſing Esther's Modeſty was ſuch, as ſhe durſt not propoſe her Requeſt becauſe of the greatneſs of its Contents, therefore doth the King both encourage and aſſure her, he would grant it, tho' never ſo great. N. B. So ſaith the King of Kings to his Spouſe, Iſa. 45.11. Jer. 33.3. and much more than ſo, a whole and a better Kingdom, Luke 12.32.
Remark the Fifth; Esther's Anſwer, ver. 7, 8. Her preſent Petition was only to Invite the King and Haman to her Second Banquet the next Day, and then (ſaith Vatablus) ſhe promis'd to produce her Petition. The Learned render ſundry Reaſons why Esther thus delay'd from day to day: 1. The three Days Solemn Faſt was not yet over. 2ly. She foreſaw her Second Banquet would more oblige the King's Favour towards her as more meriting: So Bonartius. 3ly. Nor durſt ſhe at the firſt deſire of the King ſo great a Matter as was the reſcinding of his own unalterable Decree, ſaith A Lapide. 4thly. Perhaps there were ſome Perſons preſent at the Firſt Banquet whoſe Company ſhe liked not, and ſo would have them Abſent. 5thly. She would have had a firmer Proof of the King's purpoſe to perform his Promiſe, leaving no room for Levity by ſo oft promiſing: So Serrarius. 6thly. She might probably not yet have ſo clear an Anſwer in her own heart to her former Prayers, and therefore deſired ſome farther Time that Night to ſeek God for more full Satisfaction. 7thly. Bonartius ſaith, that Eſther herein obſerved that Golden Rule [Feſtina lentè] Make no more Haſte than good Speed. She had learn'd to prefer Opportunity before Time, for a fit Opportunity hath a beauty and a luſtre in it above all other parts of Time, and therefore is it call'd with an Accent upon it, [Now is the Accepted Time,] 2 Cor. 6.2. N. B. Whatever the Reaſon was of Eſther's putting off her Petition until the next Day: The moſt Wiſe All-diſpoſing God diſpoſed it ſo by his Holy Hand, that Mordecai might firſt be ſo highly Honoured, and Haman's High Gallows might be beforehand prepared, as the ſequel of the Hiſtory ſheweth. Behold here the pious Prudence of Eſther! for hereby ſhe made both Haman the more Secure, and the King more Kind and Courteous, ſaith Rupertus.
The Second Part of this Chapter is Mordecai's danger of Death, by his denying Honour to Haman the ſecond time.
Remark the Firſt; Now was Haman more highly puff'd up with this new Honour, looking upon himſelf now under a double Honour whereof he was worthy, (as the Phraſe is, 1 Tim. 5.17.) when not only the King had Advanced him above all the Princes, but alſo the Queen had moſt highly Honour'd him, in inviting him to be the King's ſole Companion twice to her Royal Banquet with her double Invitation: No wonder if it be ſaid [Then went Haman forth joyful and with a glad heart] ver. 9. and 'tis no leſs a wonder, that Haman was ſo full of Indignation againſt Mordecai for his ſo ſordidly ſlighting him whom both the King and the Queen had now ſo ſignally Exalted. Behold here how all on the ſudden God hands out a Choak-Pear to this ſelf-flattering Fool, which changeth his Higheſt Exaltation in one moment into the Hotteſt Indignation. [When Haman (at his departure from the firſt Banquet) ſaw Mordecai ſitting at the King's Gate] and would not ſtir an inch, ne minimo quidem obſequiolo, not with the leaſt Obeiſance either with Cap or knee, no not ſo much as ſtand up when this greateſt of the King's Favoutites paſſed by him. Enquiry, Whether Mordecai did well in this Moroſe Behaviour? Anſwer the 1ſt. Some Learned Men blame Mordecai for too much Moroſeneſs in denying Haman not only Divine Honour, but ſuch as was Civil alſo, duely paid to other Princes; and ſeeing the Law of God forbids not this latter, he ſeems Blame-worthy in tranſgreſſing the, King's Command, eſpecially he being a Stranger, an Exile, and a poor Captive, he could not but judge that this ſtiffneſs would much incenſe and expoſe him and his People to great danger. Anſwer the 2d. But others with Druſius do affirm he did well, for theſe Reaſons: 1st. He look'd upon him as a Vile Perſon, and therefore fit to be ſlighted, Pſal. 15.4. 2dly. Haman had forfeited all Reſpect by his becoming a Sworn Sword-man to the Devil in procuring that Bloody Edict for cutting off all God's People; to Honour ſuch an Enemy, is to become like an Aſs, ſays Ben-Syra. 3ly. Herein Mordecai ſhew'd himſelf conſtant to his Principles and to his former practice, in juſtly denying him Adoration before: This the good Man could not eaſily alter without being cenſured that he now did it in fear, for the ſaving of his Life. 4ly. Mordecai perſiſts in his purpoſe, and gives that Hell-hound leſs Reſpect than he had done; not only leſt Haman's heart ſhould be hardened and heightened, but alſo to ſhew his firm Faith and invincible confidence in God for Deliverance, ſeeing Eſther was now engaged to make Interceſſion, which he ſtrongly believed God would bleſs with a good Succeſs, &c.
Remark the Second; The Reſtraint, Haman put upon his own Rage, as Hebr. Vaijthaphek ſignifies, ver. 10. for his Fingers even itched to be bathing themſelves in Mordecai's Blood, whom he might have eaſily Murther'd either by his own or by his Servants Hands, and as eaſily have procur'd a Pardon for it; ſeeing he had obtain'd the Royal Licenſe to kill the whole Nation, how much more might he have leave to kill one contemptible Member of it before his lucky unlucky Day came? A Fool's wrath is preſently known, Prov. 12.16. How this Fool Haman could ſo wiſely hide it till he got home, ſome ſay, becauſe Mordecai was the King's Servant, his Door-keeper, and ſo was under the King's Protection, therefore he did it not, becauſe he durſt not; it would have reflected upon the King himſelf to have ſuffer'd his menial Servant to be violently kill'd without a due Proceſs. N. B. Moſt ſure it is (ſaith Mariana) it was the marvelous work of God's Providence thus to Manacle Haman's Hands, and to preſerve Mordecai for farther ſervice to his Church: Oh how precious is the Blood of Saints in God's ſight? Pſal. 72.14. as their Life is, ſo no leſs is their Death precious in God's preſence, Pſal. 116.15. and rather than any Servant or Son of God ſhould be ſent to Bed before their Work be done, God makes Haman to put Fetters on his own Hands.
Remark the Third, Haman (thus refraining himſelf) haſteneth home, calls a Counſel of his Friends and Wife, ver. 10, 11, &c. This had been a wiſe courſe, had he been fit to Conſult, but in his Caſe of Rage he could covet nothing but revenge.
Mark 1. He makes a loud Harangue to them for aggravating Mordecai's Affront, relating his own Wealth and Honour, a none-ſuch in Glory, ver. 11, 12 this he did partly to gratifie his own vain-glorious Humour, and partly to qualifie his own fretting and fuming Mind at Mordecai's unbearable Impudence, and as he boaſted what the King had done for him, (but not a Tittle what God, &c. God was not in all his Thoughts, Pſalm 10.4.) ſo he boaſted how the Queen had invited him to her Banquet, which was indeed his Bane.
Mark 2. But all his glorying had one Marr-mirth, namely Mordecai's moroſe ſtiffneſs, ver. 13. which gave an unſavoury Tincture to all his ſweet Morſels: Hence he asks, what is to be done? &c.
Remark the Fourth, Zereſh his Wife (being a Woman wittily Wicked) gives Advice before the Men could ſpeak, ver. 14. yet all concurr, that a Gallows twenty five yards high be ſet up at Haman's Door (not queſtioning the King's Conſent on the Morrow) then hang Mordecai thereon, conſpicuous to all, for the greater diſgrace to Mordecai, and for greater terrour to Haman's Oppoſers: This done, ſaith ſhe, will allay thy Dumps, and then go merrily with the King to the Banquet, take thy full doſe of Jovialty without and Cordolium, &c. All this Advice pleaſed Human, as correſponding with his bloody Humour, never doubting to effect all. N. B. Thus Man purpoſeth, but God diſpoſeth. Human little thought he erected this Gallows for himſelf to be hang'd upon, God befools him, &c.