Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Esther 4:9
And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Both the case of the Jews, and the cause of it, and what he would have her do at this critical juncture.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When Hatach brought this information to Esther, she sent word by him to Mordochai, that she might not go in unto the king unsummoned. , she ordered or commissioned him to Mordochai, viz., to tell him what follows, Est 4:11: “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces (i.e., all the officers and subjects of the king) know, that with respect to every man or woman that shall come in unto the king, into the inner court, that is not called – one (the same) law (is) for him: to put (him) to death, except him to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live.” precede as nominativi absol.; these are followed by two relative clauses, which are succeeded by the anacoluthic predicate : one and the same law is for him ( , the law concerning him, the unsummoned appearer, the matter of which is briefly stated by ). In the inner court dwelt the king, seated on his throne (comp. Est 5:1). The law, that every one entering unbidden should be put to death, was subject to but one exception: , except him to whom the king stretches out, etc. from , appearing only in the present book (Est 5:2; Est 8:4), but frequently in Chaldee and Syriac, signifies to hold out, to extend, with , to or towards him. , the Aramaic form for , sceptre. Access to the royal presence had been already rendered difficult by an edict issued by Dejokes the Mede, Herod. 1:9; and among the Persians, none, with the exception of a few individuals (Herod. iii. 118), were permitted to approach the king without being previously announced (Herod. iii. 140; Corn. Nepos, Conon, 3). Any one entering unannounced was punished with death, unless the king, according to this passage, gave it to be understood by stretching forth his sceptre that he was to remain unpunished. It is, however, self-evident, and the fact is confirmed by Herod. iii. 140, that any who desired audience were allowed to announce themselves. Esther might, it seems, have done this. Why, then, did she not make the attempt? The answer lies in her further message to Mordochai: “and I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.” From these words it appears, that formerly she had been more frequently summoned before the king. Now, however, a whole month had passed without any invitation. Hence she concluded that the king did not much wish to see her, and for this reason dared not go unto him unbidden. Evidently, too, she was unwilling to be announced, because in that case she would have been obliged immediately to make known to the king the cause of her desiring this interview. And this she would not venture to do, fearing that, considering the great favour in which Haman stood with the king, she might, if she did not provoke his displeasure against herself through her intercession for her people, at least meet with a rejection of her petition. To set aside an irrevocable decree sealed with the king’s seal, must have appeared to Esther an impossible undertaking. To have asked such a thing of the king would have been indeed a bold venture.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Est 4:9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
Ver. 9. And Hatach came and told Esther ] He acted the part of a faithful messenger: so must ministers, those servants of the Churches, declare unto the people all the mind of God, Act 20:27 , and not steal God’s word every one from his neighbour, Jer 23:30 , not deal deceitfully with it, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, let them speak in Christ; and let them speak out, not fearing any colours. He that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully, saith God, Jer 23:28 . Aaron’s bells were all of gold; the trumpets of the sanctuary were of pure silver; they did not (as those inverse trumpets of Furius Fulvius) sound a retreat, when they should have sounded an alarm; no more must God’s messengers. Whatsoever the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak, saith Micaiah. Paul, as he received what he delivered, so he delivered whatsoever he received, 1Co 11:23 . Moses was faithful in all God’s house, &c., Heb 3:5 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Est 4:9-12
9Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: 11All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days. 12They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.
Est 4:9-12 She seemed to fear for her own life in breaking Persian court customs more than for the slaughter of her people! We learn of some of these customs from Herodotus (Hist. 3.118,140), which implies that only members of the seven special Persian families could approach the king without his permission.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Est 4:9-12
Est 4:9-12
MORDECAI’S REQUEST OF ESTHER LOADED WITH DANGER
“And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Then Esther spake unto Hathach, and gave him a message unto Mordecai, saying All the king’s servants, and the people of the kinifs provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king in the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he might live: but I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days. and they told to Moredecai Esther’s words.”
“The golden sceptre” (Est 4:11). “In all of the numerous representations of Persian kings (by sculptors and inscriptions recovered by archaeologists), the king holds a long tapering staff (the sceptre of Esther).” Death was the penalty for any person who came unbidden into the private area of a Persian king.
Esther did not by this reply refuse to accept Mordecai’s charge; she merely apprised him of the extreme danger to herself in such a request. Esther was also apprehensive that the king had not invited her into his presence in a month, indicating that his love for her had cooled, and that at that time the king might have been sensually involved with someone else. There was certainly no guarantee that the king would be pleased by her coming uninvited into his presence.
E.M. Zerr:
Est 4:8-9. There seems not to have been any attempt to conceal the plan for the destruction of the Jews, for Mordecai was able to furnish the servant of Esther a copy of the royal decree. Upon the strength of the order, Mordecai sent a request to her to go in unto the king to make supplication for her people. This was the first information that Esther had of the terrible decree of the king. While she knew it was a royal document, she knew also that Haman was the instigator of it. However unjust it might be, she felt sure that the king was in the dark as to the undercurrent flowing from the wickedness of this man. She also knew of the law of the court, that no one of any rank dared come into the court uninvited by the king. She accordingly sent the information to Mordecai stated in the next paragraph.
Est 4:10-12. The harsh rule was to the effect that the inner court of the king was to be avoided by all men and women. No one dared venture therein uninvited, and if one disregarded the rule he was liable to suffer death. The only chance for escape lay in the graciousness of the king. Should he be pleased to suspend the rule in any given instance, he indicated it by extending toward that person his golden scepter. That was a rod or baton held in the hand of a monarch that denoted his authority. Esther stated this law in her reply to Mordecai, then told him that she had not been invited to come to the king for 30 days. We do not have any information as to why the king had not called for his beloved wife for so long a time. However, the fact that such a long period had passed thus might have been an indication that some unusual condition existed in which perhaps the king would not wish to be disturbed. If that were the case then it would be especially dangerous to intrude; this information was given to Mordecai by Esther.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Reciprocal: Pro 26:1 – so