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以斯帖记生命读经 · 第2篇

隐藏的神在祂受逼迫的选民被掳时，在隐密中公开的拯救他们

The Open Salvation of the Hiding God in Secrecy to His Persecuted Elect in Their Captivity
1国的犹大人。他使王降旨到国内各省，要将犹大人，无论老少妇女孩掠物。（５～１５。）哈曼邪恶的意图是要灭绝所有的犹大人，并且夺去他们的财富。
1but also to destroy all the Jews throughout the empire. He had the king send a decree to each province of his the twelfth month, and to plunder their spoil (vv. 5-15). Haman’s evil intention was to destroy all the Jews and to take away their wealth.
二 末底改藉著以斯帖与王亲切亲密的接触，对抗哈曼的计谋
B. Mordecai’s Confrontation of Haman’sP lot through Esther’s Close and Intimate Contact with the King
2四章一节至八章二节记载，末底改藉著以斯帖与王亲切亲密的接触，对抗哈曼的计谋。
2In 4:1 through 8:2 we have an account of Mordecai’s confrontation of Haman’sp lot through Esther’s close and intimate contact with the king
１ 犹大众人和以斯帖禁食
1. All the Jews and Esther Fasting
3犹大众人和以斯帖听见哈曼所要作的，并知道王甚至降旨以执行哈曼的意图，他们就禁食。（四３，１６。）虽然他们为著向神恳求而禁食，但和我们所豫期的相反，十六节没有题及神的名。以斯帖和犹大众人都在禁食，而哈曼在他的妻子、朋友的计谋下，作了一个绞架，要把末底改挂在其上。（五９～１４。）
3When all the Jews and Esther heard of what Haman intended to do and learned that the king had even issued a decree to carry out Haman’sin tent i on, they fasted (4:3, 16). Although they fasted for their supplication to God, contrary to what we would expect, in verse 16 there is no mention of the name of God. While Esther and all the Jews were fasting, Haman, under the plot with his wife and friends, made a gallows on which to hang Mordecai (5:9-14
２ 王睡不著觉，读到年代纪中记著末底改如何救了他
2. The King Being Unable to Sleep and Finding the Report of How Mordecai Had Saved Him
4王睡不著觉，就吩咐人取年代纪来，念给他听。（六１。）王发现书上写著末底改如何救了他，不被两个太监所害，于是王决定要赐尊荣爵位给末底改。王正思想这事时，哈曼进入外院，要求王将末底改挂在绞架上。（２～４。）王在思想赐尊荣给末底改，哈曼在思想将他挂在绞架上。王问哈曼，王所要赐尊荣的人，当如何对待他，哈曼回答说，『当将王常穿的朝服，和戴冠的御马取来，都交给王极尊贵的一个臣宰，命他将衣服给王所要赐尊荣的人穿上，使他骑上马走遍城里的街道；叫人在他面前宣告说，王所要赐尊荣的人，就当如此待他。』（８～９。）在这时刻，王吩咐哈曼将王常穿的朝服给末底改穿上，使他骑上御马走遍城里的街道，并在末底改面前宣告说，『王所要赐尊荣的人，就当如此待他。』（１０～１１。）哈曼这样作以后，忧闷的蒙著头，急忙回家去了。（１２。）
4The king could not sleep, so he gave orders to have the book of the records of the chronicles brought, and they were read before him (6:1). The king found in the records the report of how Mordecai had saved him from being assassinated by two of his eunuchs, and he decided to bestow honor and dignity on Mordecai. While the king was considering this, Haman came into the court to ask the king about hanging Mordecai (vv. 2-6). The king was thinking about honoring Mordecai, and Haman was thinking about hanging him. When the king asked Haman what should be done for the man whom the king desires to honor, Haman answered, “Let a royal robe be brought, one which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden and on whose head a royal crown has been set. And let the robe and the horse be delivered into the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes; and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and make him ride on horseback through the street of the city; and let them proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king desires to honor” (vv. 8-9). At this juncture, the king commanded Haman to put on Mordecai a royal robe which the king had worn, make Mordecai ride through the street of the city on a horse on which the king had ridden, and proclaim before Mordecai, “Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king desires to honor” (vv. 10-11). After Haman did this, he hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered (v. 12).
３ 以斯帖向王指出哈曼是邪恶的仇人敌人，他设谋要杀所有的犹大人
3. Esther Pointing Out to the King That Haman Was the Wicked Adversary and Enemy Who Conspired to Kill All the Jews
5在与王和哈曼的酒席上，王后以斯帖指出哈曼是邪恶的仇人敌人，他设谋要杀所有的犹大人。王立刻判哈曼死刑，吩咐他的仆人把哈曼挂在他为末底改所豫备的绞架上。当日王把犹大人仇敌哈曼的家产赐给王后以斯帖，摘下自己的戒指，就是从哈曼追回的，给了末底改，使他在全国中作王的宰相。（七１～八２。）
5At her feast with the king and Haman, Esther the queen pointed out that Haman was the wicked adversary and enemy who conspired to kill all the Jews. The king immediately sentenced Haman to death and commanded his men to hang Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai. On that day the king gave the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Esther the queen and took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai, making him the second man to the king in the whole empire (7:1—8:2
三 犹大人公开的胜过他们的仇敌
C. The Open, Triumphant Victory of the Jews over Their Enemies
6在八章三节至十章三节我们看见，犹大人公开的胜过他们的仇敌－他们隐藏的神公开的拯救他们脱离逼迫他们的人。
6In 8:3 through 10:3 we see the open, triumphant victory of the Jews over their enemies—the open salvation of their hiding God to rescue them from their persecutors
１ 王藉末底改下谕旨
1. The King Issuing a Decree through Mordecai
7王藉末底改下谕旨，准许犹大人从王的全国，从印度直到古实（衣索匹亚）一百二十七省，除灭他们一切的仇敌。（八３～１４。）
7The king issued through Mordecai a decree to authorize the Jews to destroy all their enemies throughout his empire from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces (8:3-14
２ 犹大人有光荣欢喜，快乐尊贵
2. The Jews Having Light, Gladness, Joy, and Honor
8末底改穿著蓝色白色的朝服，头戴大金冠冕，又穿紫色细麻布的外袍，从王面前出来。书珊京城的人民，都欢呼快乐；犹大人有光荣欢喜，快乐尊贵。王的谕旨所到的各省各城，犹大人都欢喜快乐，设摆筵宴，以那日为吉日。那国的各族（外邦人）中，有许多因惧怕犹大人，就入籍成为犹大人。（１５～１７。）
8Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white and with a large crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple. The city of Susa the capital shouted and rejoiced, and the Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor. Throughout every province and every city, wherever the king’s decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast, and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land (the heathen) became Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen on them (vv. 15-17
３ 犹大人在通国除灭一切仇敌
3. The Jews Destroying All Their Enemies throughout the Empire
9在王后以斯帖和宰相末底改的影响下，犹大人在亚哈随鲁王的通国，除灭一切仇敌。（九１～１６。）各省的臣宰、总督、省长、和办理王事的人，因惧怕末底改，就都帮助犹大人；末底改在王宫中为大，名声传遍各省，并且日渐昌盛。（１～４。）在书珊京城，犹大人在两日内杀灭了仇敌八百人，又将哈曼的十个儿子挂在绞架上。（５～１５。）在各省的犹大人也都聚集，杀了恨他们的人七万五千，因而脱离仇敌，得享平安。（１６。）
9The Jews destroyed all their enemies throughout the empire under the reign of King Ahasuerus in the influence of Esther the queen with Mordecai as the second to the king (9:1-16). All the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who did the king’s business helped the Jews because of the fear of Mordecai, who was great in the king’sho use and whose fame went forth throughout all the provinces and who became greater and greater (vv. 1-4). In Susa the capital in two days the Jews destroyed eight hundred of their enemies and they hanged Haman’st en sons upon the gallows (vv. 5-15). In the provinces the Jews assembled and destroyed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them, thus having rest from their enemies (v. 16).
４ 胜利的犹大人设定普珥日
4. The Triumphant Jews Appointing and Establishing the Days of Purim
10胜利的犹大人设定亚达月十四、十五日为普珥日，庆祝他们胜过了他们的仇敌。（１７～３２。）这样，犹大人中间设立了普珥节，以记念并庆祝他们在整个大波斯帝国除灭仇敌的两日。这两日是设筵欢乐，彼此餽送礼物，赒济穷人的日子。（１７～１９，２２。）各省各城，家家户户，世世代代，要记念遵守这两日，在他们后裔中也不可忘记。（２６～２８。）王后以斯帖和犹大人末底改，以全权写信，确立守普珥日的事。（２９～３２。）５末底改作亚哈随鲁王的宰相，
10The triumphant Jews appointed and established the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month Adar as the Purim to celebrate their triumphant victory over their enemies (vv. 17-32). In this way the feast of Purim was established among the Jews for the remembrance and celebration of the two days during which they destroyed their enemies throughout the great empire of Persia. These days were to be days of feasting and rejoicing and of sending portions to one another and gifts to the poor (vv. 17-19, 22). These days were to be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, and the remembrance of them was not to fade from their seed (vv. 26-28). The appointment and the establishment of the Purim was confirmed by Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew in writing with all authority (vv. 29-32). 5. Mordecai Becoming Second to King Ahasuerus
在犹大人中为大
and Great among the Jews
11末底改作亚哈随鲁王的宰相，在犹大人中为大，得他众弟兄的尊重，为本族的人求好处，为他的后裔，就是为所有的以色列人谋福祉。（十１～３。）
11Mordecai became second to King Ahasuerus and great among the Jews and well-regarded by the multitude of his brothers, one who sought the good of his people and who spoke for the welfare of all his seed, that is, all the children of Israel (10:1-3
肆 结语
IV. A CONCLUDING WORD
一 隐藏的重点
A. A Crucial Hidden Point
12以斯帖记的故事所含隐藏的重点，乃是为著应验神呼召亚伯拉罕所要得的地、后裔（子民）、并使万国所得的福。（创十二１～３，二二１７～１８。）
12The story of the book of Esther is a crucial hidden point for the fulfillment of God’scall ing to Abraham for a land, a seed (a people), and the blessing to all the nations (Gen. 12:1-3; 22:17-18
二 为著应验神藉摩西所给的应许
B. For the Fulfillment of the Promise through Moses
13本书的故事也是为著应验神藉摩西所给的应许，就是神使以色列人被掳之后，仍然照顾他们。（申四２７～３１。）
13The story of this book is also for the fulfillment of the promise through Moses that after God gave Israel into captivity, He would still take care of them (Deut. 4:27-31).
三 为著应验所罗门的祷告
C. For the Fulfillment of the Prayer of Solomon
14此外，以斯帖记的故事也是为著应验所罗门在献殿之日的祷告，求神照顾祂被掳的选民。（王上八４６～５３。）
14In addition, the story of the book of Esther is for the fulfillment of the prayer of Solomon on the day of the dedication of the temple that God would take care of His elect in their captivity (1 Kings 8:46-53
四 为著保守基督家谱的世系
D. For the Keeping of the Lineage of the Genealogy of Christ
15再者，以斯帖记所记载的故事，也是为要藉著以色列人在被掳中存活，保守基督家谱的世系，使基督被带进人类里。倘若犹大众人都被除灭了，就没有基督家谱的世系，使基督被带进人性里。
15Moreover, the story recorded in the book of Esther is also for the keeping of the lineage of the genealogy of Christ through the survival of Israel in their captivity that Christ might be brought into the human race. If all the Jews had been destroyed, there would have been no lineage of Christ’s genealogy for Christ to be brought into humanity
五 为著保守一班子民，使他们为著要来基督的国，得著圣地为业
E. To Keep a People for the Possessing of the Holy Land for the Coming Kingdom of Christ
16最终，以斯帖记的故事也是为著保守一班子民，使他们为著要来基督的国，得著圣地为业。从被掳中归回之神的选民人数虽少，但他们至少占有并得著一小块地，就是圣地。这是很有意义的，因为地已被撒但霸占，似乎没有甚么留给天地的神。然而，神带回祂少数的子民，得著圣地为业，作为基督回来，在地上建立祂国的基地。
16Finally, the story of the book of Esther is to keep a people for the possessing of the holy land for the coming kingdom of Christ. The people of God’select who returned from captivity were small in number, yet they occupied and possessed at least a small portion of the earth, the holy land. This was significant because the earth had been usurped by Satan, and there seemed to be nothing left for the God of heaven and earth. However, God brought back a small number of His people to possess the holy land as a base for Christ to come back to establish His kingdom on earth