Esther in the King James Version

Chapters

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10

About Esther

From Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary.

We find in this book, that even those Jews who were scattered in the province of the heathen, were taken care of, and were wonderfully preserved, when threatened with destruction. Though the name of God be not in this book, the finger of God is shown by minute events for the bringing about his people's deliverance. This history comes in between Ezr 6; 7.

Chapter by chapter

Matthew Henry's summary of each chapter.

Esther 1. The royal feast of Ahasuerus. (1-9) Vashti's refusal to appear, The king's decree. (10-22)

Esther 2. Esther chosen queen. (1-20) Mordecai discovers a plot against the king. (21-23)

Esther 3. Haman seeks to destroy the Jews. (1-6) He obtains a decree against the Jews. (7-15)

Esther 4. The Jews lament their danger. (1-4) Esther undertakes to plead for the Jews. (5-17)

Esther 5. Esther's application received. (1-8) Haman prepares to hang Mordecai. (9-14)

Esther 6. Providence recommends Mordecai to the king's favour. (1-3) Haman's counsel honours Mordecai. (4-11) Haman's friends tell him of his danger. (12-14)

Esther 7. Esther accuses Haman. (1-6) Haman hanged on his own gallows. (7-10)

Esther 8. Mordecai is advanced. (1-2) Esther makes suit for the Jews. (3-14) Mordecai honoured, The joy of the Jews. (15-17)

Esther 9. The success of the Jews. (1-19) The feast of Purim in remembrance of this. (20-32)

Esther 10. Greatness of Ahasuerus--Mordecai's advancement. --Many instances of the grandeur of Ahasuerus might have been given: these were written in the Persian chronicles, which are long since lost, while the sacred writings will live till time shall be no more. The concerns of the despised worshippers of the Lord are deemed more important by the Holy Spirit, than the exploits of the most illustrious monarch on earth. Mordecai was truly great, and his greatness gave him opportunities of doing the more…