Esther 4

Esther 4:5-17

In this chapter, 1. The “Jesus wing, and nature on account of this edict, sec. 1—4. 2. When enquiries the angel, sec. 5—7. 3. Mordecai informs her, and begs her to intercede with the king,

ver. 8, 9. 4. She objects the danger; yet, or Mordecai’s request, refuses to venture, after a three days felons fall, sec. 10—17.

1. WHEN Mordecai perceived all that was done, a Chap. III. Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on fackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry: 2. And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with fackcloth. 3. And in every province whistelfever the king’s commandment, and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing, and many lay in fackcloth and ashes. 4. So Esther’s hands and her chamberlains came and told of her: Then was the queen exceedingly grieved, and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his fackcloth from him: but he received it not.

a Chap. III. 5—11.

c. 1—4. No sooner was the bloody edict, noised abroad, than terror and distress seized on the unhappy victims.

1. Mordecai, as most nearly concerned, and the innocent cause of all the evil, rent his chasits, and with an exceeding bitter cry, which bespoke his anguish, went forth into the city, to alarm his countrymen, and afford them with a circle of their danger. And though none cheathed with fackcloth might by law appear in the king’s court, all such unwelcome objects being banished from the royal prelence; yet he came before the gate, that Esther might some way be made acquainted with their deep calamity. Note, A good man feels and laments the heavy strokes of Providence, whilst with humble resignation he submits to the rod.

2. The former soon spread through every province whither the decree was sent, and nothing was heard but weeping and wailing. At last, the notice of it reached the queen, and Mordecai’s disconfortable appearance, to whom she might have shown particular marks of her favour, was reported to her, and grieved her exceedingly. Having heard he was in fackcloth, she sent him new apparel; but he refused it, nor would appear out of the habit of a mourner, whilst the cause of his distress subsisted. Note, They who are united under one head, Christ Jesus, cannot but sympathize with every fellow-member that suffers.

3. 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 treasures for the Jews, to destroy them. 8. All so he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shulhan 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 scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king there, 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 holdeth 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 are come to the kingdom for such a time as this? 15. Then Esther hade these return. Mordecai also answer. 16. Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shulhan, 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. 5—17. Before Chall 436.

As yet Efther feems to have had but an imperfect knowledge of the cause of Mordecai’s affliction; and as it was impossible, by the custom of Persia, to have a personal conference with him, the fends Hatach, a truffy eunuch, to enquire and report the particulars. Hereupon,

1. Mordecai relates the whole of the matter; transmits, by the eunuch, a copy of the decree, and charges her by all means to use her utmost influence to get it reverber, by undergiving the king with regard to the misrepresentations of Haman. Note, Could truth but find its way to the royal ear, much of the people’s miseries would be relieved.

2. Efther returns, by the fame meffenger, an answer to Mordecai’s request. Uncalled, to appear in the royal pretence, was death by the Persian law, except the king stretched out the golden sceptre; nor were the queens excepted from it: and, for some time past, the king feems to have neglected her, which would make the eBay more dangerous, and therefore the rather wishes him to seek some other advocate, than expose her to the peril of imminent death. Note, (1.) The King of kings is not thus inaccessible; whosoever will, may come unto him boldly with every request, and are sure never to be denied. (2.) God in his providence permits the most discouraging circumstances, in order to exercise the faith, and brighten the crown of the redeemed.

3. Mordecai leffens not his importunity by the danger which Efther suggested to him. He let her know, that if her kindred fell, the must not hope to escape; that he fully believed God would stand by them, and he would hide the honour of being their deliverer, if he declined this service; may, that God would visit upon her and her father’s house such a cowardly refuish, and, whilst the rest escaped, they would be left to perish; and he concludes with suggesting, that her advancement was ordered for this great purpose, and that the was therefore bound to correspond with the designs of God herein. Note, (1.) If we have faith to trust God, he will never fail us. (2.) They who through unbelieving fear decline the path of duty, are justly given up to the danger they seek thus finally to them. (3.) It is good to observe the leading of providence, and correspond with what appears to be the design of God, in placing us in such a station, or circumstance.

4. Determined at last, Efther resolves at all hazards to make the eBay: but first the enjoined Mordecai, and all the Jews in Shushan, to spend three days in prayer and talking, whilst the did the fame in the palace, to humble their souls for the sins which provoked their threatened judgments, and to seek God’s favour and blessing on her attempt, who alone could incline the king’s heart to grant her suit. Putting her life in her hand, the then resolved to go to the king: the could but perish. Note, (1.) In all our distresses there is a throne of grace open, and a God who heareth prayer. (2.) When we are truly humbled under our sins, we may hope God will deliver us from our afflictions. (3.) Whilst we are desiring the prayers of others, let us not forget to be importunate for ourselves. (4.) When we can trust God with all, then all is safe.