- may no man reverse:
- No, not the king himself; and this was the reason that the king was forced not to reverse, but to give a contradictory decree; that if the Jews, pursuant to the first decree, were assaulted, they might legitimately, by virtue of the second, defend themselves, slay their enemies, and even take the spoil. "And said,ª° If¹ it please²¹¹ the king,ª and if¹ I have foundª° favourª in his sight,ª and the thingª [seem] rightª° beforeª the king,ª and I¹ [be] pleasing²¹ in his eyes,ª let it be writtenª° to reverseª°¹ the lettersª devisedª by Hamanª the sonª of Hammedathaª the Agagite,ª which¹ he wroteª° to destroyª°¹ the Jewsª which¹ [are] in all¹ the king'sª provinces:ª" {Est 8:5} + "If¹ it pleaseª°¹ the king,ª let there goª° a royalª commandmentª from¹¹ him,² and let it be writtenª° among the lawsª of the Persiansª and the Medes,ª that it be not¹ altered,ª° That¹ Vashtiª comeª° no¹ more beforeª kingª Ahasuerus;ª and let the kingª giveª° her royal estateª unto anotherª that is betterª than¹ she." {Est 1:19} + "Now,ª O king,ª establishª° the decree,ª and signª° the writing,ª that¹ it be notª changed,ª° according to the lawª of the Medesª and Persians,ª which¹ alterethª° not.ª" {Dan 6:8} + "Thenª they came near,ª° and spakeª° beforeª the kingª concerningª the king'sª decree;ª Hast thou notª signedª° a decree,ª that¹ everyª manª that¹ shall askª° [a petition] ofª anyª Godª or manª withinª thirtyª days,ª saveª of¹ thee,² O king,ª shall be castª° into the denª of lions?ª The kingª answeredª° and said,ª° The thingª [is] true,ª according to the lawª of the Medesª and Persians,ª which¹ alterethª° not.ª ... Thenª theseª menª assembledª° untoª the king,ª and saidª° unto the king,ª Know,ª° O king,ª that¹ the lawª of the Medesª and Persiansª [is], That¹ noª¹ decreeª nor statuteª which¹ the kingª establishethª° may be changed.ª°" {Dan 6:12-15} + "Neverthelessª the foundationª of Godª standethª° sure,ª havingª° thisª seal,ª The Lordª knowethª° them that areª° his.²¹ And,ª Let²° every oneª that namethª° the¹ nameª of Christª departª° fromª iniquity.ª" {2Tm 2:19} + "Whereinªª God,ª willingª° more abundantlyª to shewª° unto the¹ heirsª of promiseª the¹ immutabilityª of his²¹ counsel,ª confirmedª° [it] by an oath:ª ... Thatª byª twoª immutableª things,ª inª whichª [it was] impossibleª for Godª to lie,ª° we might haveª° a strongª consolation,ª who² have fled for refugeª° to lay hold²° upon¹ the hopeª set before¹ us:²°" {Hbr 6:17-18}
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