And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
Ver. 15. And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king] Whither he went is not set down. It is probable he either went to Haman's house, the oversight whereof was committed to him by Esther, or that he went to some other parts of the city, upon the public employment, whereof now he had his hands full; and, therefore, all his faculties were in motion, and every motion seemed a well guided action, as one saith well of Queen Elizabeth, when she first came to the crown.
In royal apparel] Suitable to his new condition. This he might lawfully do, no doubt, as did Joseph, Daniel, Solomon. Generally those that are in king's houses are clothed in softs, and go gorgeously. There is indeed a blame worthy excess herein, Zep 1:8 Isaiah 3:18. Alcisthenes's costly cloak, prized at one hundred and twenty talents; Demetrius, king of Macedonia's, robe of state, which none of his successors would wear, propter invidiosam impendii magnificentiam on account of their hatred of its expensive magnificance. (Athenaeus); Herod's cloth of silver, which, by refraction of the sunbeams upon it, gave such a splendour, that the foolish people for that, and for his speech, cried him up for a god. Good Mordecai thought never a whit the better of himself for his gay clothing; neither did his heart rise with his clothes, as the boat doth with the water that carrieth it. He affecteth not this change, but rather accepteth it; he endureth it rather than desireth it. Sheep's russet A coarse homespun woollen cloth of a reddish-brown, grey or neutral colour, formerly used for the dress of peasants and country-folk would please him every whit as well as cloth of tissue, but that the king will have it so; and being now the second man in the kingdom, he must go accordingly, lest he should be slighted, as Agesilaus, king of Sparta, was by the Persians for his overly plain habit. Vestis virum facit, a man is esteemed as he is arrayed: cultusque concessus atque magnificus, comely and costly attire addeth authority, as Quintilian long since observed.
And with a great crown of gold] We read not that Haman had any such. It may be the king had bestowed it upon Mordecai as a special favour, for having saved his life, Esther 2:19,21. Sure it is that he gave it to him for a better cause than Alexander the Great did his crown of one hundred and eighty pounds, provided by him at a great supper, and promised to him that should drink most. Mordecai had his temporal crown upon far better terms, and yet looked for a more weighty one in heaven, 2 Corinthians 4:17, even such a weight of glory, as that if the body were not by the power of God upheld, it were impossible it should bear it.
And with a garment of fine linen] Or of silk, which was anciently sold for its weight in gold, as Pliny testifieth. This rich glutton is taxed for the too frequent use of it, Luke 16:19. It was his every day's wear, as the Greek word importeth (ενεδιδυσκετο. Verb, frequentativum).
And purple] This was also much worn by great ones of old. Dives was daily clothed with it, and was so far from cloking his pride, that he proclaimed it in his cloak. This purple colour was made, saith Lavater here, of the juice or blood of a certain shell-fish. Now, they say, there is no right purple. Perhaps, when the four monarchies ceased, purple ceased with them.
And the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad] At one time they were in perplexity, Esther 3:5, now in jollity. "Then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them." The joyful Jews there by way of antiphony answer, "The Lord hath indeed done great things for us; whereof we are glad," Psalms 126:2,3. Tremellius, after Eben Ezra, rendereth it, And the city of Shushan shone (lucebat); the lily was now most lovely and lightsome. The word signifieth properly hinnivit, neighed as a horse; which he doeth not but when he is well pleased. The whole city was well apaid, but the poor Jews were overjoyed; so that their mouth was filled with laughter and their tongue with singing; this is the import of the metaphor here used.