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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Esther, Chapter X].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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[<A HREF="MHC17009.HTM">Previous</A>]
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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</TD></TR></TABLE>
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>E S T H E R</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. X.</FONT>
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<P>
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This is but a part of a chapter; the rest of it, beginning at
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Es+10:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>,
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with six chapters more, being found only in the Greek, is rejected as
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apocryphal. In these three verses we have only some short hints,
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I. Concerning Ahasuerus in the throne, what a mighty prince he was,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Es+10:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>.
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II. Concerning Mordecai his favourite, what a distinguished blessing he
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was to his people,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Es+10:2,3">ver. 2, 3</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Es10_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Es10_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Es10_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Glory of Mordecai.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 495.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and
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<I>upon</I> the isles of the sea.
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2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the
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declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king
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advanced him, <I>are</I> they not written in the book of the
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chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
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3 For Mordecai the Jew <I>was</I> next unto king Ahasuerus, and
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great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his
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brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to
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all his seed.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We are here told,</P>
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<P>
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I. How great and powerful king Ahasuerus was. He had a vast dominion,
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both in the continent and among the islands, from which he raised a
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vast revenue. Besides the usual customs which the kings of Persia
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exacted
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+4:13">Ezra iv. 13</A>),
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he laid an additional tribute upon his subjects, to serve for some
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great occasion he had for money
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Es+10:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>):
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<I>The king laid a tribute.</I> Happy is our island, that pays no
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tribute but what is laid upon it by its representatives, and those of
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its own choosing, and is not squeezed or oppressed by an arbitrary
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power, as some of the neighbouring nations are. Besides this instance
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of the grandeur of Ahasuerus, many more might be given, that were
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<I>acts of his power and of his might.</I> These however are not
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thought fit to be recorded here in the sacred story, which is confined
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to the Jews, and relates the affairs of other nations only as they fell
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in with their affairs; but they are <I>written in the Persian
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chronicles</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Es+10:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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which are long since lost and buried in oblivion, while the sacred
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writings live, live in honour, and will live till time shall be no
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more. When the <I>kingdoms of men,</I> monarchs and monarchies, are
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destroyed, and <I>their memorial has perished with them</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+9:6">Ps. ix. 6</A>),
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the kingdom of God among men, and the records of that kingdom, shall
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remain and be <I>as the days of heaven,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Da+2:44">Dan. ii. 44</A>.</P>
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<P>
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II. How great and good Mordecai was.</P>
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<P>
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1. He was great; and it does one good to see virtue and piety thus in
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honour.
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(1.) He was great with the king, next to him, as one he most delighted
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and confided in. Long had Mordecai sat contentedly in the king's gate,
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and now at length he is advanced to the head of his council-board. Men
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of merit may for a time seem buried alive; but often, by some means or
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other, they are discovered and preferred at last. The declaration of
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the greatness to which the king advanced Mordecai was <I>written in the
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chronicles of the kingdom,</I> as very memorable, and contributing to
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the great achievements of the king. He never did such acts of power as
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he did when Mordecai was his right hand.
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(2.) He was <I>great among the Jews</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Es+10:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
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not only great above them, more honourable than any of them, but great
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with them, dear to them, familiar with them, and much respected by
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them. So far were they from envying his preferment that they rejoiced
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in it, and added to it by giving him a commanding interest among them
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and submitting all their affairs to his direction.</P>
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<P>
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2. He was good, very good, for he did good. This goodness made him
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truly great, and then his greatness gave him an opportunity of doing so
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much the more good. When the king advanced him,
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(1.) He did not disown his people the Jews, nor was he ashamed of his
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relation to them, though they were strangers and captives, dispersed
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and despised. Still he wrote himself <I>Mordecai the Jew,</I> and
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therefore no doubt adhered to the Jews' religion, by the observances of
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which he distinguished himself, and yet it was no hindrance to his
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preferment, nor looked upon as a blemish to him.
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(2.) He did not seek his own wealth, or the raising of an estate for
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himself and his family, which is the chief thing most aim at when they
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get into great places at court; but he consulted the welfare of his
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people, and made it his business to advance that. His power, his
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wealth, and all his interest in the king and queen, he improved for the
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public good.
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(3.) He not only did good, but he did it in a humble condescending way,
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was easy of access, courteous and affable in his behaviour, and spoke
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peace to all that made their application to him. Doing good works is
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the best and chief thing expected from those that have wealth and
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power; but giving good words is also commendable, and makes the good
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deed the more acceptable.
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(4.) He did not side with any one party of his people against another,
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nor make some his favourites, while the rest were neglected and
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crushed; but, whatever differences there were among them, he was a
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common father to them all, recommended himself to <I>the multitude of
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his brethren,</I> not despising the crowd, and spoke peace <I>to all
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their seed,</I> without distinction. Thus making himself acceptable by
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humility and beneficence, he was universally accepted, and gained the
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good word of all his brethren. Thanks be to God, such a government as
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this we are blessed with, which <I>seeks the welfare of our people,
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speaking peace to all their seed.</I> God continue it long, very long,
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and grant us, under the happy protection and influence of it, to
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<I>live quiet and peaceable lives, in godliness, honesty,</I> and
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charity!</P>
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<!-- (End Body) -->
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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[<A HREF="MHC17009.HTM">Previous</A>]
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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