Aman aduanced by the king, is much offended that Mardocheus doth not adore him. 6. and therfore procureth the kings decree, to destroy the whole nation of Iewes.
1After these things, king Assuerus advanced Aman, the son of Amadathi, who was of the race of Agag: and he set his throne above all the princes that were with him.Dopo di ciò il re Assuero innalzò Aman figliuolo di Amadathi, il quale era della stirpe di Agag; e lo fece sedere sopra tutti i principi, che avea d'intorno.AFTER these things king Assuerus aduanced Aman the sonne of Amadathi, which was of the stocke of Agag: & he put his throne aboue al the princes which he had.Post hæc rex Assuerus exaltavit Aman filium Amadathi, qui erat de stirpe Agag: et posuit solium ejus super omnes principes quos habebat. 2And all the king’s servants, that were at the doors of the palace, bent their knees, and worshipped Aman: for so the emperor had commanded them, only Mardochai did not bend his knee, nor worship him.E tutti i servi del re, che frequentavano le porte del palazzo, piegavano le ginocchia, e adoravano Aman; perocché così avea comandato l'Imperadore: il solo Mardocheo non piegava le ginocchia, e non lo adorava.And al the kings seruantes, that were in the doores of his pallace, bowed their knees, and adored Aman: for so the emperour had commanded them, onlie Mardocheus did not bowe his knee, nor adore him.Cunctique servi regis, qui in foribus palatii versabantur, flectebant genua, et adorabant Aman: sic enim præceperat eis imperator: solus Mardochæus non flectebat genu, neque adorabat eum. 3And the king’s servants that were chief at the doors of the palace, said to him: Why dost thou alone not observe the king’s commandment?E i servi del re, che presedevano alle porte del palazzo, gli dissero: Perchè non osservi tu l'ordine del re, come tutti gli altri?To whom the kings seruantes, that were chiefe at the doores of the pallace, said: Why doest thou aboue the rest not obserue the kings commandment.Cui dixerunt pueri regis, qui ad fores palatii præsidebant: Cur præter ceteros non observas mandatum regis ? 4And when they were saying this often, and he would not hearken to them, they told Aman, desirous to know whether he would continue in his resolution: for he had told them that he was a Jew.E avendo quelli detto ciò a lui più volte, e non volendo egli fare a modo loro, ne diedero parte ad Aman, desiderosi di far prova se quegli restasse sempre ne' medesimi sentimenti; perocché egli avea detto, se esser Giudeo.And when they said this often, and he would not heare, they told Aman, desirous to know whether he would perseuere in his sentence: for he had told them that he was a Iew.Cumque hoc crebrius dicerent, et ille nollet audire, nuntiaverunt Aman, scire cupientes utrum perseveraret in sententia: dixerat enim eis se esse Judæum.
5Now when Aman had heard this, and had proved by experience that Mardochai did not bend his knee to him, nor worship him, he was exceeding angry.Udito ciò Aman, e conosciuto avendo alla prova, che Mardocheo non piegava a lui le ginocchia, e non lo adorava, ne concepì grande sdegno:Which when Aman had heard, and had proued by experience that Mardocheus bowed not his knee vnto him, nor adored him, he was angrie excedingly.Quod cum audisset Aman, et experimento probasset quod Mardochæus non flecteret sibi genu, nec se adoraret, iratus est valde, 6And he counted it nothing to lay his hands upon Mardochai alone: for he had heard that he was of the nation of the Jews, and he chose rather to destroy all the nation of the Jews that were in the kingdom of Assuerus.E gli parve un nulla il punire il solo Mardocheo; perocché avea saputo, com'egli era Giudeo di nazione; e volle piuttosto tutta sterminare la moltitudine de' Giudei, che erano nel regno di Assuero.And he counted it a matter of nothing to lay his handes vpon Mardocheus alone: for he had heard that he was of the nation of the Iewes, and he would rather destroy al the nation of the Iewes, that were in the kingdom of Assuerus.et pro nihilo duxit in unum Mardochæum mittere manus suas: audierat enim quod esset gentis Judææ; magisque voluit omnem Judæorum, qui erant in regno Assueri, perdere nationem. 7In the first month (which is called Nisan) in the twelfth year of the reign of Assuerus, the lot was cast into an urn, which in Hebrew is called Phur, before Aman, on what day and what month the nation of the Jews should be destroyed: and there came out the twelfth month, which is called Adar.Nel primo mese chiamato Nisan, l'anno duodecimo del regno di Assuero si gettarono in casa di Aman le sorti (dette in Ebreo Phur) nell'urna, per sapere in qual giorno, e in qual mese dovesse essere trucidata la nazione de' Giudei; e uscì fuori il mese duodecimo chiamato Adar.The first moneth (which is called Nisan) in the twelfth yeare of the reigne of Assuerus, the lot was cast into a potte which in Hebrew is called Phur, before Aman, in what day and what moneth the nation of the Iewes should be slayne: and there came forth the twelfth moneth, which is called Adar.Mense primo (cujus vocabulum est Nisan), anno duodecimo regni Assueri, missa est sors in urnam, quæ hebraice dicitur phur, coram Aman, quo die et quo mense gens Judæorum deberet interfici: et exivit mensis duodecimus, qui vocatur Adar. 8And Aman said to king Assuerus: There is a people scattered through all the provinces of thy kingdom, and separated one from another, that use new laws and ceremonies, and moreover despise the king’s ordinances: and thou knowest very well that it is not expedient for thy kingdom that they should grow insolent by impunity.Or Aman disse al re Assuero: Havvi un popolo disperso per tutte le provincie del tuo regno di uomini segregati tra' loro, i quali han leggi, e ceremonie inusitate, e oltre a ciò sprezzano gli ordini del re: e tu sai benissimo, che non torna bene pel tuo regno il lasciargli insolentire.And Aman said to king Assuerus: There is a people dispersed through al the prouinces of thy kingdom, and separated one from an other, vsing new lawes and ceremonies, moreouer also contemning the kings ordinances: And thou knowest very wel that it is not expedient for thy kingdom that they waxe insolent by libertie.Dixitque Aman regi Assuero: Est populus per omnes provincias regni tui dispersus, et a se mutuo separatus, novis utens legibus et cæremoniis, insuper et regis scita contemnens: et optime nosti quod non expediat regno tuo ut insolescat per licentiam.
9If it please thee, decree that they may be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents to thy treasurers.Se così ti piace, da ordine, ch'ei periscano, e io peserò dieci mila talenti ai tesorieri della tua casa.If it please thee, decree that they may perish, and I wil pay ten thousand talentes to the cofferers of thy treasure.Si tibi placet, decerne, ut pereat, et decem millia talentorum appendam arcariis gazæ tuæ. 10And the king took the ring that he used, from his own hand, and gave it to Aman, the son of Amadathi of the race of Agag, the enemy of the Jews,Allora il re si tolse dal dito l'anello, di cui solea servirsi, e lo dette ad Aman figliuolo di Amadathi della stirpe di Agag, nemico de' Giudei,The king therfore tooke the ring that he vsed, from his hand, and gaue it to Aman the sonne of Amadathi of the progenie of Agag, the enemie of the Iewes,Tulit ergo rex annulum, quo utebatur, de manu sua, et dedit eum Aman filio Amadathi de progenie Agag, hosti Judæorum, 11And he said to him: As to the money which thou promisest, keep it for thyself: and as to the people, do with them as seemeth good to thee.E gli disse L'argento, che esibisci, sia tuo di quella gente quel, che ti pare,and he said to him: The siluer which thou doest promise, be it thine: but concerning the people doe that which pleaseth thee.dixitque ad eum: Argentum, quod tu polliceris, tuum sit; de populo age quod tibi placet. 12And the king’s scribes were called in the first month Nisan, on the thirteenth day of the same month: and they wrote, as Aman had commanded, to all the king’s lieutenants, and to the judges of the provinces, and of divers nations, as every nation could read, and hear according to their different languages, in the name of king Assuerus: and the letters, sealed with his ring,E furon chiamati i segretarj del re, il primo mese detto Nisan ai tredici dello stesso mese, e secondo l'ordine dato da Aman fu scritto questo a nome di Assuero a tutti i satrapi del re, e ai giudici delle provincie, e delle diverse nazioni in varj linguaggi, perchè potesse leggersi, e intendersi da ciascuna nazione; e la lettera fu sigillata col sigillo reale,And the kings scribes were called in the first moneth, Nisan, the thirtenth day of the same moneth: and there was written, as Aman had commanded, to al the kings lieuftenantes, and iudges of the prouinces, and of diuers nations, as euerie nation could read, and heare according to the varietie of languages, in the name of king Assuerus: and the letters signed with his ring,Vocatique sunt scribæ regis mense primo Nisan, tertiadecima die ejusdem mensis: et scriptum est, ut jusserat Aman, ad omnes satrapas regis, et judices provinciarum, diversarumque gentium, ut quæque gens legere poterat et audire pro varietate linguarum ex nomine regis Assueri: et litteræ signatæ ipsius annulo 13Were sent by the king’s messengers to all provinces, to kill and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, little children, and women, in one day, that is, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, and to make a spoil of their goods.E fu spedita in tutte le provincie per mezzo de' corrieri del re, affinchè uccidessero, e sterminassero tutti i Giudei ragazzi, e vecchi, fanciulli, e donne, in uno stesso giorno, viene a dire, ai tredici del duodecimo mese detto Adar, e che dessero il sacco a tutti i loro beni.were sent by the kings postes to al prouinces, that they should kil and destroy al the Iewes, from boy vnto old man, children, and wemen, in one day, that is, in the thirtenth of the twelth monerh, which is called Adar, and should spoyle them of their goodes.missæ sunt per cursores regis ad universas provincias, ut occiderent atque delerent omnes Judæos, a puero usque ad senem, parvulos et mulieres, uno die, hoc est tertiodecimo mensis duodecimi, qui vocatur Adar; et bona eorum diriperent.
14And the contents of the letters were to this effect, that all provinces might know and be ready against that day.E tale fu la sostanza della lettera, affinchè tutte le provincie ne fossero informate, e si preparassero pel giorno stabilito.And the content of the letters was this, that al prouinces might know, & prepare them selues against the day aforesayd.Summa autem epistolarum hæc fuit, ut omnes provinciæ scirent, et pararent se ad prædictam diem. 15The couriers that were sent made haste to fulfil the king’s commandment. And immediately the edict was hung up in Susan, the king and Aman feasting together, and all the Jews that were in the city weeping.Andavano in fretta i corrieri ad eseguire il comando reale: e subito fu affisso in Susa l'editto in tempo, che il re, e Aman erano in solenne convito, e mentre tutti i Giudei, che stavano in quella città, erano in pianti.The postes that were sent, made hast to fulfil the kings cō mandment. And immediatly the edict hong in Susan, the king and Aman feasting, and al the Iewes that were in the citie, weeping.Festinabant cursores, qui missi erant, regis imperium explere. Statimque in Susan pependit edictum, rege et Aman celebrante convivium, et cunctis Judæis, qui in urbe erant, flentibus.
3:1
Haydock
Aman means, "a disturber." (Haydock)
Who. Septuagint add, "Bougaios, or Gogaios." Gog designates Scythia, where Aman might have been born. Pliny ([Natural History?] 4:12.) places there the lake and river Ruges. But the Bugean, in Greek, may mean, "greatly puffed up:" or it may stand for Bagoas, "an eunuch," (Judith 12:11.) like Putiphar.
Calmet
Agag, the king of Amalec, 1 Kings xv. This title, like that of Macedonian, (chap. 16:10.) is probably used out of contempt, as the Jews fequently styled their enemies, "race of Chanaan," Ezechiel 16:3., and Daniel 13:56. (Calmet)
Menochius
Sulpitius takes Aman to have been a Persian. His Amalecite ancestors may have fled before Saul into Macedonia, though he himself resided in Persia, so as to belong to all those nations. (Tirinus) (Menochius)
Brisson
The Persians gave places according to merit, (Haydock) or as a reward. (Brisson.)
3:2
Tirinus
Worship him, with divine honours, as he required, in imitation of the kings, Judith 3:13. On certain solemn occasions, the latter at least exacted this respect from their subjects. But the pious Jews avoided appearing at such times, or the kings dispensed with them. The mere bending the knee, out of civil respect, would not have been objected to; and Mardochai says, he would not have refused to kiss the footsteps of Aman, Esther 13:12. (Calmet) (St. Thomas Aquinas, 2. 2. q. 84.) (Tirinus)
Worthington
But he could not give such worship as was claimed by the minor gods. (Worthington)
3:4
Calmet
Resolution. They did not mean to injure Mardochai, who had an employment at court, Esther 12:5. (Calmet)
Menochius
Jew, and of course hindered by his religion from giving divine worship to any man. (Menochius)
3:6
Counted. Septuagint, "consulted how to exterminate all the Jews in the kingdom."
Assuerus. Hebrew adds, "the people of Mardochai."
3:7
Year of the World 3494, Year before Christ 510.
Calmet
Lot. The Persians were much addicted to divination. The superstitious Aman, though he would appear a deity, was to be regulated by lots! Providence caused almost a whole year to intervene, before the cruel execution was to commence. (Calmet)
Calmet
Reason began to shew the futility of divination, (Cicero) but the Christian religion alone has been able to counteract its baneful influence. (Calmet)
Haydock
Phur. Hebrew, "they cast Pur, that is the lot, before Aman." (Haydock)
Du Hamel
The explanation intimates that Pur is a Persian word. (Du Hamel)
Menochius
Yet Pagnin maintains that it means in Hebrew, "to crush," a wine-press, or vessel; and the lot, which is thrown therein. (Menochius)
Calmet
Tickets, with the names of the twelve months, were probably drawn; and after the month was thus determined, Aman put in the urn as many tickets as it had days, and was directed to pitch upon the 13th. Septuagint have the 14th, both here and ver. 13. (Calmet)
Worthington
How preposterous was the (Haydock) fury of this man, thus to decide upon the day before he had the king's leave! (Worthington)
3:8
Calmet
Another, as the ten tribes were from Juda, or rather (Haydock) they were scattered about the empire. (Calmet)
Haydock
Hebrew, "and dispersed; and their laws are different from all other people's; neither do they observe the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to tolerate them." (Haydock)
3:9
Menochius
Talents. Hebrew, etc., add, "of silver." (Menochius)
Tirinus
If the Hebrew talent be meant, this sum would be immense for an individual; (Calmet) though Aman might expect to raise it by the confiscation of the Jews' effects, ver. 13. Some think he speaks of the Babylonian talent, on which supposition the sum would amount to twenty-one millions of French livres, (Bude.; Calmet) or of the Attic one, which is worth half the Hebrew talent. The king might thus be prevented from thinking that the tributes would be lessened. (Tirinus)
3:10
Ring, to transfer his power to him, for the time, Genesis 41:42. Alexander gave his ring to Periccas, and was generally supposed thus to designate him for his successor. (Justin. xii.) See 1 Machabees 6:14, 15.
3:12
Year of the World 3495.
Calmet
Lieutenants. Literally, "satraps." Hebrew achashdarpene, "courtiers," (Haydock) or those who are in the presence of his majesty, or porters. (Calmet)
Haydock
They were entrusted with the care of the different provinces. (Haydock)
3:13
Haydock
Messengers. Literally, "runners." (Haydock)
Calmet
Posts were first established in Persia, and were the admiration of other nations, though nothing compared with ours, as they were not regular, nor for the people. They called these messengers Astandae, or Angari, Matthew 5:41. Darius Condomanus was one of these postilions, before he came to the crown. (Calmet)
At first the kings had people stationed on eminences, at a convenient distance, to make themselves heard, when they had to communicate some public news. (Diod. xix. p. 680.)
Xenophon
Cyrus afterwards appointed horsemen, to succeed each other. (Xenophon, Cyrop. viii.)
Calmet
Caesar made some regulations on this head, which were perfected by Augustus and Adrian; but being neglected, Charlemagne strove to restore them: yet it is thought that the posts were not established, in France, till the reign of Louis XI. (Calmet)
3:14
Letter. It should appear here, as it is in Greek, but the Hebrew, etc., omitting it, the Vulgate give it, Esther 13:1.
3:15
Calmet
Jews. Hebrew, "but the city of Susan was in perplexity." Greek, "troubled." (Calmet)
Haydock
Even the pagans could not view such a cruel decree, without horror. (Haydock)
3:1
D
3:2
Aman exacted such honour as heathen people gaue to their lesse goddes, which was also idolatrie. for Mardocheus was willing to giue him ciui• honour, euen to kisse the steppes of his feete, but feared (and refused) •o geue Godlie honour to him. ch 13. v. 13. 14. S. Th•. 2. 2. q. 84. a. 1.
3:7
Such is the preposterous •nrie of rancour, to appoint the day of executing his malice, before he had got the kings decree.
3:10
The second part. The Iewes danger to be massacred.
3:14
E ch. 13. v. 1.
The letter at large is in the seuen first verses of the 13 ch. of which this is the summe.
F
3:9
sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 10
… Thus anciently, the people of the Jews, when they came out of affliction into a state of ease, kept the feast, staging a song of praise for their victory. So also the people in the time of Esther, because they were delivered from the edict of death, kept a feast to the Lord
3:1
1. POST HAEC REX ASSUERUS EXALTAVIT AMAN FILIUM AMADATHI, QUI ERAT DE STIRPE AGAG. Erat ergo Aman Amalecita ex stirpe regia; Agag enim fuit rex Amalec, quem occidi jussit Samuel, I Regum XV. Ita Josephus, Lyranus, Sanchez et alii. Dices: Cap. XVI, vers. 10 et 14, dicitur Aman animo et genere fuisse Macedo, ac alienus a sanguine Persarum, atque conatus regnum a Persis transferre ad Macedones. Respondeo eum stirpe et patria fuisse Amalecitam, sed patria Macedonem; nimirum parentes ejus fuerunt Amalecitae; sed Amalecitis partim per Saulem, partim per Nabuchodonosor caesis, parentes Aman profugerunt ad alias gentes, et per errores casusque venerunt in Macedoniam, ibidemque sedem fixerunt ac genuerunt Aman. Chaldaeus manuscriptus addit Aman fuisse mancipium, ideoque evectum ab Assuero intumuisse, et factum intolerabilem. Nam, ut dicitur Prov. XXX, 21: « Per tria movetur terra, et quartum non potest sustinere: per servum cum regnaverit, » etc. Addit Chaldaeus Aman fuisse illum qui cap. 1, vers. 14, vocatus Mamucham, suasitque Assuero repudiare Vasthi, ac in ejus locum surrogasse filiam suam; sed accidisse filiae tantum tamque foedum ventris profluvium, ut suo foetore omnes abigeret. Insuper Aman ascendisse Jerosolymam, ut templi fabricam impediret, pluraque similia, quae videntur Rabbinorum esse commenta et figmenta.
3:2
2. CUNCTIQUE SERVI REGIS, etc., FLECTEBANT GENUA, ET ADORABANT AMAN; SIC ENIM PRAECEPERAT EIS IMPERATOR. Vide hic quam Assuerus exaltarit Aman, ut eum praeceperit adorari quasi Deum aliquem et numen. Reges enim Persarum volebant adorari ut Dii et numina. Unde sicut Jupiter in coelo dicitur creare minores Deos; sic Assuerus Aman creavit, quasi minorem Deum in terra, sibique proximum, ideoque ab omnibus adorandum: ita Serarius, de quo mox plura. SOLUS MARDOCHAEUS NON FLECTEBAT GENU, NEQUE ADORABAT EUM. Cur Mardochaeus noluit flectere genu coram Aman? Respondet primo Chaldaeus manuscriptus ob rei indignitatem, eo quod Aman fuisset servus Mardochaei; sed hoc incertum est et parum verisimile, nec sufficit; imo id refutat Mardochaeus, dicens cap. XIII, vers. 13: « Vestigia pedum ejus deosculari paratus essem. » Secundo, Judaei causam dant, quod Aman in veste pictas gestarit idolorum imagines; sed hoc aeque incertum et improbabile. Tertio, Cajetanus aliam causam affert, quod scilicet Aman esset Amalecita de stirpe Agag: Amalecitas autem ab Hebraeis deleri jusserat Deus, Deut. XXV. Verum illud odium spectabat ad excidium gentis Amalec, non ad honorem uni Amano in Perside cum tanto Mardochaei et Hebraeorum periculo negandum. Quarto, idem Cajetanus: Judaei, inquit, unum genu flectebant principi, utrumque Deo; Aman autem voluit utrumque sibi flecti, ideoque detrectavit Mardochaeus. Verum hoc falsum fictumque videtur; nam Abraham curvans utrumque genu, imo prostratus in terram, adoravit filios Heth, uti dixi Genes. XXIII, 7. Quinto, Gabriel Vasquez, De Adoratione, lib. I, disp. 5, capite III, censet Mardochaeum noluisse genuflectere et adorare Aman, eo quod ipse quotidie genuflecteret et adoraret Deum; quia haec quotidiana genuflexio erat reservata ex more Judaeorum. Aman autem, quotidie ingrediens aulam regiam, quotidie a Mardochaeo et palatinis exigebat hanc genuflexionem. Verum Mardochaeus ne semel quidem voluit genuflectere et adorare Aman. Si enim semel hoc licuisset, utique et quotidie licuisset. Dico ergo: Veram causam assignat ipse Mardochaeus, cap. XIII, vers. 14, dicens: « Sed timui ne honorem Dei mei transferrem ad hominem, et ne quemquam adorarem, excepto Deo meo. » Idem docet Josephus lib. XI, cap. VI. Nam, ut recte ait Severus Sulpitius, lib. II, Assuerus Aman sibi aequalem constituerat, ideoque eum proprie ut Deum adorari jusserat. Reges enim Persarum a suis honorem divinum, et adorationem Deo debitam exigebant, ut patet ex Justino lib. VI, Herodoto, lib. VII, ubi ait Lacedaemones, licet jussos, noluisse adorare Xerxem, quia erat Persa. Apud Plutarchum in Artabano: « Nobis, inquiunt, pulcherrima lex honorare regem, et adorare imaginem Dei omnia servantis. » Q. Curtius de Dario: « Rex, ait, curru paulo ante vectus, et Deorum a suis honoribus cultus. » Hinc Aeschylus dixit Persas Deorum loco habere reges. Idem de Persis asserit Xenophon, Orat. De Agesilao, et Aristoteles, lib. III Rhetor., Isocrates in Panegyr., Strabo, lib. X, Heliodorus, lib. VII et IX, Seneca, lib. III De benef. cap. XII, Herodianus, lib. I, Lampridius in vita Alexandri Severi, ut nullum hac de re sit dubium. Hinc, teste Curtio, lib. VIII, cum Cleo Siculus Alexandro suaderet ut divinum sibi nomen assumeret, exemplum adduxit Persarum, quos ante ipse domuisset; dixit enim: « Persas non pie solum, sed etiam prudenter Reges suos inter Deos colere; majestatem enim imperii salutis esse tutelam. » Et cum Alexandri, qui jam Deorum esse in numero decreverat, Macedones non possent ferre superbiam, et illorum nonnulli in ejus caedem conjurassent, quidam illorum deprehensus ea excusatione usus est, quod illius superbia non videbatur toleranda. Is autem erat Hermolaus. « Persarum, inquit, te vestis et disciplina delectat, patrios mores exosus es; Persarum ergo, non Macedonum regem occidere voluimus, et te transfugam belli jure persequimur. Tu Macedones voluisti genua tibi ponere, venerarique te ut Deum. Tu Philippum patrem aversaris, et si quis Deorum ante Jovem haberetur, fastidires etiam Jovem. Miraris si liberi homines superbiam tuam ferre non possunt? » Haec Curtius. Simili modo Nabuchodonosor adorari ut Deus voluit in statua sua, quod recusantes tres socii Danielis in fornacem accensam ab eo projecti, illaesi a Deo servati sunt, Dan. cap. III. Et alter Nabuchodonosor jussit Holofernem ubique auferre omnes Deos, ut ipse solus quasi Deus coleretur, Judith III, 13. Sic de Augusto Caesare canit Virgilius, Ecloga prima: Namque erit ille mihi semper Deus; illius aram Saepe tener nostris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus. Sic Caius Caligula adorari voluit ut Deus; et Domitianus, cui proinde Martialis adulans ait: Edictum Domini, Deique nostri. Hinc et adoratio Persica hoc fiebat ritu, qui divinitatem sapiebat. Nam adorantes genuflectebant, et proni procumbentes in terram fronte humum feriebant, ac terram osculabantur, teste Curtio, lib. V et VIII, et Valerio Maximo, lib. VII, cap. III, Josepho, XX Antiq. cap. III, Martiali, lib. X Epigr. LXXII, qui proinde eam ut nimis superbam et divinitatem redolentem, culpant et subsannant. Vide de ritu adorationis regum Persarum Brissonium, lib. I De regno Persarum, pag. 10 et seq., ubi et narrat Pelopidam aliosque Graecos noluisse hoc ritu Artaxerxem adorare; imo Athenienses capite mulctasse Themagoram, eo quod hoc modo Darium adorasset, uti refert Valerius Maximus, VI. Dices: Mardochaeus dissimulare poterat intentionem Aman, ac simpliciter eum adorare adoratione civili et politica, nimirum flectere genu ei, seseque in terram prosternere ut principi, non ut Deo; hi enim gestus externi indifferentes sunt, et mente facientis discriminantur, ut si ille habeat intentionem vere adorantis, censeantur esse gestus adorationis et latriae: sin honorantis duntaxat, censeantur esse gestus reverentiae et honoris politici; ita Salianus, qui proinde putat Mardochaeum, Esdram, Nehemiam, hos gestus adorationis aliquando exhibuisse regibus Persarum, non ut Diis, sed ut principibus. Respondeo id facere non potuisse, quia rex publice jusserat eum adorari ut Deum, ac ut talis adorari volebat Aman; idque expresse exigebat, ut colligitur ex cap. XIII et XIV. Quare si ei obsecutus fuisset Mardochaeus, ab omnibus judicatus fuisset adorare Amanum ut Numen, uti caeteri adorabant. Adde, si id fecisset, grave dedisset scandalum Judaeis omnibus, maxime illo tempore, quo Judaei inter idololatras versantes cavebant omnem idololatriae speciem, etiam levissimam. Unde Esdras, Nehemias, Mardochaeus, Zorobabel, Jesus, caeterique in aula Cyri, Darii et Artaxerxis versantes, nunquam leguntur adorasse; sed, ut ait Josephus, magnis beneficiis a regibus hisce acceptis, gratias eis agebant, et adorabant Deum primum beneficiorum horum auctorem. Secus fuit de Judith quae cap. X, vers. 20, genu flexo politico cultu adoravit Holofernem ut principem, non ut Deum; quia Holofernes profitebatur se non esse Deum, sed solum Nabuchodonosor. Addunt nonnulli Mardochaeum fuisse delicatioris, timidioris, arctioris conscientiae, ut nec umbram aliquam idololatriae admitteret, vel signum quodpiam quo vel minimum Dei cultus videretur laedi et proximus offendi. Unde ipse ait cap. XIII, vers. 14: « Timui ne honorem Dei mei transferrem ad hominem. »
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4. DIXERAT ENIM EIS SE ESSE JUDAEUM, ac proinde Judaica religione et lege prohiberi ut nullum hominem, sed solum Deum adoraret, cum Persae, aliique gentiles etiam homines, puta reges suos quasi Deos adorarent. Verisimile est idem Cyro, Dario et Artaxerxi respondisse Esdram, Nehemiam, Estherem, Zorobabel, caeterosque Hebraeos, qui in aulis eorum versabantur, imo officia honorata gerebant, nimirum se esse Judaeos, quibus non licet alium quam Deum adorare, ac proinde reges ipsos ab istis, utpote Judaeis, adorationem Persicam non exegisse, sed tantum adorationem politicam et civilem, quae principibus ut hominibus deferri solet. Adde reges istos adorationem illam Persicam exegisse duntaxat in publico, cum se populo quasi numina venerandos ostenderent; privatim enim a suis aulicis et cubiculariis, quibuscum quotidie familiariter agebant, illam non postulabant, communi honore et reverentia contenti. Persicam enim adhibere ad singula eorum alloquia et obsequia fuisset onus intolerabile, et moraliter impossibile.
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6. MAGISQUE VOLUIT OMNEM JUDAEORUM, QUI ERANT IN REGNO ASSUERI, PERDERE NATIONEM. To « magis » innuit jam ante voluisse Aman perdere Mardochaeum et Judaeos, quod ipse duos eunuchos amicos suos accusasset, ut in crucem agerentur, ut dixi cap. II, vers. 21. Jam autem accedente alia injuria, suoque contemptu, ut ipse censebat, in sua sententia confirmatus, magis voluit eosdem exterminare. Hinc liquet primo superbia et crudelitas Amani, qui propter unicum Mardochaeum voluit occidere omnes Judaeos plane innoxios: Solus Mardochaeus, o Aman, te offendit; illum ergo solum persequere, si libet: cur iram in omnes Judaeos, qui te non offenderunt, evomis? Secundo, magna dignitas Mardochaei, quod propter eum Aman decreverit totam Judaeorum gentem interimere; quia scilicet Mardochaeus erat eorum choragus, et quasi dux et princeps, ut ab eo regerentur, et quod ille faceret, caeteri facerent, ejusque exemplum sequerentur.
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7. MISSA EST SORS IN URNAM, QUAE HEBRAICE DICITUR PHUR, CORAM AMAN, QUO DIE ET QUO MENSE GENS JUDAEORUM DEBERET INTERFICI. Pro « sors » Hebraice est גורל goral. Unde Lyranus, Cajetanus, Marinus et alii putant phur esse nomen Persicum, goral vero Hebraeum: verum Hebraeos a Persis hoc loco accepisse nomen phur, ideoque hanc sortem Persicam eorum nomine nuncupasse phur. Unde Hebraea sic habent: Jacta est phur; ipsa est goral, id est sors. Hinc et to phur nusquam in Bibliis reperitur, nisi in hoc libro Esther. Nam in Psalmis, Proverbiis caeterisque libris pro « sors » semper est Hebraice goral, non phur. Nonnulli tamen censent phur quoque esse vocem Hebraeorum, a radice phur, id est labi, eo quod sors cadat et labatur in urnam. Porro a phur, id est sors, dies festus ab Hebraeis dictus est phurim, quo scilicet gratias egerunt Deo, quod eos a sorte maligna internecionis ab Amano jacta liberasset. Aman autem sortem hic adhibuit ex superstitione gentilium, qui sorte quasi divinatione utebantur ad scrutanda occulta et periculosa, uti factum est Jonae cap. 1. Nam, ut ait S. Augustinus in Psal. XXX: « Sors est res in dubitatione humana, divinam indicans voluntatem. » Hinc Cicero, lib. I De divin. sortes vocat, quae vaticinatione funduntur. Virgilius, lib. IV Aeneid.: Italiam Lyciae jussere capessere sortes, id est oracula. Ovidius, lib. I Metamorph.: Placuit coeleste precari Numen, et auxilium per sacras quaerere sortes. Verum superstitio haec Amanum decepit; prorogavit enim tempus caedis Judaeorum, itaque spatium dedit Estheri caedem deprecandi. Si enim statim accepta a rege facultate, rem exsecutus fuisset, Judaeos omnes occidisset. Imprudens ergo fuit ejus dilatio et sortitio: nimirum Deus infatuavit crudele ejus consilium. Sensus ergo est, q. d. Aman misit sortem, ut ex ea quasi ex divinatione et oraculo cognosceret, quis dies caedi Judaeorum foret accommodus, sibique felix et faustus, ne quod a Judaeis et defendentibus vitae suae aut suorum periculum adiret.
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9. SI TIBI PLACET, DECERNE UT PEREAT, ET DECEM MILLIA TALENTORUM (argenti, ut habet Hebraeus, Chaldaeus et Septuaginta) APPENDAM ARCARIIS GAZAE TUAE, id est quinque milliones aureorum, si Attica, ut videtur, intelligantur hic talenta; sin Hebraea, duplo major erit summa, nimirum decem millionum aureorum. Immane est hoc pretium, sed Amano illud facile erat colligere ex Judaeorum bonis jam praedae et direptioni ab eo destinatis. Obtulit hoc Aman Dario, quia sciebat eum, auri cupidum, magna Persis et Judaeis sibi subditis tributa imposuisse, uti dixi cap. II, vers. 18. Quare, ne rex causaretur per Judaeorum caedem se tributa, quae illi pendere solebant, perditurum, Aman ei spondet se hoc damnum per decem milliones sarciturum: quod si rex honeste hoc pretium refutaret, uti reipsa refutavit, cogitavit Aman se illud in rem propriam conversurum, ut toti regno, ipsique Dario formidabilis evaderet, ac data occasione exercitum conscriberet, illudque sibi adscisceret. Verum Deus iniqua et superba consilia antevertit, et in ipsius caput convertit, retorsitque.
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10. TULIT ERGO REX ANNULUM QUO UTEBATUR (ad obsignandum decreta sua et litteras regias), ET DEDIT EUM AMAN, ut ipse decretum de Judaeis perdendis ea forma et ratione conscriberet, qua volebat, illudque regio annulo obsignaret, quasi a rege profectum, nimirum ut illud legentes stato die mactarent omnes Judaeos, putantes regem hoc velle et jubere. Hinc Alexander Magnus victo Dario, cum ad Asiaticos scriberet, annulo, quem Dario abstulerat, litteras signabat; eo significans se jam Asiae esse regem. Idem moriens, dans annulum Perdiccae, hoc ipso eum regem designavit, teste Curtio, libro VI et ultimo, ac Justino, libro XVII.
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13. A PUERO USQUE AD SENEM, PARVULOS ET MULIERES. Barbara fuit haec Amani crudelitas, qua omnes omnino Judaeos, etiam feminas et pueros innoxios, neci destinavit, ne scilicet aliquis eorum in virum evadens, stragem hanc suae gentis ulcisceretur, et Amani caput peteret. Idem faciunt Japones aliique Barbari.
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15. FESTINABANT CURSORES, quos, teste Herodoto, lib. VIII, Cyrus instituerat quasi veredarios, qui statis locis et horis defatigatos equos et sessores commutarent cum recentibus, itaque celerius litteras regias perferrent quam grues volent, ait Xenophon. Imo poterant hi rusticos cogere ad dandos meliores equos. Persice cursores hi Angari dicebantur. Inde angariare idem est quod cogere, Matth. V, 41. Unde ab Angaribus dictos esse Angelos (littera r in l commutata, uti saepe fit) id est nuntios, suspicatur Scaliger.
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… Figlio di Hammedata (nome persiano; Volgata Amadathi), è qualificato (Esth. 3, 1.10) nel testo ebraico Agagita, nel testo greco Βουγάλος. …
… Rifiuta ad Aman, forse a lui già noto come antigiudeo, gli onori dovutigli come primo ministro, ed Aman fa decretare lo sterminio dei Giudei (ibid. 3, 1-15). M. fa intervenire Esther presso Serse, mentre Aman prepara il supplizio per M. Nella notte insonne il re rilegge gli annali e vede che M. non è stato ricompensato per avergli salvato …
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NISĀN (DAL BABILONESE NISANNU)
NISĀN (dal babilonese nisannu). - Primo mese dell'anno in Israele; nella letteratura biblica più antica, si identifica con ḥōdheṣ hā-'ābhībh « mese delle spighe in maturazione » (v. 'ABIB): Neh. 2, 1; Esth. 3, 7 (Volgata, anche Esth. 3, 12; 11, 2). Il primo di n. fu compiuta la costruzione del tabernacolo (Ex. 40, 17); dal giorno 1-12 l'inaugurazione dell'altare a mezzo dell'offerta …
T. fa parte dei nomi di mese di origine babilonese, introdotti in Palestina in epoca piuttosto tarda, poiché s'incontrano solo nei testi biblici postesilici (tēbhēth in Esth. 2, 16; nīsān in Esth. 3, 7; Neh. 2, 1; 'ādhār in Esth. 3, 13; 8, 12; kislēw in Neh. 1, 1).
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… Il mondo ellenistico avversò i Giudei, per il motivo già espresso in Esth. 3, 8, «quando vide che quella strana razza si estendeva su tutta la terra abitata, ma senza fondersi coi vari ambienti» (G. Ricciotti, p. 231). I testi degli scrittori greci e romani (raccolti …
… Così si spiega che la t. fu detta dāth « legge » in aramaico (Esl. 7, 12-26; cf. Esth. 1, 13; 3, 8; ecc.), e poi dei Settanta (sec. …
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NISĀN (DAL BABILONESE NISANNU)
NISĀN (dal babilonese nisannu). - Primo mese dell'anno in Israele; nella letteratura biblica più antica, si identifica con ḥōdheṣ hā-'ābhībh « mese delle spighe in maturazione » (v. 'ABIB): Neh. 2, 1; Esth. 3, 7 (Volgata, anche Esth. 3, 12; 11, 2). Il primo di n. fu compiuta la costruzione del tabernacolo (Ex. 40, 17); dal giorno 1-12 l'inaugurazione dell'altare a mezzo dell'offerta dei sacrifici da parte dei capi …
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… trattato Aboth (v.); onde il maestro chiama spesso il discepolo « figlio » (Prov. 4, 10, 20; 5, 1, 20; 6, 1, 3; 7, 1, 24; Ps. 44 [45], 11; Eccli. [ebr. 3, 8, 12, 17; 4, 1, 20; ecc.). 6) Consigliere (Gen. 45, 8: uso egiziano secondo H. K. Brugsch), come in Esth. 3, 13 ἑσύτερος πατὴρ (aggiunta dei Settanta); in Ahiqar 55 (ediz. …
T. fa parte dei nomi di mese di origine babilonese, introdotti in Palestina in epoca piuttosto tarda, poiché s'incontrano solo nei testi biblici postesilici (tēbhēth in Esth. 2, 16; nīsān in Esth. 3, 7; Neh. 2, 1; 'ādhār in Esth. 3, 13; 8, 12; kislēw in Neh. 1, 1).
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… In essa, due parti ben distinte: a sinistra del fiume (l'antico Coaspe, il moderno Kerkha), l'acropoli o cittadella, occupata dalla reggia, a destra (est) l'immenso tell della città abitata dal popolo. Esth. 3, 15; 9, 6, 11 ecc., distingue le due parti con nomi diversi: in ebraico, rispettivamente, bīrāh (aramaico « fortezza »), e, per estensione, « acropoli ») e 'fr. Nella cittadella (Neh. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.