Esther · WEB-C
Esther
5
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It came to pass on the third day, when she had ceased praying, that she took off her servant’s dress and put on her glorious apparel. Being splendidly dressed and having called upon God the Overseer and Preserver of all things, she took her two maids, and she leaned upon one, as a delicate female, and the other followed bearing her train. She was blooming in the perfection of her beauty. Her face was cheerful and looked lovely, but her heart was filled with fear. Having passed through all the doors, she stood before the king. He was sitting on his royal throne. He had put on all his glorious apparel, covered all over with gold and precious stones, and was very terrifying. And having raised his face resplendent with glory, he looked with intense anger. The queen fell, and changed her color as she fainted. She bowed herself upon the head of the maid who went before her. But God changed the spirit of the king to gentleness, and in intense feeling, he sprang from off his throne, and took her into his arms, until she recovered. He comforted her with peaceful words, and said to her, “What is the matter, Esther? I am your relative. Cheer up! You shall not die, for our command is openly declared to you: ‘Draw near.’” See also: Esther 6:4Esther 4:16Revelation 3:21And having raised the golden sceptre, he laid it upon her neck, and embraced her. He said, “Speak to me.” So she said to him, “I saw you, my lord, as an angel of God, and my heart was troubled for fear of your glory; for you, my lord, are to be wondered at, and your face is full of grace.” While she was speaking, she fainted and fell. Then the king was troubled, and all his servants comforted her. See also: Esther 8:4Esther 4:11Proverbs 21:1The king said, “What do you desire, Esther? What is your request? Ask even to the half of my kingdom, and it shall be yours.” See also: Mark 6:23Esther 7:2Esther 5:6Esther said, “Today is a special day. So if it seems good to the king, let both him and Haman come to the feast which I will prepare this day.” See also: Proverbs 29:11Esther 5:8Psalms 112:5The king said, “Hurry and bring Haman here, that we may do as Esther said.” So they both came to the feast about which Esther had spoken. See also: Esther 6:14At the banquet, the king said to Esther, “What is your request, queen Esther? You shall have all that you require.” See also: Esther 7:2Esther 5:3Esther 9:12She said, “My request and my petition is: if I have found favor in the king’s sight, let the king and Haman come again tomorrow to the feast which I shall prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as I have done today.” See also: Proverbs 16:9Esther 7:3Esther 8:5So Haman went out from the king very glad and merry; but when Haman saw Mordecai the Jew in the court, he was greatly enraged. See also: Esther 3:5Matthew 2:16Psalms 15:4Having gone into his own house, he called his friends, and his wife Zeresh. See also: Esther 6:13Ecclesiastes 7:9Genesis 43:30-31He showed them his wealth and the glory with which the king had invested him, and how he had promoted him to be chief ruler in the kingdom. See also: Esther 9:7-10Esther 3:1Genesis 31:1Haman said, “The queen has called no one to the feast with the king but me, and I am invited tomorrow. See also: Proverbs 27:1Psalms 37:35-36Job 20:5-8But these things don’t please me while I see Mordecai the Jew in the court. See also: Philippians 4:11-12Job 15:20Job 18:4Then Zeresh his wife and his friends said to him, “Let a fifty cubit tall gallows be made for you. In the morning you speak to the king, and let Mordecai be hanged on the gallows; but you go in to the feast with the king, and be merry.” The saying pleased Haman, and the gallows was prepared. See also: Esther 6:41 Kings 21:7Esther 7:9-10
See also: Cross references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), derived in part from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
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Notes · Haydock (1859, public domain)9 notes
Notes in English 19th-century Catholic commentary by Fr. George Leo Haydock, shown as published.
These notes keep the polemics of their time: some speak harshly of the Jewish people or of other Christians. The Church teaches otherwise today. The Jewish people may not be blamed for the death of Christ (Nostra Aetate 4; Catechism 597–598), and Christians of other communities are our brothers and sisters in the Lord (Unitatis Redintegratio 3). Christian unity
Esther 5:1
Ver. 1. And. Instead of these two verses, the Sept. place (H.) what we have C.
xv. with some small variation from the present account in Heb. But there is nothing incompatible with the truth. C. --- The king might be at first displeased; but, seeing the effect which it had upon Esther, he might feel his former sentiments of love rekindle. C. T. --- House, or inner apartment, C. iv.
11. The throne was surprizingly magnificent, yet inferior to that of Solomon. 3
K. x. 18. C. --- It was formed of gold and precious stones, with a curtain over it of purple and other colours. Athen.
xi. 2.
↑ 1Esther 5:2
Ver. 2. Golden. "It is not this golden sceptre which saves the kingdom," said Cyrus, "but faithful friends are the most true and secure sceptre for kings."
Cyrop. viii. C. --- Kissed. Heb.
"touched." H.
↑ 2Esther 5:3
Ver. 3. Kingdom. C. vii. 2. This compliment only (C.) meant, that every rational (H.) request should be granted. Mar. vi. 23.
↑ 3Esther 5:4
Ver. 4. Prepared. It was not prudent to declare her request, when many improper persons were present; and Aman was not there. M. --- She thought that the hilarity, occasioned by innocent feasting, (H.) might be a means of obtaining more effectually what she wanted. M. --- If the prudence of this world suggest much address, why may not virtue employ the same arts for good purposes? Esther had to obtain two great points; to make the king retract his edict, andto abandon his favourite. She is afraid therefore of being too hasty, (C.) and invites the king again, to increase by this delay his desire to of knowing her request, and that he might bind himself to grant it more effectually. W. --- She invites Aman alone, who would thus be more envied by the other courtiers; (Lyran) while she manifested an open dispostion, and disdained to accuse the absent. T.
↑ 4Esther 5:6
Ver. 6. Wine. The Persians did not drink till the end of the feast, (as the Turks are said to do at present. Tavernier) when they fall upon wine without any moderation. Ælian, Hist. xii. 1.
↑ 6Esther 5:11
Ver. 11. Children. After military glory, this was deemed the greatest. The king sent presents yearly to those who had most children. Herod. i. 136.
↑ 11Esther 5:12
Ver. 12. But me. It was thought very singular, when Artaxerxes invited his own brothers. Plut.
--- But when he also admitted a foreigner, the nobility became jealous, as that honour was reserved for the king's relations. Athen. i. --- Dine, or feast. Only one meal was taken, (Herod.
vii. 120.) and that in the evening. C.
↑ 12Esther 5:13
Ver. 13. Whereas. Sept. "all these things do not satisfy me, while I behold," &c.
Such is the insatiable nature of ambition! H. --- Gate. He does not clearly mention that he wanted to be adored. M.
↑ 13Esther 5:14
Ver. 14. High. This was to increase the shame. Hence Galba condemned a Roman citizen to be hung on a high white cross. Sueton. ix. --- The Jews formerly burned a man in effigy with a cross, pretending to do it in detestation of Aman, but in reality to deride our Saviour, till the emperors forbade the custom. C. ix. 21. C. Just. and Theodos. C.
↑ 14License: Notes by Fr. George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), from the Douay-Rheims Bible with Haydock's commentary (first ed. Thomas Haydock, Manchester/Dublin, 1811–1814; New York: Edward Dunigan & Brother, 1859); New Testament notes compiled with Fr. Benedict Rayment. Public domain. Digital text: "The Haydock Bible", Internet Archive (archive.org/details/TheHaydockBible), uploaded 2011 under the Public Domain Mark. · Credits and licenses