INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 4
This chapter relates the mourning of Mordecai, and of the Jews in
every province, on account of the edict to destroy them, Esther 4:1,
the information Esther had of it, and what passed between her and
Mordecai, through Hatach, a chamberlain, by whom he put her upon
making a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN MORDECAI PERCEIVED ALL THAT WAS DONE,.... By the king, at the
instigation of Haman, against the Jews; which he came to the knowledge
of, either by some of the conflicts or by common fame, or on the sight
of the edicts which were published in Shushan; though the Jews think
it was made known to h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CAME EVEN BEFORE THE KING'S GATE,.... Or court, that Esther might
if possible be made acquainted with this dreadful calamity coming upon
her people:
FOR NONE MIGHT ENTER INTO THE KING'S GATE CLOTHED WITH SACKCLOTH: or
appear in such a dress at court, where nothing was admitted to damp
the pleas... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN EVERY PROVINCE WHITHERSOEVER THE KING'S COMMANDMENT AND HIS
DECREE CAME,.... For destroying the Jews on such a day, in every place
where they were to be found:
THERE WAS GREAT MOURNING AMONG THE JEWS, AND WEEPING, AND WAILING;
which continued all day:
AND MANY LAY IN SACKCLOTH AND ASHES: al... [ Continue Reading ]
SO ESTHER'S MAIDS AND HER CHAMBERLAINS CAME AND TOLD IT HER,.... Her
maids of honour and eunuchs that attended her, which they might tell
her merely as a piece of news, there being something shocking in it to
tender minds; or perhaps nothing more than that Mordecai was in
sackcloth; and they might h... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CALLED ESTHER FOR HATACH, ONE OF THE KING'S CHAMBERLAINS, WHOM HE
HAD APPOINTED TO ATTEND UPON HER,.... Which, according to the Targum,
was Daniel a; but it is not likely that Daniel should have lived to
this time; however, this officer was not only intrusted with the care
of the queen by the k... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HATACH WENT FORTH TO MORDECAI, UNTO THE STREET OF THE CITY,....
Where he was, in a public manner, expressing his grief and sorrow:
WHICH WAS BEFORE THE KING'S GATE: that led to the royal palace.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MORDECAI TOLD HIM OF ALL THAT HAD HAPPENED UNTO HIM,.... How that,
for refusing to reverence Haman, he was incensed against him, and
against all the Jews for his sake; and had vowed revenge on them, and
had formed a scheme for the ruin of them:
AND OF THE SUM OF MONEY THAT HAMAN HAD PROMISED TO... [ Continue Reading ]
ALSO HE GAVE HIM THE COPY OF THE WRITING OF THE DECREE THAT WAS GIVEN
AT SHUSHAN TO DESTROY THEM,.... Which had now been published in the
city; by which means Mordecai had had a sight of it, and had
transcribed it; see Esther 3:14
TO SHOW IT UNTO ESTHER, AND TO DECLARE IT UNTO HER; what Haman
inten... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HATACH CAME AND TOLD ESTHER THE WORDS OF MORDECAI. Both the case
of the Jews, and the cause of it, and what he would have her do at
this critical juncture.... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAIN ESTHER SPAKE UNTO HATACH,.... For there was no other way of
corresponding and conversing but by an eunuch; the wives of kings
being altogether under their watch and care:
AND GAVE HIM COMMANDMENT UNTO MORDECAI; to go unto him, and what he
should say to him from her, which is as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE KING'S SERVANTS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE KING'S PROVINCES DO
KNOW,.... Not only the princes and courtiers, but all the king's
subjects, the meanest of them; there is scarce a person throughout the
whole empire, to whom the following law is not known; this is said, to
show how notorious it was:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY TOLD TO MORDECAI ESTHER'S, WORDS. The messengers she sent to
him.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN MORDECAI COMMANDED TO ANSWER ESTHER,.... Gave in charge to the
messengers what they should say to Esther from him, by way of reply:
THINK NOT WITH THYSELF THAT THOU SHALL ESCAPE IN THE KING'S HOUSE,
MORE THAN ALL THE JEWS; signifying that her being queen, and in the
king's palace, would be no... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF THOU ALTOGETHER HOLDEST THY PEACE AT THIS TIME,.... And will
not speak to the king in favour of the Jews, because of the danger she
would be exposed to in doing it:
THEN SHALL THERE ENLARGEMENT AND DELIVERANCE ARISE TO THE JEWS FROM
ANOTHER PLACE; Mordecai seemed confident of it, that by som... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ESTHER BADE THEM RETURN MORDECAI THIS ANSWER. Which follows, and
was sent by the messengers she sent the above to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
GO, GATHER TOGETHER ALL THE JEWS THAT ARE PRESENT IN SHUSHAN,.... To
acquaint them with what follows; but not to continue in a body
together, which might cause suspicion of an ill design in them;
according to the latter Targum, 12,000 chosen priests were found in
it; but that must be an exaggeration... [ Continue Reading ]
SO MORDECAI WENT HIS WAY,.... About the business he was directed to;
the word used having sometimes the signification of passing over or
transgressing, Jarchi interprets it of Mordecai's transgressing the
command, by fasting on a festival; the letter being written on the
thirteenth of Nisan, Esther... [ Continue Reading ]