19 When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate.
19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
19 Now when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate.
19 On one of the occasions when the virgins were being gathered together, Mordecai was sitting at the King's Gate.
19 When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the king's gate.
19 Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem and Mordecai had become a palace official,
7 "When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square,
7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
7 When I went out to the gate of the city, when I prepared my seat in the square,
7 "When I walked downtown and sat with my friends in the public square,
7 "When I went out to the gate by the city, When I took my seat in the open square,
7 "Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders.
(Read Job 29:7-17)
All sorts of people paid respect to Job, not only for the dignity of his rank, but for his personal merit, his prudence, integrity, and good management. Happy the men who are blessed with such gifts as these! They have great opportunities of honouring God and doing good, but have great need to watch against pride. Happy the people who are blessed with such men! it is a token for good to them. Here we see what Job valued himself by, in the day of his prosperity. It was by his usefulness. He valued himself by the check he gave to the violence of proud and evil men. Good magistrates must thus be a restraint to evil-doers, and protect the innocent; in order to this, they should arm themselves with zeal and resolution. Such men are public blessings, and resemble Him who rescues poor sinners from Satan. How many who were ready to perish, now are blessing Him! But who can show forth His praises? May we trust in His mercy, and seek to imitate His truth, justice, and love.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Esther 2:19
Commentary on Esther 2:1-20
(Read Esther 2:1-20)
We see to what absurd practices those came, who were destitute of Divine revelation, and what need there was of the gospel of Christ, to purify men from the lusts of the flesh, and to bring them back to the original institution of marriage. Esther was preferred as queen. Those who suggest that Esther committed sin to come at this dignity, do not consider the custom of those times and countries. Every one that the king took was married to him, and was his wife, though of a lower rank. But how low is human nature sunk, when such as these are the leading pursuits and highest worldly happiness of men! Disappointment and vexation must follow; and he most wisely consults his enjoyment, even in this present life, who most exactly obeys the precepts of the Divine law. But let us turn to consider the wise and merciful providence of God, carrying on his deep but holy designs in the midst of all this. And let no change in our condition be a pretext for forgetting our duties to parents, or the friends who have stood in their place.