Esther 2:18

Est 2:18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, [even] Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

Ver. 18. Then the king made a great feast] Feasts are never more in season than at the recovery of the lost rib. {See Trapp on "Gen 29:22"}

Unto all his princes and his servants] So did Mauritius, the emperor of Greece, when he married Constantina (Niceph. 1. 18, c. 8), and Henry III, emperor of Germany, when he married Agnes, daughter to the prince of Pictavia, at Ingelheim; whither when a great sort of players, fiddlers, jesters, and magicians resorted, he not only sent them away without reward, but also without meat and drink, which he liberally bestowed upon the poor. Funcc. ad annum 1044.

Even Esther’s feast] So he called it, to testify his great affection and respect toward his spouse. This is no warrant for that Popish custom, of dedicating feasts to the honour of saints; or for that heathenish practice, in some places amongst us, of keeping wakes.

And he made a release to the provinces] That is, he caused it to be kept holiday, as Josephus hath it. Or rather he granted to his subjects a relaxation, or freedom from their taxes, tributes, and public payments, for a time at least, that thereby the new queen might get favour and authority among them, and all men might wish them much joy and happiness, that the loins of the people might bless their prince and his marriage for this breathing and intermission; when as formerly his exactors received from his subjects no less sums of curses than of coin, to maintain his luxury.

And gave gifts] Such as Xenophon reckoneth up, bracelets, chains of gold, garments, horses with rich trappings, dishes from his own table, &c. (Cyropaed. 1. 8). This was kingly, this was god-like, Jas 1:5. His son, Artaxerxes Longimarius, was wont to say, that he had therefore one hand longer than another (μακροχειρ), that he might be readier to give than to receive. Of Cyrus it is said, that he took more content in giving than receiving, Dιδους μαλλον η κτωμενος ηδετο (Xenoph.). Of Stephen, king of Hungary, and of Oswald, king of England, that their right hands did not rot off for a long while after they were dead, because oft stretched out in giving gifts, and dealing alms. Christ received that he might give, Psa 68:18 Eph 4:8. And held it more blessed to give than to receive, Act 20:35. Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings, &c.; by your bounty and liberality the people shall be obliged, the state fenced, virtue encouraged, misery relieved: that you have secured. For,

Extra fortunam est quicquid donatur amicis:

Quas dederis solas, semper habebis opes (Martial).

According to the state of the king] Not pinchingly and sparingly, but bountifully, and as became a king; as Alexander the Great, when he sent his tutor a ship full of frankincense; and when a poor man asked him for an alms, he gave him a city, which when the poor man started at and made strange of, Alexander said unto him, Non quaero quid te accipere decent, sed quid me dare, The question is not what thou shouldest receive, but what it beseemeth me to give (Sen. de Benef. 1. 2, c. 16). And thus is the marriage of Esther solemnized with state and pomp suitable; thus is God’s promise made by Jeremiah fulfilled, that if Jechoniah would not stand out against Nebuchadnezzar, but yield up the city, and go into captivity, it should be well with him and the people in the land of their captivity. It was so with him, Jer 52:31; it was so likewise with Esther, Daniel, and many others by their means. And why? God will not suffer his faithfulness to fail, nor alter the word that is gone out of his mouth, Psa 89:33.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Est 2:18. And he made a release to the provinces — According to Herodotus, it was customary for the Persian kings, upon their accession to the throne, to remit the tribute which was due to them from all their cities; and Ahasuerus, on this occasion, out of his abundant joy, remitted some tax, or part of a tax, then due, which he did that every body might rejoice with him.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2:18 he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor: Now the king honored his wife instead of putting her on display (cp. 1:11). • declaring a public holiday: The Hebrew word translated “public holiday” (hanakhah) is related to the verb that means “rest” (nukh). The book as a whole describes how the Jewish people obtained rest from the threats of their enemies (see 9:16-22).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

That is, great and magnificent.

That is, made for her sake.

He released their tribute.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 18. Made a release to the provinces] Remitted some kind of tribute or impost, in honour of Esther, at her coronation, as our kings generally do when they are crowned, ordering a discharge from prison of many who are confined for minor offenses. As it was the custom of the Persian kings to give their queens something like what is called with us the aurum reginae, "queen gold," which was a tenth of all fines, c., above what was given to the king (for they gave them such a city to buy them clothes, another for their hair, a third for their necklaces, a fourth for their pearls, c.) it is probable that, on this occasion, Esther so wishing, he relieved those cities and provinces which had before paid this queen gold from all these expenses; and this would tend greatly to make the queen popular.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(18) Release.—Literally, rest. The word only occurs here: it may refer either to a release from tribute or from military service, probably the former. Either, however, would have been consistent with Persian usage. (See Herod, iii. 67, 6:59.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. a release] Heb. a rest, an exemption for a certain time from taxation and from military service. Such e.g. had been granted by the Pseudo-Smerdis on his usurpation (Herod. iii. 67).

gifts] The Heb. word was used in older times for a portion of food sent from the table (Gen_43:34; 2Sa_11:8), and afterwards for a contribution or tax imposed for sacred purposes (2Ch_24:6), or a present such as largess from a superior (Jer_40:5 and here).

according to the bounty of the king] See on Est_1:7.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and servants, even Esther's feast,.... A feast to all his nobles, courtiers, and ministers of state, on account of his marriage with Esther; which, according to the Greek version, was held seven days; but, according to Josephus, it lasted a whole month (t):

and he made a release to the provinces; of taxes and tribute due to him, as was the custom of the kings of Persia when they came to the throne, as Herodotus (u) relates; so Smerdis the magus, that mounted the throne after Cambyses, pretending to be his brother, released them for three years to come (w); and Grotius says kings used to do it at their marriage, but gives no instance of it:

and gave gifts: according to the latter Targum, to the provinces, all of them, that he might be sure that the people of Esther shared his favours, who were as yet unknown; but rather these gifts were given to his nobles, or it may be to Esther; so the former Targum,"he gave to her a gift and portion:"

according to the state of the king; his royal ability and munificence, and suitable to his grandeur; and it was usual with the Persian kings to give to their wives whole cities for one thing or another, as for necklaces, hair laces, shoes, &c. (x); Socrates (y) speaks of a whole country in Persia called the "Queen's girdle", and another her "Headdress".

(t) Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 2.) (u) Erato, sive, l. 6. c. 59. (w) Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. 67. (x) Herodot. Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 98. Cicero in Verrem, l. 3. Orat. 8. (y) In Plat. Alcibiad.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

A release - Either remission of taxation, or of military service, or of both.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Servants. Septuagint add, "seven days, and he magnified the nuptials of Esther." (Haydock) --- Rest, from labour. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "remission to all his subjects," of tribute, as was sometimes done. (Herodotus iii. 66.) (Tirinus) (Calmet) --- Gifts, on Esther. (Chaldean) (Malvenda)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He made a release to the provinces, i.e. he took off a good part of those heavy taxes which the Persian kings laid upon their people.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. Esther’s feast — A banquet to her honour; to celebrate her election to Vashti’s place.

Made a release to the provinces — Usually understood as a release from tribute. Septuagint has αφεσιν; Vulgate, requiem. The Hebrew word הנחה, which occurs nowhere else, comes from a root which means to rest, and may, therefore, properly denote a respite from taxation. The Persian kings were wont to remit the arrears of tribute due at the time of their accession, (Herod., 3:67; 6:59,) and Xerxes may have thought it wise to grant such a release just after the disastrous Grecian war.

According to the state of the king — The feast, the release, and the gifts, were all in keeping with true kingly munificence.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then the king made a great feast. As Persian kings were in the habit of doing on every joyful occasion. Even Esther"s feast. It seems to be meant that the feast was one which continued to be spoken about, and which was commonly known under this title. And he made a release to the provinces. As the Pseudo-Smerdis had done when he usurped the throne (Herod., 3:67). A "release" was an exemption from taxation, or from military service, or from both, for a specified period. And gave gifts, according to the state of the king. Literally, that is, "in right royal fashion". (see Est_1:7) The practice of making presents, so common in the East at all times, was much in vogue among the Persians, and was practised especially by the monarchs (Herod., 1:136; 3:135; 7:26; Xen., "Cyrop.," 8:2, et seq.; " Anab.," 1:9, etc.).

Release and gifts.

Esther"s marriage was celebrated in a manner intended and fitted to impress the nation with a sense of the favour and honour with which she was regarded by the "great king." There was a great feast at Susa, that the metropolis might have an opportunity of honouring the new queen. And throughout the kingdom there took place, according to the command of Ahasuerus, such celebrations and observances as were in accordance with Oriental customs. Particularly are mentioned the releases or remissions it may be presumed from taxation or military service; and the gifts probably of robes, and in some cases of jewels. We may regard these tokens of kingly favour as emblematic of the blessings provided by Divine mercy in the gospel of Christ for the sinful and needy children of men.

I The heavenly King favours us, sinners and spiritual bondsmen, with RELEASE AND REMISSION.

1. From the service of Satan.

1. From the thraldom and punishment of sin.

2. By the redemption of his Son, Jesus Christ.

II The heavenly King bestows upon us, his subjects, NUMEROUS AND PRICELESS GIFTS.

1. As the condition and means of all other benefactions regard himwho is "the unspeakable Gift.

2. The gift of the Holy Ghost.

3. The gift of eternal life.

4. Remember that all the bounties of Divine providence come to usas proofs of the Father"s love, and through the mediation of Christ.

Practical lessons:

1. Spiritual liberty is provided and offered; the prison doors are opened. Goye free.

2. Spiritual bounty is at your disposal; "all things are yours." Take andrejoice in the manifold gifts of God.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

and he granted a release In her honor, he released them from the tax that was [levied] upon them.

and gave gifts He sent them gifts, and everything was in order to entice her, perhaps she would tell her nationality. But nevertheless—Esther would not tell.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.