Advanced Commentary

(ex.: John 3:14-18)

Table of Contents Bible Dictionary
Arts
Questions
Resources/Books

Context
4:1 Now when Mordecai <04782> became aware <03045> of all <03605> that <0834> had been done <06213>, he <04782> tore <07167> his garments <0899> and put on <03847> sackcloth <08242> and ashes <0665>. He went out <03318> into <08432> the city <05892>, crying out <02199> in a loud <01419> and bitter <04751> voice <02201>. 4:2 But he went <0935> no further <05704> than the king’s <04428> gate <08179>, for <03588> no one <0369> was permitted to enter <0935> the king’s <04428> gate <08179> clothed <03830> in sackcloth <08242>. 4:3 Throughout each <04082> and every <03605> province <04082> where <04725> the king’s <04428> edict <01697> and law <01881> were announced <05060> there was considerable <01419> mourning <060> among the Jews <03064>, along with fasting <06685>, weeping <01065>, and sorrow <04553>. Sackcloth <08242> and ashes <0665> were characteristic <03331> of many <07227>. 4:4 When Esther’s <0635> female attendants <05291> and her eunuchs <05631> came <0935> and informed <05046> her about Mordecai’s behavior, the queen <04436> was overcome <03966> with anguish <02342>. Although she sent <07971> garments <0899> for Mordecai <04782> to put on <03847> so that he could remove <05493> his sackcloth <08242>, he would not <03808> accept <06901> them. 4:5 So Esther <0635> called <07121> for Hathach <02047>, one of the king’s <04428> eunuchs <05631> who <0834> had been placed <05975> at <06440> her service <06440>, and instructed <06680> him to find out <03045> the cause <02088> <04100> and reason <02088> <04100> for Mordecai’s <04782> behavior. 4:6 So Hathach <02047> went to <0413> Mordecai <04782> at the plaza <07339> of the city <05892> in front <06440> of the king’s <04428> gate <08179>. 4:7 Then Mordecai <04782> related <05046> to him everything <03605> that had happened <07136> to him, even the specific amount <06575> of money <03701> that <0834> Haman <02001> had offered to pay <08254> to the king’s <04428> treasuries <01595> for <05921> the Jews <03064> to be destroyed <06>. 4:8 He also gave <05414> him a written <03791> copy <06572> of the law <01881> that <0834> had been disseminated <05414> in Susa <07800> for their destruction <08045> so that he could show <07200> it to Esther <0635> and talk <05046> to her about it. He also gave instructions <06680> that she should go <0935> to <0413> the king <04428> to implore <02603> him and petition <01245> him on behalf of <05921> her people <05971>. 4:9 So Hathach <02047> returned <0935> and related <05046> Mordecai’s <04782> instructions <01697> to Esther <0635>. 4:10 Then Esther <0635> replied <0559> to Hathach <02047> with instructions <06680> for <0413> Mordecai <04782>: 4:11 “All <03605> the servants <05650> of the king <04428> and the people <05971> of the king’s <04428> provinces <04082> know <03045> that <0834> there is only one <0259> law <01881> applicable to any <03605> man <0376> or woman <0802> who <0834> comes <0935> uninvited <07121> <03808> to <0413> the king <04428> in the inner <06442> court <02691>– that person will be put to death <04191>, unless <0905> the king <04428> extends <03447> to him the gold <02091> scepter <08275>, permitting him to be spared <02421>. Now I <0589> have not <03808> been invited <07121> to come <0935> to <0413> the king <04428> for some thirty <07970> days <03117>!” 4:12 When Esther’s <0635> reply <01697> was conveyed <05046> to Mordecai <04782>, 4:13 he <04782> said <0559> to take back <07725> this answer to <0413> Esther <0635>:

• Est 4:1-17 -- Esther Decides to Risk Everything in order to Help Her People

• Haman

  [nave] HAMAN Prime minister of Ahasuerus, Esth. 3:1. Plotted against Esther and the Jews, thwarted by Esther and Mordecai, hanged, Esth. 3-9.
  

• Israel

  [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...
  

• Readings, Select

  [nave] READINGS, SELECT. Judah's Defense Gen. 44:18-34 Joseph Revealing His Identity Gen. 45:1-15 The Deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh Ex. 14:5-30 Song of Moses When Pharaoh and His Army Were Overthrown Ex. 15:1-1...
  

• Servant

  [nave] SERVANT Distinguished as bond servant, who was a slave, and hired servant. Bond Laws of Moses concerning, Ex. 21:1-11, 20, 21, 26, 27, 32; Lev. 19:20-22; 25:6, 10, 35-55; Deut. 15:12, 14, 18; 24:7. Kidnapping forbidden, D...
  

• Esther

  [nave] ESTHER, called also Hadassah. Niece of Mordecai, Esth. 2:7, 15. Chosen queen, Esth. 2:17. Tells the king of the plot against his life, Esth. 2:22. Fasts on account of the decree to destroy the Israelites; accuses Haman to ...
  

• Hatach

  [ebd] verity, one of the eunuchs or chamberlains in the palace of Ahasuerus (Esther 4:5, 6, 9, 10).
  [smith] (verily), one of the eunuchs in the court of Ahasuerus. (Esther 4:5,6,9,10) (B.C. 474.)
  [nave] HATACH, a chamberlain in the court of Ahasuerus, Esth. 4:5, 6, 9, 10.
  

• HATHACH

  [isbe] HATHACH - ha'-thak (hathakh; Septuagint Hachrathaios): One of the chamberlains of Ahasuerus, appointed to attend on Esther (Est 4:5,6,9,10, the King James Version "Hatach"), through whom she learned from Mordecai of Haman's ...
  

• Chamberlain

  [isbe] CHAMBERLAIN - cham'-ber-lin: In the Old Testament the word rendered chamberlain, caric, is more properly "eunuch," an officer which oriental monarchs placed over their harems (Est 1:10,12,15; 2:3,14,21; 4:4 f; 6:2,14; 7:9; 2...
  [nave] CHAMBERLAIN, an officer of a king, 2 Kin. 23:11; Esth. 1:10-15; 2:3-21; 4:4, 5; Acts 12:20; Rom. 16:23.
  

• Ashes

  [ebd] The ashes of a red heifer burned entire (Num. 19:5) when sprinkled on the unclean made them ceremonially clean (Heb. 9:13). To cover the head with ashes was a token of self-abhorrence and humiliation (2 Sam. 13:19; Esther 4:...
  [nave] ASHES Uses of, in purification, Num. 19:9, 10, 17; Heb. 9:13. A symbol of mourning, 2 Sam. 13:19; Esth. 4:1, 3. Sitting in, Job 2:8; Isa. 58:5; Jer. 6:26; Ezek. 27:30; Jonah 3:6; Luke 10:13. Repenting in, Job 42:6; Dan. 9...
  

• Sackcloth

  [ebd] cloth made of black goats' hair, coarse, rough, and thick, used for sacks, and also worn by mourners (Gen. 37:34; 42:25; 2 Sam. 3:31; Esther 4:1, 2; Ps. 30:11, etc.), and as a sign of repentance (Matt. 11:21). It was put upo...
  

• ATTEND; ATTENDANCE

  [isbe] ATTEND; ATTENDANCE - a-tend'; a-tend'-ans: (1) "To incline," "listen," "regard" qashabh; Ps 17:1 etc.); then, in the King James Version, "observe," but in the Revised Version (British and American), more frequently, "give he...
  

• Money

  [nave] MONEY Silver used as, Gen. 17:12, 13, 23, 27; 20:16; 23:9, 13; 31:15; 37:28; 42:25-35; 43:12-23; 44:1-8; 47:14-18; Ex. 12:44; 21:11, 21, 34, 35; 22:7, 17, 25; 30:16; Lev. 22:11; 25:37, 51; 27:15, 18; Num. 3:48-51; 18:16; Deu...
  

• Dress

  [ebd] (1.) Materials used. The earliest and simplest an apron of fig-leaves sewed together (Gen. 3:7); then skins of animals (3:21). Elijah's dress was probably the skin of a sheep (2 Kings 1:8). The Hebrews were early acquainted ...
  

• Shushan

  [nave] SHUSHAN 1. Capital of the Medo-Persian empire, Esth. 1:2, 3; 8:15. 2. King's palace at, Neh. 1:1; Esth. 1:2, 5; 2:5, 8; 4:8, 16; 8:14, 15; 9:11, 15.
  

• Scepter

  [nave] SCEPTER A staff used by kings to signify favor or disfavor to those who desired audience, Esth. 5:2; 8:4. A symbol of authority, Num. 24:17; Isa. 14:5. Made of gold, Esth. 4:11; of iron, Psa. 2:9; Rev. 2:27; 12:5. Figurat...
  

• BITTER; BITTERNESS

  [isbe] BITTER; BITTERNESS - bit'-er, bit'-er-nes (mar, or marah = "bitter" (literally or figuratively); also (noun) "bitterness" or (adverb) "bitterly"; "angry," "chafed," "discontented," "heavy" (Gen 27:34; Ex 15:23; Nu 5:18,19,23...
  

• SCEPTRE

  [smith] This word originally meant a rod or staff . It was thence specifically applied to the shepherd?s crook, (Leviticus 27:32; Micah 7:14) and to the wand or sceptre of a ruler. The allusions to it are all of a metaphorical charac...
  

• GESTURE

  [isbe] GESTURE - jes'-tur, jes'-tur: The Oriental is rich in gestures by which feelings are expressed and force added to words. Of this we have abundant illustration in the Bible. Almost every available part of the body was employe...
  

• FAST; FASTING

  [isbe] FAST; FASTING - fast, fast'-ing (tsum; `innah nephesh, "afflict soul or self," i.e. practice self-denial; nesteia, nesteuein): It is necessary to get rid of some modern notions associated with fasting before we can form a co...
  

• EUNUCH

  [isbe] EUNUCH - u'-nuk (caric; spadon; eunouchos): Primarily and literally, a eunuch is an emasculated man (Dt 23:1). The Hebrew word caric seems, however, to have acquired a figurative meaning, which is reflected in English Versio...
  

• Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help

  

Back to Commentary Page