Properties
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- 817
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-26T19:09:19.155Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
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- 804
- text
- 561 According to Oriental usage, when introduced into the royal household she received the new and probably Persian name of Esther, and by it she was henceforth to be known. This name is derived from the name of the star Venus, which in Greek is Aster. It was, perhaps, connected with the Persian word *satarah*, a star. Her ancestor Kish was among the captives led away from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The family evidently remained after the edict of Cyrus gave permission to return to Palestine. The Persian King does not seem to have been aware of her race. At this time Haman the Agagite was prime-minister; he was probably a descendant of that Agag, King of the Amalekites, whom Saul spared; he was now a favorite in the household of the King. All the King’s servants were commanded to pay him reverence, and all of them rendered that reverence with the exception of Mordecai the Jew. He was willing to render him civil obeisance—this he could
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564 do under the Jewish law—but divine adoration he could not give him; and this the Persian kings in some sense expected; but this in no sense, as a true Jew, could Mordecai render. Haman therefore resolved to seek revenge for this affront by destroying the entire race.
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566 He represented them to the King as being a pernicious people, and he secured full power to kill them all, young and old, women and children, and to take possession of their property in the name of his government. There may have been a lingering hatred towards the Jews because of the ancient enmity between them and the people from whom he descended. It is altogether probable that Esther herself, though queen, was included in this terrible decree. The laws of the empire were such that the decree once issued should not be recalled. Eleven months, however, were given after the issuance of the decree before its execution. By his superstition in the casting of lots Haman chose this time, but God’s providence was
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569 seen in allowing time for Esther and Mordecai to lay plans for the protection of their people. Soon Mordecai heard of this decree. There was great lamentation on the part of all the Jews in Shushan and throughout the land. Putting on sackcloth, Mordecai sat without the King's gate. This circumstance was reported to Esther. Soon Mordecai was able to inform her of the whole state of the case. He sent her a copy of the decree, that she might see that the intention was to destroy her people from off the face of the earth, and he urged her to go unto the King and make supplication on their behalf. At the first she excused herself, knowing well that whoever came unto the King in the inner court, who was not summoned by him, should be put to death, except the King might possibly hold out the golden sceptre. She feared to hazard her life even in this noble cause; but Mordecai assured her that her life would be forfeited with the lives of her people if the decree was executed.
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