From the early Church Fathers to now.
1 Jewish · 1 Reformed · 1 Methodist · 1 Catholic
“And whereas I have all these things, I think I have nothing, so long as I see Mardochai the Jew sitting before the king’s gate.”
“is worth nothing to me I do not care for all the honor that I have. every time, etc. Our Sages said that he [Mordecai] would show him a deed that he [Haman] had sold himself [to Mordecai] as a slave because he lacked food when Mordecai and Haman were appointed heads of troops in a war.”
“Then said Zeresh his wife, and all his friends, unto him,.... His wife very probably first moved it, and all his friends present approved of it and united in it: let a gallows be made, of fifty cubits, high; that the person hanged thereon might be seen at a distance, and so be a greater reproach to him, and a terror to others, to take care they were not guilty of the same offence: Cartalo was ordered by his father to be fixed to the highest cross in the sight of the city (l); and it was usual for crosses to be erected very high (m) both for that purpose, and for greater infamy and disgrace (n): and tomorrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon; get a grant from him for it; of which they made no doubt, since Haman had such an interest in him, and had already obtained an order to destroy all Jews in his dominions: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet; eased of the burden of his mind, and honoured to be a guest with the royal pair: and the thing pleased Haman, and he caused the gallows to be made; but it was for himself, as it proved in the issue. See Est 7:10. (l) Justin e Trogo, l. 18. c. 7. Vid. l. 22. c. 7. (m) Vid. Lipsium de Cruce, l. 3. c. 13. (n) Suetonius in Galba, c. 9. Next: Esther Chapter 6”
“Yet all this availeth me nothing - Pride will ever render its possessor unhappy. He has such a high opinion of his own worth, that he conceives himself defrauded by every one who does not pay him all the respect and homage which he conceives to be his due. The soul was made for God, and nothing but God can fill it and make it happy. Angels could not be happy in glory, when they had cast off their allegiance to their Maker. As soon as his heart had departed from God, Adam would needs go to the forbidden fruit, to satisfy a desire which was only an indication of his having been unfaithful to his God. Solomon, in all his glory, possessing every thing heart could wish, found all to be vanity and vexation of spirit; because his soul had not God for its portion. Ahab, on the throne of Israel, takes to his bed, and refuses to eat bread, not merely because he cannot get the vineyard of Naboth, but because he had not God in his heart, who could alone satisfy its desires. Haman, on the same ground, though the prime favourite of the king, is wretched because he cannot have a bow from that man whom his heart even despised. O, how distressing are the inquietudes of vanity. And how wretched is the man who has not the God of Jacob for his help, and in whose heart Christ dwells not by faith!”
“Whereas. Septuagint, “all these things do not satisfy me, while I behold,” &c. Such is the insatiable nature of ambition! (Haydock) — Gate. He does not clearly mention that he wanted to be adored. (Menochius)”
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.