Est 3:10, 12, 8:2, 8 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 10. The king took his ring ] In this ring was no doubt included his privy seal , and he gave this to Haman, that when he had formed such a decree as he thought fit, he might seal it with this ring , which would give it its due force and influence among the rulers of the provinces. The privy seal of many of our sovereigns appears to have been inserted in their rings ; and the seals of Eastern potentates were worn in rings upon their fingers. One such seal, once the property of the late Tippoo Sultan , lies before me; the inscription is deeply cut in silver , which is set in a massy carriage of gold . This, as fitted to the finger, he probably kept always on his hand, to be ready to seal despatches, &c., or it might be carried by a confidential officer for the same purpose, as it seems to refer to one of the chief cutcheries , or military officers .

‏ Esther 3:10

Verse 10. The king took his ring] In this ring was no doubt included his privy seal, and he gave this to Haman, that when he had formed such a decree as he thought fit, he might seal it with this ring, which would give it its due force and influence among the rulers of the provinces. The privy seal of many of our sovereigns appears to have been inserted in their rings; and the seals of Eastern potentates were worn in rings upon their fingers. One such seal, once the property of the late Tippoo Sultan, lies before me; the inscription is deeply cut in silver, which is set in a massy carriage of gold. This, as fitted to the finger, he probably kept always on his hand, to be ready to seal despatches, &c., or it might be carried by a confidential officer for the same purpose, as it seems to refer to one of the chief cutcheries, or military officers.

‏ Esther 3:12

Verse 12. Unto the king's lieutenants] achashdarpeney. This is in all probability another Persian word, for there is nothing like it in the Hebrew language, nor can it be fairly deduced from any roots in that tongue. The Vulgate translates ad omnes satrapas regis, to all the satraps of the king. It is very likely that this is the true sense of the word, and that the achsadrapani, as it may be pronounced, is the Chaldee or Hebrew corruption of the Persian word [Persian] satraban, the plural of [Persian] satrab, a Persian peer, though the word is now nearly obsolete in the Persian language; for since the conquest of Persia by Mohammedanism, the names of officers are materially changed, as something of Islamism is generally connected with the titles of officers both civil and military, as well as religious.

‏ Esther 8:2

Verse 2. The king took off his ring] In the ring was the seal of the king. Giving the ring to Mordecai was tantamount to giving him the seal of the kingdom, and constituting him the same as lord chancellor among us.

‏ Esther 8:8

Verse 8. May no man reverse.] Whatever had passed the royal signet could never be revoked; no succeeding edict could destroy or repeal a preceding one: but one of a similar nature to the Jews against the Persians, as that to the Persians was against the Jews, might be enacted, and thus the Jews be enabled legitimately to defend themselves; and, consequently, placed on an equal footing with their enemies.