Esther 4:1 NIV

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Esther 4:1

done = being done. bitter cry. Not (we may be sure) without confession and prayer, as with Nehemiah (Esther 1:0 ), and Daniel 9:0 ). read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Esther 4:1

THE ISRAEL OF GOD IN SACKCLOTH; ASHES; AND TEARSThe last verse of the previous chapter mentioned that the city of Susa was perplexed. "Although the Jews certainly had enemies in Susa, the majority of the Persians were Zoroastrians, and were likely to sympathize with the Jews. There might also have been other national groups in Persia who would have been alarmed and apprehensive at the king's decision to slaughter all the Jews."[1] Some might have been fearful that their group might be next. It... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Esther 4:1

Esther 4:1. Mordecai rent his clothes, &c.— The latter Targum, upon the book of Esther, gives us the following account of Mordecai's behaviour upon this sad occasion: "He made his complaint in the midst of the streets, saying, What a heavy decree is this, which the king and Haman have passed, not against a part of us, but against us all, to root us out of the earth! Whereupon all the Jews flocked about him, and, having caused the book of the law to be brought to the gate of Shushan, he,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Esther 4:1

1, 2. When Mordecai perceived all that was done—Relying on the irrevocable nature of a Persian monarch's decree (Daniel 6:15), Hamman made it known as soon as the royal sanction had been obtained; and Mordecai was, doubtless, among the first to hear of it. On his own account, as well as on that of his countrymen, this astounding decree must have been indescribably distressing. The acts described in this passage are, according to the Oriental fashion, expressive of the most poignant sorrow; and... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Esther 4:1-3

C. Mordecai’s Reaction 4:1-3We can understand why Mordecai reacted to Haman’s decree so strongly (Esther 4:1). Undoubtedly he felt personally responsible for this decree (cf. Esther 3:2-5). However, we should not interpret Mordecai’s actions in Esther 4:1 as a sign of great faith in God necessarily (cf. Mark 5:38; 1 Thessalonians 4:13). They were common expressions of personal grief (cf. Ezra 8:21; Ezra 8:23; Nehemiah 9:1; Lamentations 3:40-66).The absence of any reference to prayer in Esther... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Esther 4:1-17

Mordecai’s Appeal to Esther to Save her Countrymen1. When Mordecai perceived] His position at the door of the palace (Esther 2:21) would enable him to obtain early intelligence. 2. Even before] better, ’as far as before.’ The LXX adds, ’and stopped.’6. The street] RV ’the broad place’: and so in Esther 6:9, Esther 6:11. 11. One law of his] RV ’one law for him’: i.e. who approached the king without leave given.14. Then shall there enlargement, etc.] RV ’Then shall relief,’ etc. Mordecai’s... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Esther 4:1

IV.(1) 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,... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Esther 4:1-17

Not Afraid of Sackcloth Esther 4:2 ; 2 Corinthians 3:12 In the book of Esther 4:2 , we read, 'None might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth'. St. Paul in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians 3:12 says, 'Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech'. In the first text we read of a refusal to face the facts of life, the hard and painful facts 'None might enter into the king's gate clothed in sackcloth'. In the second we read of an unflinching sincerity of... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Esther 4:1

-6MORDECAIEsther 2:5-6; Esther 4:1; Esther 6:10-11; Esther 9:1-4THE hectic enthusiast who inspires Daniel Deronda with his passionate ideas is evidently a reflection in modern literature of the Mordecai of Scripture. It must be admitted that the reflection approaches a caricature. The dreaminess and morbid excitability of George Eliot’s consumptive hero have no counterpart in the wise, strong Mentor of Queen Esther, and the English writer’s agnosticism has led her to exclude all the Divine... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Esther 4:1-5

QUEEN ESTHEREsther 4:1-5; Esther 7:1-4; Esther 9:12-13THE young Jewess who wins the admiration of the Persian king above all the chosen maidens of his realm, and who then delivers her people in the crisis of supreme danger at the risk of her own life, is the central figure in the story of the origin of Purim. It was a just perception of the situation that led to the choice of her name as the title of the book that records her famous achievements, Esther first appears as an obscure orphan who... read more

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Esther 4:1

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Esther 4:1

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Esther 4:1

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Esther 4:1

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Esther 4:1-3

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Esther 4:1-17

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Esther 4:1

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Esther 4:1-17

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Esther 4:1

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Esther 4:1-5

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