next. the second. the Grand Vizier. Compare Esther 8:2.
speaking peace. maintaining peace.
his seed: i.e. the People of Israel. N. B. in Persia, not Judea. Thus was prepared the way for the emancipation of the Jews, which, not long after, was proclaimed by Cyrus (Ezra 1:1), the son of Astyages and Esther (see App-57), and is further proof that this book comes, chronologically, before the book Ezra-Nehemiah. N.B. the year 461 is the midway year of the Babylonian Servitude (496-426). See special note on 2 Chronicles 36:21.