And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.
Ver. 3. And all the rulers of the provinces … helped the Jews] Heb. Gave them a lift, sc. over the brook, the brake, or whatsoever lay in their way of deliverance. This they did out of their respect to the king, rather than for any great goodwill to the Jews, who were generally hated for their religion, and wished out of the world. Sit divus mode non sit virus, Let god be, only not let poison be, said the Roman emperor of his brother, whom he maliciously murdered.
, Because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them] But much more, because God himself over awed them, and dispirited them See Trapp on " Est 9:2 " How else should he appear to be the God of the spirits of all flesh, and that in the thing wherein people deal proudly he was above them? Exodus 18:11. How should they come to know themselves to be but men, Psalms 9:20, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit, &c., Isaiah 31:3; if he did not otherwhiles make their hearts heartless, Hosea 7:11, their hands feeble, Jeremiah 6:24 Isa 13:7 Ezekiel 21:7, their eyes fail, Deuteronomy 28:28, their knees knock together, as Belshazzar's did, Daniel 5:6. How else would they ever be brought to bring presents unto him that ought to be feared, Psalms 76:7,8, and to say unto him, Lord, be not thou a terror to me? &c., Jeremiah 17:17. If Mordecai be feared, it is because God hath put a majesty upon him, and made him dreadful, as Abraham likewise was to Abimelech, Genesis 21:22,23, David to Saul, 1 Samuel 18:29, the Baptist to Herod, our Saviour to the Pharisees, Mark 11:18, Paul and Silas to their persecutors, Acts 16:27, &c. And this the Lord still doth, that he may dwell upon earth, Psalms 68:18, sc. in his faithful worshippers, which wicked men would not suffer, if not thus reined in and restrained. And, secondly, that praise may wait for him in Zion, and unto him may the vow be performed, Psalms 65:1 .