เอสเธอร์ 3:3 วิจารณ์

A very black and mournful scene here opens, and which threatens the ruin of all the people of God. Were there not some such dark nights, the light of the morning would not be so welcome. I. Haman is made the king's favourite (Est 3:1). II. Mordecai refuses to give him the honour he demands (Est 3:2-4). III. Haman, for his sake, vows to be revenged upon all the Jews (Est 3:5, Est 3:6). IV. He, upon a malicious suggestion, obtains an order from the king to have the all massacred upon a certain day (Est 3:7-13). V. This order is dispersed through the kingdom (Est 3:14, Est 3:15).

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 3 This chapter gives an account of the promotion of Haman, and of the mortification of him by Mordecai, who refused to bow to him, upon which he vowed revenge on him, and on all his people the Jews, Est 3:1, for which purpose, through a false representation of them, he obtained letters of the king, and sent to the deputies of all the provinces to destroy them all on a certain day fixed, Est 3:7.

Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate,.... Observing the behaviour of Mordecai towards Haman from time to time: said unto Mordecai, why transgressest thou the king's commandment? of giving reverence to Haman, which they knew he could not be ignorant of.

Nothing else is symbolized by the arrogant Haman than the opulence of the powerful of this world who take advantage of the benefits conceded to them by divine mercy. They despise allowing their neighbors, who are given to them as companions by nature, to have as sharers of such grace. Therefore they are guilty of striving to transfer to themselves the honor and reverence that are rightly due to God alone. And so they pursue with hatred all those who do not want to act according to such behavior or comply with it. They persecute them with afflictions and endeavor to put them to death. But the heavenly judge, “who regards the lowly, and perceives the haughty from far away, who knows the deceiver and he, who is deceived, makes the pain return upon the heads of the sinful, and their iniquity descends on their head. The sinful are caught in their own traps: the righteous will be freed from their anguish, the impious will be handed over in their stead.”

Ahasuerus exalts Haman the Agagite, and commands all his officers to do him reverence, which Mordecai refuses, Est 3:1-3. Haman, informed of Mordecai's refusal, plots his destruction, and that of the Jews, Est 3:4-6. Lots are cast to find out the proper time, Est 3:7. Haman accuses the Jews to Ahasuerus, counsels him to destroy them, and offers ten thousand talents of silver for the damage which the revenue might sustain by their destruction, Est 3:8, Est 3:9. The king refuses the money, but gives Haman full authority to destroy them, Est 3:10, Est 3:11. Letters are written to this effect, and sent to the king's lieutenants throughout the empire, and the thirteenth day of the month Adar is appointed for the massacre, Est 3:12-15.

HAMAN, ADVANCED BY THE KING, AND DESPISED BY MORDECAI, SEEKS REVENGE ON ALL THE JEWS. (Est 3:1-15) After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman . . . set his seat above all the princes--that is, raised him to the rank of vizier, or prime confidential minister, whose pre-eminence in office and power appeared in the elevated state chair appropriated to that supreme functionary. Such a distinction in seats was counted of vast importance in the formal court of Persia.

Haman's Elevation and His Design against the Jews - Est 3:1-15 King Ahashverosh promoted Haman the Agagite above all the princes about him, and commanded all his servants to fall down before him. This mark of reverence was refused by Mordochai the Jew from religious scruples. When intelligence of this was brought to Haman, he sought to obtain the extermination of the Jews throughout the kingdom (Est 3:1-6). The twelfth month was appointed by the casting of lots for this purpose; and Haman, by exciting the suspicion of the king against the Jews as an exclusive and law-opposing people, obtained from him an edict to this effect (Est 3:7-11), and sent it, by letters sealed with the king's seal, by the hand of messengers into all the provinces of the kingdom in the first month, that they might be ready to carry it into execution in the twelfth month; whereat the city of Susa was much perplexed (Est 3:12-15).