nothing to the damage of the King, the vulgar Latine, but now he is our enemy, whose cruelty redounds to the King, the meaning is, that she and her people would have patiently endured any abasement, if the Decree sent out had been to no o∣ther end, but that they should have been made bond slaves, money comming into the Kings coffers for them, that so he might not have been put to losse, as he must needs be by their dectruction, whereby so many thousand of his subjects must pe∣rish at once, and so much Tribute which was now yearly received from these be extinguished, and he must lose his dear wife, and faithfull subject Mordecai, by whose care he had once been preserved. But now if they were thus taken away, what could be expected next but the losse of his own life and Kingdom also, by this enemies treachery, that he might attain unto it. So that Esters petition when she came to utter it, could not but greatly affect the King, to stir up his wrath a∣gainst him that attempted this, whatsoever, and how dear soever unto him he was. And according to this exposition, the King declareth the foulnesse of Ha∣mans attempt, in his letters written to reverse the former, Chap. 16. 11, 12, 13, 14. that he thought thus to destroy Mordecai that saved him, and therefore was most dear unto him, and his beloved and innocent Queen, and to take his life away also, and to translate his Kingdom to the Macedonians, according to his styling of him, Haman the Macedonian, Ver. 10.
R. Solomon yet expounds this otherwise, as Lyra sheweth, but rejects it, viz. he meditated nothing which stood with the profit of the King, but against it, be∣cause if the Jews had been appointed by him to be sold, much treasure would have thus come in to the King, or if they had been made to work as servants for him, great profit might hence have redounded to him, as did somtimes to Pharoah, when by such means he had diverse strong Cities built him, but by the utter de∣struction of them none at all.
The King hearing the Queens complaint, enquired with all earnestnesse who this was, she answered, wicked Haman, he was presently confounded, and was no more able to look either King or Queen in the face.
And because the King could not endure to look upon him any more, as is most probable he went out into the garden in a great chafe, but by and by he returning again, and finding Haman upon the bed where the Queen fate, laying hold upon her with suppliant hands to move her to mercie, his wrath being now so great that he constured all things to the worst, he challenged him for going about to force her, and immediatly his face was covered, as some say, the manner was, when the King of Persia was most highly offended, that he would not look upon such a man any more, but would have him counted unworthy to look upon him, his face was covered, and this was a certain forerunner of being put to a shame∣full death.
The King then being told of the Gallows prepared by him for Mordecai, com∣manded that he should be hanged thereon, that is, not unto death onely, but being fixed to it with nails, to abide there to his greater ignominy, to expresse which, the Septuagint renders it, let him be crucified, and so the curse of Darius, Ezra 6. 11. Let the timber of his house be taken, and lot him be hanged by crucifying upon it, was in Haman fulfilled now, and soon after in his sons, see also what the King sayth of crucifying him, Chap. 8. 7.
When the Queen petitioned against Haman, shee knew nothing of this Gal∣lows, but it is to be noted, how that for the greater confusion of the wicked, vvhen [Note.] the time of their judgement commeth for one horrible sin, God vvill have more brought to light, that they may the more condignly be destroyed. For this did not a little aggravate his sinne, vvhich vvas brought to light by an Eunuch standing by, that he had prepared to hang up Mordecai to the reproach of the King, to whom he had shewen so great fidelity to the saving of his life, and that at the time when the King would consult what honour to doe unto him therefore. And up∣on this followed another, as it was taken, his attempting the oppression of the Queen, and that in the Kings own house, before his face.
Mysticallly; by Hamans comming with the King to the feast, we may under∣stand the wicked communicating with the Lord in the Eucharist, but it is to their