Esther 8:8

Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) Write ye. . . .—Esther’s device is seen through, and the king shrinks from taking so decisive a step as the revocation of a decree once issued. Such a writing “may no man reverse.” Still he will do what he can. It may be possible to meet the difficulty, and save the Jews, without actual reversal of the decree. The king then refers to the proofs of his goodwill, as shown by hanging Haman for his scheme against the Jews, and giving his property to Esther, and bids Esther and Mordecai “write concerning the Jews according to what seems good in your eyes.” Give, that is, any orders you please about them, short of repealing the former order. The result of this permission, whether the idea was suggested by the king, or occurred to Esther or Mordecai, was that authority was given to the Jews to defend themselves.

Benson Commentary

Esther 8:8. Write ye also for the Jews — On their behalf, to the governors and commanders of the king’s forces, or to whom you please. In the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring — I offer you my authority and seal, to confirm whatsoever you shall think fit to write. The writing which is written in the king’s name, &c., may no man reverse — This reason may belong, either, 1st, To the writing of these present letters; and then the sense is, These letters will be most effectual, being no less irrevocable than the former, and, coming last, will repeal the former. Or, 2d, To the former letters, as a reason why he could not grant their desires in recalling them, because they were irrevocable by the laws of the Medes and Persians. And this sense, though rejected by many, seems to be the truest, because here is no mention of reversing Haman’s letters, which Esther had desired, Esther 8:5, and the king denied, for the reason here alleged; and because the following letter doth not contain one word about the reversing of the former, nor doth it take away that power which was given to all rulers to destroy all the Jews, Esther 3:12-13; but only gives the Jews power and authority to stand up in their own defence, Esther 8:11, which, all circumstances considered, was sufficient for their preservation. How much more prudent is our constitution than that of the Persians, that no law whatever can be so established as to be unrepealable. It is God’s prerogative not to repent, and to say what can never be altered.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:3-14 It was time to be earnest, when the church of God was at stake. Esther, though safe herself, fell down and begged for the deliverance of her people. We read of no tears when she begged for her own life, but although she was sure of that, she wept for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most Christ-like. According to the constitution of the Persian government, no law or decree could be repealed or recalled. This is so far from speaking to the wisdom and honour of the Medes and Persians, that it clearly shows their pride and folly. This savours of that old presumption which ruined all, We will be as gods! It is God's prerogative not to repent, or to say what can never be altered or unsaid. Yet a way was found, by another decree, to authorize the Jews to stand upon their defence. The decree was published in the languages of all the provinces. Shall all the subjects of an earthly prince have his decrees in languages they understand, and shall God's oracles and laws be locked up from any of his servants in an unknown tongue?

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Write ... as it liketh you ... - (See the Esther 1:19 note. Practically, Ahasuerus reversed the "device" of Haman).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. Write … in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring—Hence it is evident that the royal ring had a seal in it, which, being affixed to any document, authenticated it with the stamp of royal authority.

which … may no man reverse—This is added as the reason why he could not comply with the queen's request for a direct reversal or recall of Haman's letters; namely, that the laws of the Medes and Persians, once passed, were irrevocable.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

For the Jews; on their behalf, to the governors and commanders of the king’s forces, or to whom you please.

Seal it with the king’s ring; I offer you my authority and seal to confirm whatsoever you shall think fit to write.

For the writing which is written in the king’ s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse: this reason may belong either,

1. To the writing of these present letters; and so the sense is, These letters will be most effectual, being no less irrevocable than the former, and coming last will repeal the former. Or,

2. To the former letters, as a reason why he could not grant their desires in recalling them, because they were irrevocable by the law of the Medes and Persians. And this sense, though rejected by many, seems to be the truest, because here is no mention of reversing Haman’s letters, which Esther had desired, Esther 8:5, and the king denied for the reason here alleged; and because the following letter doth not contain one word about the reversing of the former, nor doth it take away that power which was given to all rulers to destroy all the Jews, Esther 3:12,13, but only gives the Jews power and authority to stand up in their own defence, Esther 8:11, which, all circumstances considered, was sufficient for their preservation.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Write ye also for the Jews as it liketh you,.... Whatever may be thought fit and proper for their safety and security:

in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring; as the former letters were:

for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse; which is a reason both for the writing and sealing of the present letters in this manner, and why the former could not be reversed; nor does it appear that they were, but that, in virtue of them, the people had power to rise and kill the Jews on the day appointed, if they dared, or were so disposed; and these empowered the Jews to rise in their own defence, and kill all that made any attempts upon them, for which they had the royal authority; and these letters coming after the other, though they did not formally reverse them, which might not be done, yet rendered them ineffectual.

Geneva Study Bible

Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may {e} no man reverse.

(e) This was the law of the Medes and Persians, as in Da 6:15 nonetheless the king revoked the former decree granted to Haman for Esther's sake.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Esther 8:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The king could not simply revoke the edict issued by Haman in due legal form, but, ready to perform the request of the queen, he first assures her of his good intentions, reminding her and Mordochai that he has given the house of Haman to Esther and hanged Haman, because he laid hand on the Jews (תּלוּ אתו, him they have executed); and then grants them permission, as he had formerly done to Haman, to send letters to the Jews in the king's name, and sealed with the king's seal, and to write בּעיניכם כּטּוב, "as seems good to you," i.e., to give in writing such orders as might in Esther's and Mordochai's judgment render the edict of Haman harmless. "For," he adds, "what is written in the king's name and sealed with his seal cannot be reversed." This confirmatory clause is added by the king with reference to the law in general, not as speaking of himself objectively as "the king." להשׁיב אין refers to Esther's request: להשׁיב יכּתב (Esther 8:5). ונחתּום, infin. abs. used instead of the perfect.