Est. 3 Haman is advanced by the king, Est. 3:1–2. Being despised by Mordecai, he seeketh to destroy all the Jews, Est. 3:2–6. He casteth lots, Est. 2:7; and accusing the Jews to the king, obtaineth a decree to put them to death, Est. 2:8–11. Letters issued out to destroy all the Jews, Est. 3:12–15.

The Agagite, i. e. an Amalekite of the royal seed of that nation, whose kings were commonly and successively called Agag, as hath been observed before.

The reason of which obstinate refusal was, either, 1. The quality of the person; that he was not only an infamously wicked man, and a heathen, but of that nation which God had obliged the Israelites to abhor and oppose from generation to generation; and therefore he durst not show outward respect…

Whether Mordecai’s matters would stand, i.e. whether he would persist in his refusal, and what the event of it would be. He had told them that he was a Jew; and therefore did not deny this reverence to Haman out of pride, or any personal grudge against him, much less out of a rebellious mind and…

He thought scorn; he thought that particular vengeance was unsuitable to his quality, and to the greatness of the injury. Haman sought to destroy all the Jews; which he attempted, partly, from that implacable hatred which, as an Amalekite, he had against them; partly, from his rage against…

The diviners cast lots, according to the custom of those ancient and eastern people, what day and what month would be most lucky, not for his success with the king, (of whose compliance with his request he made no doubt,) but for the most effectual and universal extirpation of the Jews; wherein…

There is a certain people, mean and contemptible, not worthy to be named. Dispersed among the people; who therefore, if tolerated, may poison all thy subjects with their pernicious principles; and whom thou mayst easily crush without any great noise or difficulty.

Let it be written; let there be a written edict from the king. Ten thousand talents of silver; whether these were Hebrew, or Babylonish, or Grecian talents we cannot certainly know; but whichsoever they were, it was a vast sum to be paid out of his own estate, which he was willing to sacrifice to…

Gave it unto Haman; that he might keep it as a badge of his supreme authority under the king, and that he might use it for the sealing of this decree which now he desired, or of any other, as hereafter he should see fit. Compare Est. 8:2, Est. 8:8, Gen. 41:42.

The silver is given to thee; keep it to thy own use, I do not desire it, I accept thy offer for the deed.

Then were the king’s scribes called: this he did so speedily, though it was a year before the intended execution, lest the king should change his mind, either by his own clemency, or by the persuasion of others.

Which was to oblige them to the greater severity and readiness, to execute this edict for their own advantage.

By the king’s commandment; either by this decree made in the king’s name, or by some particular and succeeding command, which Haman could easily obtain from the king.