So Hatach went forth to Mordecai, unto the street of the city ,.... Where he was, in a public manner, expressing his grief and sorrow: which was before the king's gate : that led to the royal palace. read more
And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him ,.... How that, for refusing to reverence Haman, he was incensed against him, and against all the Jews for his sake; and had vowed revenge on them, and had formed a scheme for the ruin of them: and of the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them the 10,000 talents of silver he proposed to pay into the king's exchequer in lieu of the Jews' tribute; which Mordecai observes, to... read more
Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them ,.... Which had now been published in the city; by which means Mordecai had had a sight of it, and had transcribed it; see Esther 3:14 to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her ; what Haman intended against the people of the Jews; as the Targum adds: and to charge her ; in his name; whose charges she had always regarded, both before and since she was queen; or in the name of... read more
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. read more
Again Esther spake unto Hatach ,.... For there was no other way of corresponding and conversing but by an eunuch; the wives of kings being altogether under their watch and care: and gave him commandment unto Mordecai ; to go unto him, and what he should say to him from her, which is as follows. read more
All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces do know ,.... Not only the princes and courtiers, but all the king's subjects, the meanest of them; there is scarce a person throughout the whole empire, to whom the following law is not known; this is said, to show how notorious it was: that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death ; according to the former Targum, Human got... read more
And they told to Mordecai Esther's, words. The messengers she sent to him. read more
Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther ,.... Gave in charge to the messengers what they should say to Esther from him, by way of reply: think not with thyself that thou shall escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews ; signifying that her being queen, and in the king's palace, would be no protection to her; and she would be no safer there than the Jews elsewhere, since they had no greater enemies any where than in the king's court; and it was or would be known of what nation... read more
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time ,.... And will not speak to the king in favour of the Jews, because of the danger she would be exposed to in doing it: then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place ; Mordecai seemed confident of it, that by some means or another the Jews would be delivered; if not through the intercession of Esther, yet from some other quarter, or by some other hand: but thou and thy father's house shall be... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Esther 4:5-17
So strictly did the laws of Persia confine the wives, especially the king's wives, that it was not possible for Mordecai to have a conference with Esther about this important affair, but divers messages are here carried between them by Hatach, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and it seems he was one she could confide in. I. She sent to Mordecai to know more particularly and fully what the trouble was which he was now lamenting (Est. 4:5) and why it was that he would not put off his... read more