CHAPTER XVIII. 475 rejoiced at the invitation that Esther gave him, and set up a gallows for Mordecai fifty cubits high, expecting that at his de- sire the king would order Mordecai to be hanged thereon ; Verses 9-14. 14. Q. How did the king pass the time that night ? A. He could not sleep, and he had the book of records read to entertain him, wherein was written Mordecai's information of the conspi- racy against the king ; Est. vi. 1, 2. 15. Q. What effect had this on the king? A. When he enquired and found that Mordecai had received no recompence for his faithfulness, he ordered -Haman to array him in royal ap- parel, to set him on the king's own horse, and do the highest honours to him in a public procession through the city ; Verses 6-11. 16. Q. In what remarkable hour did Haman receive this order from the king ? A. At that very time when he was come to court to speak to the king, to hang Mordecai on the gallöws be had set up ; Verses 4; 5. 17. Q. When the king and Haman were come to the ban- quet, what was queen Esther's further request ? A. That the nation of the Jews, which were her kindred, might be delivered from the general massacre that Haman had contrived for them ; Est. vii. 1 -7. 18. Q. What change of affairs ensued on this petition to the king ? A. The kingcommanded Haman to be hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai, he put Mordecai into Hatnan's place at court, and sent orders throughout his domini- ons for the Jews to defend themselves ? Est. vii. 9, 10. and viii. 1 -17. 10. Q. Why was not the order for the slaughter of the Jews rather reversed ? A. Because what is written in the king's flame, and sealed with his ring, could not be reversed accord- ing to the laws of the government ; Verse 8. and God ordered it thus in his providence for the public destruction of their enemies. 20. Q. How did the Jews defend themselves in the day designed for their general slaghter ? A. They slew seventy five. thousand of those that rose up against them, and the ten sous. of Hainan am..ng the rest ; Est. ix. 1---16. 21. Q. What memorial of this great deliverance was pre- served amongst the Jews ? A. All the Jews agreed, by and with the authority of Esther and Mordecai, to keep the four- teenth and fifteenth clay of the month Adar, every year, as a day of thanksgiving for this salvation ; Verses 20-32. 22. Q. What was the name of this festival? A. These two days were called the days of pubim, from pur, which signi- fies a lot, because Haman had cast lots, in a superstitious man- ner, to find out what month or day was the most lucky to exe- cute his bloody deviceagainst the .Jews ; Est. ix. 20, 27. and iii. 7. a h 2
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