John Gill Commentary Esther 4

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 him in a supernatural way, either by Elijah, as the former Targum ^F24, or by the Holy Ghost, as the latter.

Mordecai rent his clothes: both behind and before, according to the same Targum; and this was a custom used in mourning, not only with the Jews, but with the Persians also, as Herodotus ^F25 relates.

and put on sackcloth with ashes: upon his head, as the former Targum; which was usual in mourning, even both; (Job 2:12) (Daniel 9:3).

and went out into the midst of the city: not Elam the province, as Aben Ezra, but the city Shushan.

and cried with a loud and bitter cry: that all the Jews in the city might be alarmed by it, and inquire the reason of it, and be affected with it; and a clamorous mournful noise was used among the Persians, as well as others, on sad occasions ^F26.

FOOTNOTES:

• F24: So Midrash Esther, fol. 94. 1.
• F25: Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. ----. Urania, sive, l. 8. c. 99.
• F26: Calliope, sive, l. 9. c. 24.

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 pleasures of it.

And in every province wherever 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 :
all night; made use of no other bed to lie on, nor clothes to cover them with.

So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her,
etc.] Her maids of honor 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 have observed, by some incident or another, that there was some connection between Mordecai and Esther, and that she had a peculiar respect for him:

then was the queen exceedingly grieved;
even though she might not know the whole of the matter; but perceiving whatever it was it greatly affected Mordecai, with whom she sympathized:

and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth
from him;
that so he might appear at court, and she get better intelligence of the cause of all this:

but he received it not;
refusing to be comforted, or appear cheerful under such melancholy circumstances.

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 ^F1; but it is not likely that Daniel should have livedto this time; however, this officer was not only entrusted with the care of the queen by the king, but shehad also a high opinion of him, and therefore employed him in this affair:

and gave a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it
was;
what was the reason of his appearing in sackcloth, and why he did not receive the clothes she sent him.

FOOTNOTES:

• F1: So Midrash Esther, fol. 94. 3. & Jarchi in Dan. iv. 5.