4 So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. |
5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was. |
6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate. |
7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. |
8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people. |
9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. |
10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai; |
11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. |
12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. |
13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. |
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? |
15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, |
16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. |
17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. |
C:1-10 Then Mardocheus thought upon all the works of the Lord, and made his prayer unto him, Saying, O Lord, Lord, the King Almighty: for the whole world is in thy power, and if thou hast appointed to save Israel, there is no man that can gainsay thee: For thou hast made heaven and earth, and all the wondrous things under the heaven. Thou art Lord of all things, and there is no man that can resist thee, which art the Lord. Thou knowest all things, and thou knowest, Lord, that it was neither in contempt nor pride, nor for any desire of glory, that I did not bow down to proud Aman. For I could have been content with good will for the salvation of Israel to kiss the soles of his feet. But I did this, that I might not prefer the glory of man above the glory of God: neither will I worship any but thee, O God, neither will I do it in pride. |
C:11 And now, O Lord God and King, spare thy people: for their eyes are upon us to bring us to nought; yea, they desire to destroy the inheritance, that hath been thine from the beginning. Despise not the portion, which thou hast delivered out of Egypt for thine own self. Hear my prayer, and be merciful unto thine inheritance: turn our sorrow into joy, that we may live, O Lord, and praise thy name: and destroy not the mouths of them that praise thee, O Lord. All Israel in like manner cried most earnestly unto the Lord, because their death was before their eyes. |
C:12 Queen Esther also, being in fear of death, resorted unto the Lord: |
C:13 And laid away her glorious apparel, and put on the garments of anguish and mourning: and instead of precious ointments, she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she humbled her body greatly, and all the places of her joy she filled with her torn hair. And she prayed unto the Lord God of Israel, saying, |
C:14-16 O my Lord, thou only art our King: help me, desolate woman, which have no helper but thee: For my danger is in mine hand. From my youth up I have heard in the tribe of my family, that thou, O Lord, tookest Israel from among all people, and our fathers from all their predecessors, for a perpetual inheritance, and thou hast performed whatsoever thou didst promise them. And now we have sinned before thee: therefore hast thou given us into the hands of our enemies, Because we worshipped their gods: O Lord, thou art righteous. Nevertheless it satisfieth them not, that we are in bitter captivity: but they have stricken hands with their idols, That they will abolish the thing that thou with thy mouth hast ordained, and destroy thine inheritance, and stop the mouth of them that praise thee, and quench the glory of thy house, and of thine altar, And open the mouths of the heathen to set forth the praises of the idols, and to magnify a fleshly king for ever. |
C:17-22 O Lord, give not thy sceptre unto them that be nothing, and let them not laugh at our fall; but turn their device upon themselves, and make him an example, that hath begun this against us. |
C:23-25 Remember, O Lord, make thyself known in time of our affliction, and give me boldness, O King of the nations, and Lord of all power. Give me eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion: turn his heart to hate him that fighteth against us, that there may be an end of him, and of all that are likeminded to him: But deliver us with thine hand, and help me that am desolate, and which have no other help but thee. |
C:26-30 Thou knowest all things, O Lord; thou knowest that I hate the glory of the unrighteous, and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised, and of all the heathen. Thou knowest my necessity: for I abhor the sign of my high estate, which is upon mine head in the days wherein I shew myself, and that I abhor it as a menstruous rag, and that I wear it not when I am private by myself. And that thine handmaid hath not eaten at Aman's table, and that I have not greatly esteemed the king's feast, nor drunk the wine of the drink offerings. Neither had thine handmaid any joy since the day that I was brought hither to this present, but in thee, O Lord God of Abraham. O thou mighty God above all, hear the voice of the forlorn, and deliver us out of the hands of the mischievous, and deliver me out of my fear. |
4 The Jews fast and mourn, Est 4:1-3.
Esther is informed of the design, Est 4:4-9.
Mordecai presses her to intercede with the king, Est 4:10-14.
She desires all the Jews to keep a solemn fast, Est 4:15-17.
4:4 To clothe - That so he might be capable of returning to his former place, if not of coming to her to acquaint her with the cause of his sorrow.
4:11 Inner court - Within which, the king's residence and throne was.Not called - This was decreed, to maintain both the majesty, and the safety of the king's person; and by the contrivance of the greater officers of state, that few or none might have access to the king but themselves and their friends. I have not been called, etc - Which gives me just cause to fear that the king's affections are alienated from me, and that neither my person nor petition will be acceptable to him.
4:14 From another place - This was the language of strong faith, against hope believing in hope. Who knoweth - It is probable God hath raised thee to this honour for this very season. We should every one of us consider, for what end God has put us in the place where we are?And when an opportunity offers of serving God and our generation, we must take care not to let it slip.
4:16 Fast - And pray; so as you use to do, leave off your common dinners by day, and suppers at night, and eat and drink no more than mere necessity requires; that so you may give yourselves to constant and fervent prayers. Maidens - Which she had chosen to attend upon her person, and were doubtless either of the Jewish nation, or Proselytes.Which is not, etc - Which may belong, either
- to the thing only, that as they did fast, so she would.Or, rather,
- to the time of three days and three nights; for so she might do, though she went to the king on the third day.
For the fast began at evening, and so she might continue her fast threewhole nights, and two whole days, and the greatest part of the third; a part of a day being reputed a day in the account of scripture, and other authors: of which see on Mat 12:40. Yea, she might fast all that day too: for it is probable she went not to the king 'till he had dined; when she supposed she might find him in the most mild and pleasant humour, and then returned to her apartment, where she fasted 'till the evening.