Esther

Esther 4 ©

1 The great mourning of Mordecai and the Jews. 4 Esther sendeth to Mordecai to enquire the reason, is informed thereof, and advised by him to intercede with the king for the nation. 10 She at first excuseth herself, but being admonished of the consequences by Mordecai, 15 appointeth a fast, and undertaketh the suit.

1

WHEN Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai arent his clothes, and put on bsackcloth with cashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;

a Ge. 44.13.
b 1Ki. 20.31.
c 1Ki. 20.31,38,41. Job 2.8. Je. 6.26. Da. 9.3.
2

And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

3

And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and dfasting, and weeping, and wailing; and 1many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

d v.16. ch. 9.31.
4

¶So Esther's maids and her 2chamberlains 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 ehe received it not.

e Ge. 37.35. Je. 31.15. Ro. 2.7.
5

Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend 3upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, fto know what it was, and why it was.

f Job 29.16. Ro. 12.15. He. 13.3.
6

So Hatach went gforth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.

g Tit. 2.10. Mat. 24.45. 2Ti. 1.16,17.
7

And Mordecai told him hof 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.

h ch. 3.2-13.
8

Also he gave him ithe copy of the writing of the decree that was given at jShushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to kcharge her that she should go in unto the king, to make lsupplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.

i ch. 3.14; 8.13.
j Is. 1.24. Na. 3.1.
k 1Th. 5.27. 2Ti. 4.3. 1Ti. 6.17.
l Ec. 10.4. Pr. 15.1; 18.23; 16.14,15.
9

And Hatach came and mtold Esther the words of Mordecai.

m Je. 23.28. Ac. 20.27. 1Co. 4.2.
10

nAgain Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;

n He. 12.3. Pr. 24.10. Is. 40.29-31.
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 othe inner court, who is not called, there is pone law of his to put him to death, except such to qwhom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have rnot been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

o ch. 5.1.
p Da. 2.9; 6.7.
q ch. 5.2; 8.4.
r 1Co. 7.4,5. 1Pe. 3.7.
12

And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.

13

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think snot with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

s Phi. 2.4. Mat. 16.24,25. Pr. 29.25; 24.10-12.
14

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then tshall there 4*enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether uthou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

t Ge. 22.14. Le. 26.42. De. 32.36. Je. 4.27; 30.11; 46.28.
u Is. 49.23. Ob. 21. 2Ki. 13.5.
15

¶Then Esther *bade them return Mordecai this answer,

16

Go, gather together all the Jews that are 5present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink vthree 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.

v ch. 5.1.
17

So Mordecai 6went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.