Charles Ellicott Commentary Esther 4
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Esther 4
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Esther 4
"Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;" — Esther 4:1 (ASV)
Mordecai rent his clothes. — This was a common sign of sorrow among Eastern nations generally. It will be noticed that the sorrow both of Mordecai and of the Jews generally (Esther 4:3) is described by external manifestations solely. There is rending of garments, putting on of sackcloth and ashes, fasting and weeping and wailing: there is nothing said of prayer and entreaty to the God of Israel, and strong crying to Him who is able to save. Daniel and Ezra and Nehemiah are all Jews who, like Mordecai and Esther, have to submit to the rule of the alien, though, unlike them, when danger threatened, they implored, and not in vain, the help of their God. (Ezra 8:23; Nehemiah 1:4, and other similar passages.)
"and he came even before the king`s gate: for none might enter within the king`s gate clothed with sackcloth." — Esther 4:2 (ASV)
None might enter ... —That nothing sad or ill-omened might meet the monarch’s gaze, as though by shutting his eyes, as it were, to the presence of sorrow, sickness, or death, he might suppose that he was successfully evading them.
"And Esther`s maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take his sackcloth from off him; but he received it not." — Esther 4:4 (ASV)
So Esther’s maids ... —It is perhaps fair to infer from this that Esther’s connection with Mordecai was known to those around her, though not yet to the king.
"So Hathach went forth to Mordecai unto the broad place of the city, which was before the king`s gate." — Esther 4:6 (ASV)
Street. —The square or wide open place. Hebrew, r’hob.
"Then Esther spake unto Hathach, and gave him a message unto Mordecai [saying]:" — Esther 4:10 (ASV)
Again. —There is nothing for this in the original, and it would be better to put and, as the statement of Esther 4:10 is clearly continuous with Esther 4:9.
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