3:1 Haman, advanced by the king, and despised by Mordecai, seeks revenge upon all the Jews;
3:7 He casts lots;
3:8 He obtains by calumniation a decree of the king to put the Jews to death. Verse 1am 3551, bc 453promote HamanEsther 7:6; Psalm 12:8; Proverbs 29:2 AgagiteNumbers 24:7; 1 Samuel 15:8, 15:33 above all the princesEsther 1:14; Genesis 41:40, 41:55; Ezra 7:14; Daniel 6:2ReciprocalNumbers 24:20 - his latter end; Deuteronomy 25:19 - thou shalt; Esther 3:2 - bowed not; 5:11 - and how he had; 9:10 - enemy; Psalm 49:16 - Be not; 73:6 - Therefore; Proverbs 26:1 - so; Ecclesiastes 10:6 - Folly; Daniel 5:7 - the third Verse 2the king's servantsDr. Shaw, speaking of the cities in the East, says, "If we quit the streets, and enter into any of the principal houses, we shall first pass through a porch, or gate-way, with benches on each side, where the master of the family receives visits, and despatches business; few persons, not even the nearest relations, having admission any farther, except upon extraordinary occasions." These servants were probably officers who here waited the king's call; and it is likely that Mordecai was one of them. Esther 2:19, 2:21 bowedGenesis 41:43; Philippians 2:10 bowed notYichra welo yishtachaweh, "bowed not down, nor prostrated himself," or worshipped him. Had this meant only civil reverence the king would not have needed to command it; nor would Mordecai have refused it; there was, therefore, some kind of divine honour intended, such as was paid to the Persian kings, and which even the Greeks refused, as express adoration. Esther 3:1, 3:5; Exodus 17:14, 17:16; Deuteronomy 25:19; 1 Samuel 15:3; Psalm 15:4Reciprocal1 Kings 1:31 - did reverence; Esther 2:5 - a certain Jew; 3:3 - Why; 4:7 - all that had; 5:9 - he stood not up; 6:6 - To whom; 9:3 - the fear; 10:3 - accepted; Psalm 49:18 - praise; Proverbs 14:20 - but; Daniel 2:49 - sat; Mark 15:19 - and bowing Verse 3WhyEsther 3:2; Exodus 1:17; Matthew 15:2, 15:3ReciprocalEsther 2:19 - sat in the king's gate; 6:6 - To whom Verse 4when they spakeGenesis 39:10 that they toldDaniel 3:8, 3:9, 6:13 he had toldEzra 1:3; Daniel 3:12, 3:16-18, 3:23-30, 6:20-28; Jonah 1:9ReciprocalExodus 3:6 - I am Verse 5that MordecaiEsther 3:2, 5:9 full of wrath1:12; Genesis 4:5, 4:6; Job 5:2; Proverbs 12:16, 19:19, 21:24, 27:3, 27:4; Daniel 3:19Reciprocal1 Samuel 18:8 - the saying; Ezra 4:15 - this city; Esther 9:24 - the enemy; Psalm 73:6 - Therefore; Proverbs 16:18 - General; Ecclesiastes 7:9 - hasty; Daniel 3:13 - in his; Matthew 5:22 - That Verse 6soughtPsalm 83:4; Revelation 12:12Reciprocal1 Samuel 22:16 - and; 23:10 - destroy the city; Psalm 12:8 - when; 37:12 - General; 73:6 - Therefore; 94:20 - frameth; 124:3 - Then they; Proverbs 14:17 - a man; 21:24 - haughty; 24:2 - General; 27:3 - but; 28:15 - so; Ecclesiastes 7:9 - hasty; Jeremiah 33:24 - thus; Daniel 3:8 - and accused; 3:13 - in his; Matthew 5:22 - That; Acts 12:4 - intending Verse 7the first monthNehemiah 2:1 in the twelfthEsther 1:3, 2:16 they cast Pur9:24-26; Proverbs 16:33; Ezekiel 21:21, 21:22; Matthew 27:35 AdarEsther 9:1, 9:5, 9:17-19, 9:21; Ezra 6:15ReciprocalExodus 12:2 - General; Proverbs 24:2 - General; Jonah 1:7 - and let; Mark 6:21 - when; Acts 12:4 - intending Verse 8scattered abroadLeviticus 26:33; Deuteronomy 4:27, 30:3, 32:26; Nehemiah 1:8; Jeremiah 50:17; Ezekiel 6:8, 11:16; Zechariah 7:14; John 7:35; James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1 their lawsEzra 4:12-15; Acts 16:20, 16:21, 17:6, 17:7, 24:5, 28:22 for the king's profit toHeb. meet, or equal for the king to, etcReciprocalNumbers 23:9 - dwell alone; Ezra 4:22 - why should; Esther 2:10 - had not showed; 4:1 - all that; 5:14 - speak thou; 6:4 - to speak; 8:3 - mischief; Job 24:22 - draweth; Psalm 74:8 - said; Proverbs 11:11 - it; Jeremiah 48:2 - come; 48:42 - from; Daniel 3:8 - and accused; 3:12 - certain; 6:5 - General; 6:13 - regardeth; Micah 2:1 - to; Acts 9:2 - desired; 25:7 - and laid; Ephesians 2:14 - the middle; 1 Thessalonians 2:15 - contrary Verse 9that they may be destroyedHeb. to destroy themand I will payHeb. and I will weigh, Genesis 23:16
Here Haman is obliged to acknowledge that there would be a loss to the revenue, which he was willing to make up out of his own property. Ten thousand talents of silver, counted by the Babylonish talent, amount to 2,119,000.; but reckoned by the Jewish talent, they amount to double that sum. In those days, silver and gold were more plentiful than at present; and we have many instances of individuals possessing almost incredible riches. Herodotus relates, that when Xerxes went into Greece, Pythius the Lydian had 2,000 talents of silver, and 4,000,000 of gold darics, which unitedly amount to nearly 5,500,000. Plutarch tells us, that after Crassus had dedicated the tenth of all he had to Hercules, he entertained the Roman people at 10,000 tables, and distributed to every citizen as much corn as was sufficient for three months; and, after all these expenses, he had 7,100; Roman talents left, which amount to more than 1,500,000. Lentulus the augur is said to have possessed no less than 3,333,333. 6s. 8d. Apicius was worth more than 916,671 13s. 4d.; and, after having spent in his kitchen 833,333 6s. 8d. he considered the remainder too little for his support, and poisoned himself!ten thousandMatthew 18:24ReciprocalEzra 4:22 - why should; Esther 1:19 - it please the king; 2:4 - the thing; 7:4 - we are sold; Job 18:8 - he is cast; Psalm 74:8 - said; Jeremiah 32:9 - weighed; Daniel 3:8 - and accused; Acts 16:20 - being; 25:15 - when; Habakkuk 3:4 - but Verse 10tookEsther 8:2, 8:8; Genesis 41:42 enemyor, oppressor, Esther 7:6Reciprocal2:4 - the thing; Proverbs 18:13 - that; Isaiah 10:1 - them; Luke 15:22 - a ring; James 2:2 - gold Verse 11to doPsalm 73:7; Jeremiah 26:14, 40:4; Luke 23:25

Verse 12Then wereEsther 8:9-17 scribesor, secretariesaccording1:22, 8:9, 9:27 in the name1 Kings 21:8; Daniel 6:8, 6:12, 6:15 sealedEsther 8:2, 8:8, 8:10ReciprocalGenesis 41:42 - his ring; 2 Chronicles 30:5 - established; Esther 4:3 - in every province; 8:5 - letters; 9:3 - the rulers; 9:17 - of the same; 9:20 - in all the provinces; 9:22 - the days; Psalm 124:3 - Then they; Daniel 2:13 - the decree; 3:3 - the princes; 3:10 - hast made; 4:1 - unto all; 6:25 - king; Colossians 2:14 - the handwriting Verse 13by postsEsther 8:10, 8:14; 2 Chronicles 30:6; Job 9:25; Jeremiah 51:31; Romans 3:15 both young1 Samuel 15:3, 22:19 in one dayEsther 8:12-14; James 2:13 the spoilEsther 8:11, 9:10; Isaiah 10:6Reciprocal2 Chronicles 30:10 - the posts; Ezra 6:15 - Adar; Esther 7:4 - to be destroyed; 8:5 - letters; 8:9 - and to the lieutenants; 9:22 - the days; Psalm 124:3 - Then they; Jeremiah 25:10 - take from; Lamentations 2:21 - young; Daniel 3:3 - captains; Acts 12:4 - intending Verse 14The copyEsther 8:13, 8:14ReciprocalEzra 6:12 - I Darius; Esther 4:8 - the copy Verse 15hastenedProverbs 1:16, 4:16 sat downHosea 7:5; Amos 6:6; John 16:20; Revelation 11:10 the cityEsther 4:16, 8:15; Proverbs 29:2ReciprocalGenesis 37:25 - they sat; Exodus 1:1 - General; Judges 16:25 - their hearts; 2 Kings 9:34 - he did eat; 2 Chronicles 30:10 - the posts; Ezra 6:12 - I Darius; 7:13 - I make; Esther 1:2 - Shushan; 4:8 - the copy; 5:4 - the banquet; 5:14 - go thou in; 7:1 - banquet; 8:14 - Shushan; 9:6 - Shushan; 9:29 - the daughter of Abihail; Proverbs 19:10 - Delight; 31:4 - General; Isaiah 22:5 - perplexity; Ezekiel 21:10 - should; Daniel 8:2 - Shushan