Day 228: Esther 6-10

That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
 “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.
   “Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered.
 The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.
 His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”
   “Bring him in,” the king ordered.
 When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”
   Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’”
 “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.” (6:1-10)

This reminded me of Jesus' words to his disciples, "But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:10-11)


On another note, I am struck once again with how brutal and violent life was in those days. Haman had initiated a plot to have every Jew in the kingdom executed. Because of the bravery of Esther and the urging of Mordecai this plot was thwarted. They persuaded the king to issue a decree protecting the Jews from harm. It reads like a constitutional amendment we might enact today protecting the rights of a group of people...

The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. (8:11)

In fact, the Jews were treated so well that others wanted to become Jews...

In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them. (8:17)

Their fear was legitimate because the king's edict apparently didn't stop with mere "protection" of the Jews...

The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. (9:5-10)

This wasn't enough, though. The king asked Esther and Mordecai if there would be anything else...

“If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons be impaled on poles.”  So the king commanded that this be done.   (9:13-14)

As I said, it was a brutal and violent time. Maybe the only way people could protect themselves.

Mordecai was another example of a Jewish man (like Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon) held as an exile in a foreign land who rose to a prominent place in that land...

Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews. (10:3)