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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
The People's Attention to Their Duty. (b. c. 444.)
THE PEOPLE'S ATTENTION TO THEIR DUTY. (B. C. 444.) It was the honour of Israel, and the greatest preservation of their holiness, that they were a peculiar people, and were so to keep themselves, and not to mingle with t…
Abuses Rectified. (b. c. 434.)
ABUSES RECTIFIED. (B. C. 434.) Here is another grievance redressed by Nehemiah. I. The Levites had been wronged. This was the grievance: their portions had not been given them, Nehemiah 13:10. Perhaps Tobiah, when he to…
The Charge Respecting the Sabbath. (b. c. 434.)
THE CHARGE RESPECTING THE SABBATH. (B. C. 434.) Here is another instance of that blessed reformation in which Nehemiah was so active. He revived sabbath-sanctification, and maintained the authority of the fourth command…
The Dismissal of Strange Wives. (b. c. 434.)
THE DISMISSAL OF STRANGE WIVES. (B. C. 434.) We have here one instance more of Nehemiah's pious zeal for the purifying of his countrymen as a peculiar people to God; that was the thing he aimed at in the use of his powe…
The Feast of Ahasuerus. (b. c. 519.)
THE FEAST OF AHASUERUS. (B. C. 519.) Which of the kings of Persia this Ahasuerus was the learned are not agreed. Mordecai is said to have been one of those that were carried captive from Jerusalem (Esther 2:5-6), whence…
Vashti's Refusal to Appear; Vashti Divorced. (b. c. 519.)
VASHTI'S REFUSAL TO APPEAR; VASHTI DIVORCED. (B. C. 519.) We have here a damp to all the mirth of Ahasuerus's feast; it ended in heaviness, not as Job's children's feast by a wind from the wilderness, not as Belshazzar'…
Esther's Advancement; Esther Chosen Queen. (b. c. 514.)
ESTHER'S ADVANCEMENT; ESTHER CHOSEN QUEEN. (B. C. 514.) How God put down one that was high and mighty from her seat we read in the chapter before, and are now to be told how he exalted one of low degree, as the virgin M…
Mordecai's Discovery of a Plot. (b. c. 510.)
MORDECAI'S DISCOVERY OF A PLOT. (B. C. 510.) This good service which Mordecai did to the government, in discovering a plot against the life of the king, is here recorded, because the mention of it will again occur to hi…
Haman's Malignant Proposal. (b. c. 510.)
HAMAN'S MALIGNANT PROPOSAL. (B. C. 510.) Here we have, I. Haman advanced by the prince, and adored thereupon by the people. Ahasuerus had lately laid Esther in his bosom, but she had no such interest in him as to get he…
Haman Obtains Leave to Slay the Jews. (b. c. 510.)
HAMAN OBTAINS LEAVE TO SLAY THE JEWS. (B. C. 510.) Haman values himself upon that bold and daring thought, which he fancied well became his great spirit, of destroying all the Jews—an undertaking worthy of its author, a…
Great Mourning among the Jews. (b. c. 510.)
GREAT MOURNING AMONG THE JEWS. (B. C. 510.) Here we have an account of the general sorrow that there was among the Jews upon the publishing of Haman's bloody edict against them. It was a sad time with the church. 1. Mor…
Mordecai's Application to Esther; Esther Urged to Petition the King; Esther Resolves to Petition the King. (b. c. 510.)
MORDECAI'S APPLICATION TO ESTHER; ESTHER URGED TO PETITION THE KING; ESTHER RESOLVES TO PETITION THE KING. (B. C. 510.) So strictly did the laws of Persia confine the wives, especially the king's wives, that it was not…
Esther's Approach to the King. (b. c. 510.)
ESTHER'S APPROACH TO THE KING. (B. C. 510.) Here is, I. Esther's bold approach to the king, Esther 5:1. When the time appointed for their fast was finished she lost no time, but on the third day, when the impression of…
Haman's Joy and Chagrin; Haman's Mediated Revenge. (b. c. 510.)
HAMAN'S JOY AND CHAGRIN; HAMAN'S MEDIATED REVENGE. (B. C. 510.) This account here given of Haman is a comment upon that of Solomon, Proverbs 21:24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name that deals in proud wrath. Never…
The Record of Mordecai's Loyalty. (b. c. 510.)
THE RECORD OF MORDECAI'S LOYALTY. (B. C. 510.) Now Satan put it into the heart of Haman to contrive Mordecai's death we read in the foregoing chapter; how God put it into the heart of the king to contrive Mordecai's hon…
The Honour Conferred on Mordecai. (b. c. 510.)
THE HONOUR CONFERRED ON MORDECAI. (B. C. 510.) It is now morning, and people begin to stir. I. Haman is so impatient to get Mordecai hanged that he comes early to court, to be ready at the king's levee, before any other…
Haman Cast Down. (b. c. 510.)
HAMAN CAST DOWN. (B. C. 510.) We may here observe, I. How little Mordecai was puffed up with his advancement. He came again to the king's gate (Esther 6:12); he returned to his place and the duty of it immediately, and…
Haman Accused by Esther. (b. c. 510.)
HAMAN ACCUSED BY ESTHER. (B. C. 510.) The king in humour, and Haman out of humour, meet at Esther's table. Now, I. The king urged Esther, a third time, to tell him what her request was, for he longed to know, and repeat…
The King Incensed Against Haman; Haman Hanged upon His Own Gallows. (b. c. 510.)
THE KING INCENSED AGAINST HAMAN; HAMAN HANGED UPON HIS OWN GALLOWS. (B. C. 510.) Here, I. The king retires in anger. He rose from table in a great passion, and went into the palace garden to cool himself and to consider…
Esther and Mordecai Enriched. (b. c. 510.)
ESTHER AND MORDECAI ENRICHED. (B. C. 510.) It was but lately that we had Esther and Mordecai in tears and in fears, but fasting and praying; now let us see how to them there arose light in darkness. Here is, 1. Esther e…
The Jews Encouraged to Self-Defence. (b. c. 510.)
THE JEWS ENCOURAGED TO SELF-DEFENCE. (B. C. 510.) Haman, the chief enemy of the Jews, was hanged, Mordecai and Esther, their chief friends, were sufficiently protected; but many others there were in the king's dominions…
The Joy of the Jews. (b. c. 510.)
THE JOY OF THE JEWS. (B. C. 510.) It was but a few days ago that we had Mordecai in sackcloth and all the Jews in sorrow; but here is a blessed change, Mordecai in purple and all the Jews in joy. See Psalm 30:5. 1. Mord…
The Jews Avenged. (b. c. 509.)
THE JEWS AVENGED. (B. C. 509.) We have here a decisive battle fought between the Jews and their enemies, in which the Jews were victorious. Neither side was surprised; for both had notice of it long enough before, so th…
The Feast of Purim. (b. c. 509.)
THE FEAST OF PURIM. (B. C. 509.) We may well imagine how much affected Mordecai and Esther were with the triumphs of the Jews over their enemies, and how they saw the issue of that decisive day with a satisfaction propo…