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law did not forbid the Ammonites and Moabites from becoming converts to the Jewish religion, but only excluded them from making marriages with the Israelites.

7.-the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah,] Eliashib was greatly in fault thus to convert to the use of Tobiah, who was a heathen, the sacred chambers of the temple..

19.-when the gates began to be dark] Meaning about sun-set.

22.-and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.] He had before besought God to remember his good deeds, ver. 14; but, to shew that he did not think there was any proper merit or worthiness in them, which required a reward, as a debt of justice due to them, he here explains himself, and prays to be rewarded, or rather pardoned, out of God's free goodness, according to the greatness of His mercies.

25.-and cursed them,]

Denounced the curses of God which would fall upon them if they did not reform.

—and smote certain of them, &c.] Ordered the publick officers to beat some of the most notorious offenders with rods, according to Deut. xxv. 2; " and plucked off their hair." This was a punish ment of peculiar disgrace in Eastern countries,

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THE Book of Esther is so called, because it contains the history of this Jewish captive, who, by her remarkable accomplishments, gained the affections of Ahasuerus; and by a marriage with him was raised to the throne of Persia. The Book describes the advancement of Esther; who, by the interest which she had with Ahasuerus, delivered the Jews from a great destruction which had been contrived for them by Haman, an insolent favourite of the king. It is not certainly known who was the author of this Book.

CHAP. I.

Verse 8. And the drinking was according to the law; &c.] The meaning is, that no one was compelled to drink more than he chose.

13.-wise men, which knew the times,] Men of judgment and knowledge in affairs, able to give advice for the fittest times and manner of performance of all actions.

18. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.] Too much contempt in the wives, and wrath in their husbands, which would cause great divisions and contentions in the several families of the kingdom.

21.-and the king did according to the word of Memucan: The conduct of Ahasuerus with respect to queen Vashti, it must be remembered, was that of an heathen, acting under the influence of anger and intemperance. It is recorded in Scripture not that it may be imitated or alleged as a pretence for sin, but that we may derive improvement by observing the events to which it led: his violent will, although apparently ungoverned, being nevertheless so directed by Providence, that it brought forward the remarkable preservation of the Jews, which forms the chief subject of this book.

CHAP. II.

Verse 1.-he remembered Vashti,] His former affection for her revived: he nevertheless remem

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account.

18. he made a release to the provinces,] The provinces were released from a certain portion of their taxes, in honour of the new queen.

19.-when the virgins were gathered together the second time,] That is, at the time of this present marriage of Ahasuerus with Esther: Vashti having been also before chosen in the same manner from among the virgins gathered together out of different parts of his empire.

-Mordecai sat in the king's gate.] Mordecai was an officer in the court of Ahasuerus; his service called him daily to attend in the king's gate.

CHAP. III.

Verse 2-But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him

reverence.] The reverence, which it was commanded should be paid to Haman, was not a mere mark of respect, which Mordecai would not have refused to pay, but a kind of divine honour or idolatry, which he refused on conscientious principles.

4.-whether Mordecai's matters would stand:] Whether he would persist in his conduct, and what would be the event of it.

he had told them that he was a Jew.] Mordecai wished to shew that it was not pride or humour, which made him unwilling to bow down before Haman, but that he was influenced by his religion, which required him to pay worship to none but God alone.

7.-they cast Pur, that is, the lot,] They superstitiously inquired, by casting lots, what time would be fittest, for the execution of this plot against the Jews,

10.-the king took his ring-and gave it unto Haman] Thus placing the royal seal under Haman's discretion,

CHAP. IV.

Verse 5.-gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.] Commanded him to go to Mordecai, and to know what it was for which he thus grieved.

11,-there is one law of his to put him to death,] Ope law extending to all that were so presumptuous, whatever might be their rank.

14. then shall there enlargement-arise to the Jews from another place;] He knew not whence, but he trusted in God, that by some means or other He would preserve them.

Mordecai tells her, that the decree extended universally to all of her nation, and that, if it came to execution, she must not expect to escape more than the rest; that Providence seemed to have advanced her on purpose for this work; but that if she refused to act her part in it, then deliverance would come in some other way, and she and her father's house would perish.

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appearance and condition of any person, and that the greatest earthly prosperity is not proof against vexation of spirit, since a small accident, and even an imaginary misfortune, may spoil the enjoyment of it; and that we can have no solid comfort in any state of life, if our mind be out of order, and if our heart be not right with God.

CHAP. VI.

Verse 1. On that night could not the king sleep,] The interposition of Providence is here observable: God so disposing it, that the king could take no rest during the night; that he should call for the records of the kingdom to be read before him; and that the part selected for the purpose should be that very one in which Mordecai's service was recorded.

12.having his head covered.] This was a token of sorrow. See 2. Sam. xv. 30, xix, 4. Jerem, xiv. 3. 4.

to

13,If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, &c.] They consider the favour shewn to Mordecai to be a certain prelude of Haman's fall; because the new favourite being a Jew, would shew no mercy the irreconcileable enemy of the Jewish nation. They had probably observed too the wonderful interposition of Providence in favour of the Jews, during the captivity, and thence concluded that they were especial objects of the Divine protection.

CHAP. VII,

Verse 4.although the enemy cauld not counter, vail the king's damage. Although the enemy of our nation, who thus designed our destruction, could not countervail the king's damage; forasmuch as the king would have lost more than he bad gained.

8.-Haman was fallen upon the bed] It was the custom in those times to sit or lay upon beds, as they ate and drank, and Haman was now in the posture of a person who had fallen as a suppli ant at the feet of Esther.

-Fhen said the king, Will he force the queen also] The king, finding him in this posture, inter preted his conduct as if he were so impudent as to take liberties with the queen's person in his own palace. Not that he could believe this was really the case, but, in his furious passion. he turned every thing to the worst sense, aud made use of it to aggravate Haman's crime.

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they covered Haman's fuce.] It was the cus tom so to cover the faces of condemned criminals.

CHAP. VIII.

Verse 1.for Esther had told what he was enig

her.] She had made known to the king how Mordecai was related to her.

11. Wherein the king granted the Jews-to stand for their life,] The decree procured by Haman against the Jews being by an unreasonable custom irreversible, all that the king could do, in compliance with Esther's request, was to give the Jews, by a new decree, such a power to defend themselves as might render the former decree ineffectual.

16. The Jews had light,] Light" is often figuratively applied in Scripture to denote prosperity.

CHAP. IX.

Verse 23. the Jews undertook to do as they had begun,] That is, to keep these days as festivals for the future.

28.-and that these days of Purim should not fail] Josephus the Jewish historian bears testimony to the observance of this festival in his time, in the following words: "Hence even now all the

Jews that are in the habitable earth keep these" days festival, and send presents to one another.

29.-to confirm this second letter of Purim.] That is, to confirm a second time the letter respecting the festival of Purim, mentioned before at verse 20, as written by Mordecai.

31.-as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.] In remembrance of their wonderful deliverance from the designs of Haman, which had been the matters of their fastings and cries.

CHAP. X.

Verse 3.-Mordecai-wasnext unto king Ahusuerus, and great among the Jews, &c.] Such were the temporal rewards of Mordecai's exertions in behalf of his countrymen, and dutiful regard for the safety of his sovereign. Hence we may take encouragement to imitate his example. And though the followers of Mordecai's virtues may not be made like him in his earthly advancement, yet they shall enjoy peace of conscience and the favour of God.

PP

NOTES

ON THE

Book of Job.

T

JOB, who was a man illustrious for his piety, and for his patience, lived about the time that the children of Israel were in Egypt. There are three things contained in this Book; 1st, The history of Job's afflictions. 2ndly, The disputes between him and his friends, upon this question, Whether God afflicts good men in this world? and whether adversity is a proof of His wrath and displeasure? 3rdly, The end of Job's afflictions, and the prosperity which succeeded. This Book, which is written in a highly figurative and poetical style, contains many excellent instructions; particularly we are here taught that external happiness and misery are not always in this life the consequences of virtue and vice; that this world is not the theatre of Divine retribution; but that there is a life beyond the grave, where the good will receive their reward, and the wicked be punished. It appears probable that Job himself was the writer of his own history. The Book is expressly cited by St. Paul as sacred Scripture, 1 Cor. iii. 19.

CHAP. I.

Verse 5.-Job sent and sanctified them,] That is, directed them to prepare themselves by fasting and prayer for the sacrifice he meant to offer for them.

-cursed God in their hearts.] Let slip some irreverent words of God. Job was only apprehensive, lest, in the gaiety of a festival, his children had let loose their minds from the restraints of religion.

6.-when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord,] That is, the good angels appeared before God in a special manner, for some special end. This is a parabolical representation of God's providence in the government of the world.

For

That

7.-From going to and fro in the earth,] the purpose of tempting men. 1 Pet. v. 8. 8.-Hast thou considered my servant Job,] is, thou canst not but have observed him. 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him,] A figurative expression, signifying, Hast not thou secured him from injury?

11.-and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.] Afflict him, and he will openly deny thy providence.

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Verse 4.-Skin for skin, &c.] Rather, “skin after skin." This is a proverbial expression, importing that a man may bear to part with all that he has, and even to have his skin, as it were, stripped off, again and again, provided only that his life be saved.

8.-he sat down among the ashes.] This was to express his grief and humility.

9.-curse God, and die.] Cast off thy reverence of the Divine Majesty, and spare not to reproach that God who has dealt so hardly with thee, though thou die for it.

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