Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Esther 4:16

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, 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.

16. all the Jews that are present in Shushan ] We are to suppose them to be a considerable number, if they were subsequently able to dispose of three hundred of their foes (Est 9:15).

fast ye for me ] in connexion with intercession on my behalf. Prayer and fasting went together in time of sorrow or anxiety or penitence. So David (2Sa 12:16), Ahab (1Ki 21:27), Daniel (Dan 9:3).

neither eat nor drink three days, night or day ] This sounds a very explicit direction to abstain from all food for seventy-two hours. It is, however, possible that for the general body of the Jews here referred to it may not have really meant more than two nights and the intervening day, a part of the twenty-four hour day being for certain purposes reckoned as a whole one. Cp. Mat 12:40 with Mat 28:1. Nevertheless to fast for the longer period is not beyond the limits of Oriental abstemiousness.

I also and my maidens will fast in like manner ] Esther herself cannot have carried out this abstinence in its most rigid form. The appearance which she must in that case have presented before the king would have militated strongly against her chances of success, slender as those chances were in any case.

if I perish, I perish ] She accepts the risk, acknowledging the necessity. For form of expression cp. Jacob’s words in Gen 43:14.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Again the religious element shows itself. Esthers fast could have no object but to obtain Gods favor and protection in the dangerous course on which she was about to enter.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 16. Fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days] What a strange thing, that still we hear nothing of prayer, nor of God! What is the ground on which we can account for this total silence? I know it not. She could not suppose there was any charm in fasting, sackcloth garments, and lying on the ground. If these were not done to turn away the displeasure of God, which seemed now to have unchained their enemies against them, what were they done for?

If I perish, I perish.] If I lose my life in this attempt to save my people, I shall lose it cheerfully. I see it is my duty to make the attempt; and, come what will, I am resolved to do it. She must, however, have depended much on the efficacy of the humiliations she prescribed.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Fast ye, and pray; which was the main business, to which fasting was only a help and a handmaid.

Neither eat nor drink, to wit, so as you use to do, either deliciously or plentifully. Leave off your common meals, dinners by day, and suppers at night, and eat and drink no more than mere necessity requires; that so you may give yourselves to constant and fervent prayers, for which your ordinary repasts will unfit you. For it is not likely that she would impose the burden of absolute fasting so long upon all the Jews, which very few of them were able to endure. And so the like phrase is taken Act 27:33, where he saith, This is the fourteenth day that ye have continued fasting, having taking nothing.

I also and my maidens; which she had chosen to attend upon her person, and were doubtless either of the Jewish nation, or proselyted by hers or others means to that religion.

Will fast likewise; which may belong, either,

1. To the thing only, that as they did first, so she would. Or rather,

2. To the time of three days and three nights; for so she might do, though she went to the king on the third day. For the fast began at evening; and so she might continue her fast three whole nights, and two, whole days, and the greatest part of the third; a part of a day being reputed a day in the account of Scripture, and other authors; of which See Poole “Mat 12:40“. Yea, she might fast all that day too; for it is probable she went not to the king till he had dined, when she supposed she might find him in the most mild and pleasant humour, and then returned to her apartment, where she fasted till the evening.

Which is not according to the law; which is against the law now mentioned.

If I perish, I perish: although my danger be great and evident, considering the expressness of that law, and the uncertainty of the kings mind, and that severity which he showed to my predecessor Vashti; yet rather than neglect my duty to God, and to his people, I will go to the king, and cast myself cheerfully and resolutely upon Gods providence for my safety and success.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

16. so will I go in unto the king,which is not according to the lawThe appeal of Mordecai wasirresistible. Having appointed a solemn fast of three days, sheexpressed her firm resolution to make an appeal to the king, thoughshe should perish in the attempt.

I . . . and my maidensItis probable that she had surrounded herself with Jewish maidens, orwomen who were proselytes to that religion.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan,…. To acquaint them with what follows; but not to continue in a body together, which might cause suspicion of an ill design in them; according to the latter Targum, 12,000 chosen priests were found in it; but that must be an exaggeration of their number; it can hardly be thought there were so many Jews in all there:

and fast ye for me; that is, pray for her, that she might have courage to go in to the king, and meet with success; for prayer was the principal thing, fasting only an accessory to it, and as fitting for it, and expressive of affliction and humiliation of soul:

and neither eat nor drink three days, night nor day; it was to be a continued fast unto the third day; as Aben Ezra interprets it, they were not to eat at evening, but fast two whole days, and two whole nights, until the third day came, on which Esther went in to the king, Es 5:1.

I also and my maidens will fast likewise; in the same manner and as long; these maids of honour were either proselytes, perhaps of her making, or Jewish ladies, she being allowed by the king to choose whom she pleased:

and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; or “afterwards”, or “and then” d when they, and she and her maids, had fasted and prayed so long, then she was determined in the strength of the Lord to go into the king’s presence with her petition, though it was contrary to law:

and if I perish, I perish; signifying, that she readily and cheerfully risked her life for the good of her people; and if such was the pleasure of God, that she should lose it, she was content, and acquiesced in his will, leaving herself entirely in his hands, to dispose of her as he thought fit.

d “et postea”, Noldius, p. 198. No. 899. so the Targum,

, Sept. “et tune”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; “tum”, Tigurine version.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

16. Fast ye three days The perilous enterprise, in which she would be so liable to perish, was not to be undertaken without much fasting and prayer. Though prayer is not mentioned, it undoubtedly accompanied the fasting, as in the cases of Nehemiah (Neh 1:4) and Daniel, (Dan 9:3.)

Night or day Sometimes fasting was observed for many days, but intermitted at night. This special fast was to have no intermission.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Est 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, 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.

Ver. 16. Go, gather together all the Jews ] Great is the power of joint prayer, it stirs heaven, and works wonders. Oh, when a Church full of good people shall set sides and shoulders to work, when they shall rouse up themselves and wrestle with God, when their pillars of incense shall come up into his presence, and their voices be heard as the voices of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, Rev 14:2 , what may not such thundering legions have at God’s hands? Have it? they will have it: Caelum tundimus, preces fundimus, misericordiam extorquemus, said those primitive prayer-makers. Rev 9:13 , the prayers of the saints from the four corners of the earth sound, and do great things in the world, they make it ring. It was the speech of a learned man, if there be but one sigh come from a gracious heart (how much more, then, a volley of sighs from many good hearts together!) it filleth the ears of God, so that God heareth nothing else.

And fast ye for me ] Who am now upon my life, and, for aught I know, am shortly to appear before the Lord (who requireth to be sanctified in all them that draw near unto him), and wherein I may not look to have leave to err twice, Non licet in belle bis errare. Point, therefore, your prayers for me with holy fastings, that they may pierce heaven and prevail. Abstinence meriteth not, saith a grave divine (Dr Hall), for religion consisteth not in the belly, either full or empty; (What are meats or drinks to the kingdom of God, which is, like himself, spiritual?) but it prepareth best for good duties. Full bellies are fitter for rest. Not the body so much as the soul is more active with emptiness; hence solemn prayer taketh ever fasting to attend it; and so much the rather speedeth in heaven, when it is so accompanied. It is good so to diet the body, that the soul may be fattened.

And neither eat nor drink three days, &c. ] That is, saith Drusius, two whole nights, one whole day, and part of two other days. See the like expression, Mat 12:40 . Others say, that in those hot countries they might fast three days as well as we two in these cold climates. Tully in one of his epistles telleth us, that he fasted two days together, without so much as tasting a little water. For the Romans, also, and Grecians had their fasts private and public, whether it were by a secret instinct of nature, or by an imitation of the Hebrews, Faciunt et vespae favos. The Turks likewise at this day precisely observe their fasts, and will not so much as taste a cup of water, or wash their mouths with water, all the day long, before the stars appear in the sky, be the days never so long and hot. The Hollanders and French fast, but had need, saith one, to send for those mourning women, Jer 9:17 , by their cunning to teach them to mourn. The English are not sick soon enough, saith another, and they are well too soon: this is true of their minds as well as of their bodies. Currat ergo poenitentia, ne praecurrat sententia; and let our fasts be either from morning till evening, Jdg 20:26 2Sa 3:35 , or from evening till evening, Lev 23:32 , or longer, as here, and Act 9:9 , as the hand and wrath of God doth more or less threaten us, or lie upon us. There is an old Canon that defineth their continuance, till stars appear in the sky, Usque dum stellae in caelo appareant.

I also and my maids will fast ] She herself would be in the head of them, as Queen Elizabeth also told her soldiers at Tilbury camp for their comfort; and as Caesar used to say to his soldiers, Go we, and not Go ye, Non ite, sed eamus; and as Joshua said, I and my house will serve Jehovah, Jos 24:15 . Esther’s maids must fast and pray, or they are no maids for her.

And so will I go unto the king ] It is said of Achilles, that he was Styge armatus; but he that fasteth, prayeth, believeth, Est caelo, Christo, Deo armatus, armed with an undaunted resolution to obey God whatever come of it.

Which is not according to the law ] She slights not the law, but waves it, to obey God’s law, and save her people.

And if I perish, I perish ] This she speaketh not rashly or desperately, as prodigal of her life, but as sacrificing the same to God and his cause, through the obedience of faith, and saying, as that martyr, Can I die but once for Christ? See the like phrase, Gen 43:14 , See Trapp on “ Gen 43:14 “ Better do worthily, and perish for a kingdom, than unworthily, and perish with a kingdom.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

three days, night or day. The Jerusalem Talmud says “a day and night together make up a nulctke-meron, and that any part of such period is counted as a whole”. Compare 1Sa 30:12, 1Sa 30:13. Jon 1:17. Mat 12:40.

I perish. See note on Est 3:13.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

present: Heb. found

fast: 2Ch 20:3, Isa 22:12, Joe 1:14, Joe 1:15, Joe 2:12-17, Jon 3:4-9

eat nor drink: Est 5:1, Mat 12:40, Act 9:9, Act 27:33

I also: Gen 18:19, Jos 24:15, Act 10:7

if I perish: If I lose my life in the attempt to save my people, I shall lose it cheerfully. I see it is my duty to make the attempt; and, come what will, I am resolved to do it. Gen 43:14, 1Sa 19:5, 2Sa 10:12, Luk 9:24, Act 20:24, Act 21:13, Rom 16:4, Phi 2:30

Reciprocal: Gen 43:11 – If it must be Jdg 5:18 – their lives Jdg 9:17 – adventured his life 1Sa 30:12 – three days 2Sa 1:2 – the third 2Sa 12:16 – fasted 1Ki 20:31 – peradventure 2Ki 7:4 – if they save us 1Ch 21:13 – I am in 2Ch 31:1 – present Ezr 8:23 – we fasted Neh 9:1 – children Est 1:2 – Shushan Est 3:15 – the city Est 8:16 – Jews Est 9:31 – the fastings Pro 29:26 – ruler’s favour Isa 58:5 – it such Jer 36:9 – they Dan 9:3 – with Jon 1:6 – if Zep 2:1 – gather together Mat 6:16 – when Mat 16:25 – General Luk 4:2 – he did 1Pe 4:19 – in

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Est 4:16. And fast ye for me And pray, which was the main business, to which fasting was only a help; and neither eat nor drink three days Namely, in such a manner as you used to do. Abstain from all set meals, and all pleasant food, and, as much as possible, from all food, for that space of time, in token of humiliation for sin, and a sense of our unworthiness of Gods mercies. I also and my maidens will fast likewise They were, doubtless, either of the Jewish nation or proselytes, and pious persons, who, she knew, would sincerely join with her in these holy duties. And so will I go in unto the king To intercede for my people. Which is not according to the law Namely, the kings law, now mentioned, but it is according to Gods law, and therefore whatever comes of it, I will venture, and not count my life dear to myself, so I may serve God and his church. And if I perish, I perish Although my danger be great and evident, considering the expressness of that law, the uncertainty of the kings mind, and that severity which he showed to my predecessor Vashti; yet, rather than neglect my duty to God and to his people, I will go to the king, and cast myself cheerfully and resolutely upon Gods providence for my safety and success. If I should be condemned to lose my life, I cannot lose it in a better cause.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, 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, {d} I perish.

(d) I will put my life in danger and refer the success to God, seeing it is for his glory and the deliverance of his Church.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes