Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Esther
Book: Esther
Chapter: 5
Overview:
Esther's application received.
(1-8) Haman prepares to hang
Mordecai.
(9-14)
1-8 Esther having had power with
God, and prevailing, like
Jacob, had power with men too. He that will lose his
Life for
God, shall save it, or find it in a better
Life. The
King
encouraged her. Let us from this be encouraged to pray always to
our
God, and not to faint.
Esther came to a proud, imperious
Man; but we come to the
God of
Love and
Grace. She was not
called, but we are; the
Spirit says, Come, and the
Bride says,
Come. She had a
Law against her, we have a promise, many a
promise, in favour of us; Ask, and it shall be given you. She
had
No friend to go with her, or to plead for her;
On the
contrary, he that was then the
King's favourite, was her enemy;
but we have an
Advocate with the
Father, in whom he is
Well
pleased. Let us therefore come boldly to the
Throne of
Grace.
God Put it into
Esther's
Heart to delay her petition a
Day
longer; she knew not, but
God did, what was to happen in that
very night.
9-14 This account of
Haman is a comment upon Pr 21:24.
Self-admirers and self-flatterers are really self-deceivers.
Haman, the higher he is lifted up, the more impatient he is of
contempt, and the more enraged at it. The affront from
Mordecai
spoiled all. A slight affront, which a humble
Man would scarcely
notice, will
Torment a proud
Man, even to
Madness, and will mar
all his comforts. Those disposed to be uneasy, will never want
something to be uneasy at. Such are proud men; though they have
much to their mind, if they have not all to their mind, it is as
nothing to them. Many
Call the proud happy, who display pomp and
make a show; but this is a mistaken thought. Many
Poor cottagers
feel far less uneasiness than the rich, with all their fancied
advantages around them. The
Man who knows not
Christ, is
Poor
though he be rich, because he is utterly destitute of that which
alone is true riches.