Esther 6:11 Komentář

It is a very surprising scene that opens in this chapter. Haman, when he hoped to be Mordecai's judge, was made his page, to his great confusion and mortification; and thus way was made for the defeat of Haman's plot and the deliverance of the Jews. I. The providence of God recommends Mordecai in the night to the king's favour (Est 6:1-3). II. Haman, who came to incense the king against him, is employed as an instrument of the king's favour to him (Est 6:4-11). III. From this his friends read him his doom, which is executed in the next chapter (Est 6:12-14). And now it appears that Esther's intercession for her people was happily adjourned, "De die in diem" - from day to day.

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 6 Ahasuerus, not being able to sleep in the night, ordered the book of records to be brought and read to him, where a fact of Mordecai's was registered, and, upon inquiry, it appeared that nothing had been done to him for it, Est 6:1 and Haman being in the outward court, was ordered in, with whom the king consulted what should be done to the man the king delighted to honour; to which Haman gave answer, and was bid to do as he said, Est 6:4, which he did, but went home after it confounded and sorrowful, and told his mournful case to his wife and friends, who plainly foresaw his downfall, Est 6:11.

Then took Haman the apparel, and the horse,.... The one out of the wardrobe, the other out of the stable, and the crown also no doubt, though no mention is made of it, since the king made no objection to it, yea, commanded that nothing fail of what had been spoken; but this was included in the pomp and state of the led horse: and brought him on horseback through the street of the city; the most grand and public part of it, thus arrayed, and in this state: and proclaimed before him, thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour; See Gill on Est 6:9. . Esther 6:12 est 6:12 est 6:12 est 6:12And Mordecai came again to the king's gate,.... To attend his post and office at court; which confirms what has been already hinted, that he was in some office in the court, which this phrase is expressive of, and not a porter at the gate; for it is not probable he should return to such a station, after so much honour had been done him; and much less that he returned to his sackcloth and fasting, as Jarchi and the former Targum; since he might reasonably conclude things were taking a turn in his favour, and that of his people; though as yet he knew not what success Esther had had, to wait for which he returned to court: but Haman hasted to his house; pushed forward as fast as he could: mourning; at his sad disappointment: and having his head covered; through grief and sorrow, confusion and shame; so Demosthenes, being hissed, went home with his head covered (c), as confounded and ashamed to be seen (d). (c) Plutarch in Demosthene. (d) See more instances in Lively's Chronology of the Persian monarchy, p. 18, 19.

Mordecai was also persecuted as Jesus was persecuted. Mordecai was persecuted by the wicked Haman; and Jesus was persecuted by the rebellious people. Mordecai by his prayer delivered his people from the hands of Haman; and Jesus by his prayer delivered his people from the hands of Satan. Mordecai was delivered from the hands of his persecutor; and Jesus was rescued from the hands of his persecutors. Because Mordecai sat and clothed himself with sackcloth, he saved Esther and his people from the sword; and because Jesus clothed himself with a body and was illuminated, he saved the church and its children from death. Because of Mordecai, Esther was well pleasing to the king and went in and sat instead of Vashti, who did not do his will; and because of Jesus, the church is well pleasing to God and has gone in to the king, instead of the congregation that did not his will. Mordecai admonished Esther that she should fast with her maidens, that she and her people might be delivered from the hands of Haman; and Jesus admonished the church and its children [to fast], that it and its children might be delivered from the wrath. Mordecai received the honor of Haman, his persecutor; and Jesus received great glory from his Father, instead of his persecutors who were of the foolish people. Mordecai trod on the neck of Haman, his persecutor; and as for Jesus, his enemies shall be put under his feet. Before Mordecai, Haman proclaimed, “Thus shall it be done to the man, in honoring whom the king is pleased”; as for Jesus, his preachers came out of the people who persecuted him, and they said, “This is Jesus the Son of God.” The blood of Mordecai was required at the hand of Haman and his sons; and "the blood of Jesus,” his persecutors took “on themselves and on their children.”

After all, the preachers of the sacred Gospel and the leaders of the Church, who glisten with their practice of all the virtues and the beauty of wisdom and—because they are the limbs of the supreme king—are nobly honored with the diadem of royal rank, are ordered to mount the king’s horse, i.e. to take charge of and govern the people of the faithful in whose hearts the king of Heaven himself presides continuously. The Lord himself is told about these horses by the prophet Habakkuk: “Going up you shall mount your horses, and your horsemanship is salvation” (Habakkuk 3). It is to Mordecai that Haman, the spiritual enemy of the people of God, offers—if unwillingly—the appropriate obeisance, since the persecutors of the holy Church are often forced with the assent of Heaven to preach with accurate testimony the praises of the Church, even though they do so in a spirit of disdain; because once the truth has been revealed, the guilty cannot conceal what is obvious by hiding it away.

That night the king, not being able to sleep, orders the chronicles of the kingdom to be read to him; and finds there the record concerning the discovery of the treason of the two eunuchs, made by Mordecai, Est 6:1, Est 6:2. He inquires whether Mordecai had been rewarded, and was answered in the negative, Est 6:3. At this time Haman arrives, in order to request the king's permission to hang Mordecai; and being suddenly asked what should be done to the man whom the king delighted to honor, supposing that himself must be meant, presented the ceremonial, Est 6:4-9. The king orders him to give Mordecai those honors; which he performs, to his extreme mortification, Est 6:10, Est 6:11. He informs his wife Zeresh of these transactions, who predicts his downfall, Est 6:12-13. He is hurried by the eunuchs to the queen's banquet, Est 6:14.

AHASUERUS REWARDS MORDECAI FOR FORMER SERVICE. (Est 6:1-14) the king . . . commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles--In Eastern courts, there are scribes or officers whose duty it is to keep a journal of every occurrence worthy of notice. A book of this kind, abounding with anecdotes, is full of interest. It has been a custom with Eastern kings, in all ages, frequently to cause the annals of the kingdom to be read to them. It is resorted to, not merely as a pastime to while away the tedium of an hour, but as a source of instruction to the monarch, by reviewing the important incidents of his own life, as well as those of his ancestors. There was, therefore, nothing uncommon in this Persian monarch calling for the court journal. But, in his being unable to sleep at that particular juncture, in his ordering the book then to be read to him, and in his attention having been specially directed to the important and as yet unrewarded services of Mordecai, the immediate interposition of Providence is distinctly visible.

Then Haman took, &c.--This sudden reverse, however painful to Haman as an individual, is particularly characteristic of the Persian manners.

Elevation of Mordochai and Disgrace of Haman - Est 6:1-14 The next night the king, being unable to sleep, caused the chronicles of the kingdom to be read to him. The account of the conspiracy discovered by Mordochai, which was written therein, was thus brought before him, and he inquired of his servants whether this man had been rewarded (Est 6:1-3). On receiving a negative answer, the king sent to inquire who was in the court; and Haman being found there thus early, he had him summoned, and asked him: what should be done to the man in whose honour the king delighteth. Haman, supposing that the king could intend to honour no one but himself, voted for the very highest public mark of respect (Est 6:3-9), and was then obliged at the king's command to pay the proposed honour to Mordochai (Est 6:10, Est 6:11). From this humiliation his wife and friends prognosticated his speedy downfall (Est 6:12-14).