Esther 4

Es 4:1-14.

MORDECAI AND THE

JEWS

MOURN.

1, 2. When Mordecai perceived all that was done--Relying on the

irrevocable nature of a Persian monarch's decree

(Da 6:15),

Hamman made it known as soon as the royal sanction had been obtained;

and Mordecai was, doubtless, among the first to hear of it. On his own

account, as well as on that of his countrymen, this astounding decree

must have been indescribably distressing. The acts described in this

passage are, according to the Oriental fashion, expressive of the most

poignant sorrow; and his approach to the gate of the palace, under the

impulse of irrepressible emotions, was to make an earnest though vain

appeal to the royal mercy. Access, however, to the king's presence was,

to a person in his disfigured state, impossible: "for none might enter

into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth." But he found means of

conveying intelligence of the horrid plot to Queen Esther.

4. Then was the queen . . . grieved; and . . . sent raiment to . . .

Mordecai--Her object in doing so was either to qualify him for resuming

his former office, or else, perhaps, of fitting him to come near enough

to the palace to inform her of the cause of such sudden and extreme

distress.

5. Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom

he had appointed to attend upon her--Communication with the women in

the harem is very difficult to be obtained, and only through the medium

of the keepers. The chief eunuch receives the message from the lips of

the queen, conveys it to some inferior office of the seraglio. When

the commission is executed, the subaltern communicates it to the

superintendent, by whom it is delivered to the queen. This chief

eunuch, usually an old man who has recommended himself by a long course

of faithful service, is always appointed by the king; but it is his

interest, as well as his duty, to ingratiate himself with the queen

also. Accordingly, we find Hatach rendering himself very serviceable in

carrying on those private communications with Mordecai who was thereby

enabled to enlist Esther's powerful influence.

8. charge her that she should go in unto the king--This language is

exceedingly strong. As it can scarcely be supposed that Mordecai was

still using authority over Esther as his adopted daughter, he must be

considered as imploring rather than commanding her, in the name of her

brethren and in the name of her God, to make a direct appeal to the

feelings of her royal husband.

11. whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the

inner court, who is not called--The Persian kings surrounded themselves

with an almost impassable circle of forms. The law alluded to was first

enacted by Deioces, king of Media, and afterwards, when the empires

were united, adopted by the Persians, that all business should be

transacted and petitions transmitted to the king through his ministers.

Although the restriction was not intended, of course, to apply to the

queen, yet from the strict and inflexible character of the Persian laws

and the extreme desire to exalt the majesty of the sovereign, even his

favorite wife had not the privilege of entree, except by special

favor and indulgence. Esther was suffering from the severity of this

law; and as, from not being admitted for a whole month to the king's

presence, she had reason to fear that the royal affections had become

alienated from her, she had little hope of serving her country's cause

in this awful emergency.

13, 14. Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther--His answer was to

this effect, that Esther need not indulge the vain hope she would, from

her royal connection, escape the general doom of her race--that he

(Mordecai) confidently believed God would interpose, and, if not

through her, by some other deliverer, save His people; but that the

duty evidently devolved on her, as there was great reason to believe

that this was the design of Providence in her elevation to the dignity

of queen, and therefore that she should go with a courageous heart, not

doubting of success.

16. so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the

law--The appeal of Mordecai was irresistible. Having appointed a

solemn fast of three days, she expressed her firm resolution to make an

appeal to the king, though she should perish in the attempt.

I . . . and my maidens--It is probable that she had surrounded herself

with Jewish maidens, or women who were proselytes to that religion.