Esther 4

Why is the book called Esther?

The Greek version of Esther has 6 additional chapters. Catholic Bibles today place these chapters in a separate section after the Book of Esther. Most European Christians used the additional chapters until the Reformation. Protestant and Jewish Bibles use only the 10 Hebrew chapters.

The Reformers didn’t generally like Esther.

Neither Luther nor Calvin wrote commentaries on Esther. Luther criticized the books of 2 Maccabees and Esther this way:

Structure: 10 banquets and a Chiasm.

Fasting

Chiasm X

Ahasuerus aka Achashverosh aka Xerxes

Purpose of Esther

Explain why we Jews celebrate Purim.

Show God working where we don’t expect him.

Esther 1 tells how Queen Vashti refuses King Xerxes' command to appear at his banquet, leading to her removal as queen after his advisors warn this could cause disobedience among women.

In Esther 2, King Xerxes searches for a new queen and chooses Esther, a Jewish woman who keeps her identity secret. She gains favor and is crowned queen. Meanwhile, her cousin Mordecai uncovers a plot to kill the king, which he helps prevent by telling Esther. The king does not reward Mordecai.

In Esther 3, King Xerxes promotes Haman to a high position of power. Haman becomes enraged when Mordecai, a Jew, refuses to bow to him. In response, Haman devises a plot to destroy all the Jews in the Persian Empire. He convinces the king to issue a decree authorizing their extermination, setting a date for the massacre. The chapter ends with the city of Susa in confusion while the king and Haman sit down to drink.

Esther 4:1–3 CSB

When Mordecai learned all that had occurred, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, went into the middle of the city, and cried loudly and bitterly. He went only as far as the King’s Gate, since the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering the King’s Gate. There was great mourning among the Jewish people in every province where the king’s command and edict reached. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

Esther 4:4–7 CSB

Esther’s female servants and her eunuchs came and reported the news to her, and the queen was overcome with fear. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear so that he would take off his sackcloth, but he did not accept them. Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who attended her, and dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what he was doing and why. So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the King’s Gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened as well as the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay the royal treasury for the slaughter of the Jews.

Esther 4:8–12 CSB

Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa ordering their destruction, so that Hathach might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and command her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead with him personally for her people. Hathach came and repeated Mordecai’s response to Esther. Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to tell Mordecai, “All the royal officials and the people of the royal provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard and who has not been summoned—the death penalty—unless the king extends the gold scepter, allowing that person to live. I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the last thirty days.” Esther’s response was reported to Mordecai.

Esther 4:13–14 CSB

Mordecai told the messenger to reply to Esther, “Don’t think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king’s palace. If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s family will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”

Esther 4:15–17 CSB

Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went and did everything Esther had commanded him.

How does Esther chapter 3 relate to the gospel?

The promised Messiah had not come yet, but that possibility was threatened by Haman.

Evil people have always threatened God’s people, but God has not changed.

In the conflict between good and evil, God will raise up salvation in unexpected places.

How does Esther 4 relate to the Gospel?

Esther is in a position to intercede for a condemned people before the king, a role that Jesus will take. Jesus came “at just the right time” (Rom. 5:6).

Esther is willing to die, “If I perish, I perish”. Jesus knew he would die for our sakes.

Mordecai challenges Esther to act. Christians spur on one another to love and good deeds. Heb. 10:24