Commentaria in Esther
Chapter the Fourth. Synopsis of the chapter
On account of the cruel edict for the slaughter of the Jews, Mardochai mourns with his people, and asks Esther to beg the king for their lives. She, a three days’ fast being proclaimed to all the Jews, promises to do so, even at the peril of her life.
1. Which when Mardochai had heard, he rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, sprinkling ashes upon his head: and he cried with a loud voice in the midst of the street, shewing the anguish of his mind, 2. and with this wailing he came even to the gate of the palace. For it was not lawful to enter the king’s court clothed with sackcloth. 3. And in all provinces, towns, and places, to which the king’s cruel edict was come, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, wailing and weeping, many using sackcloth and ashes for their bed. 4. And Esther’s maids and eunuchs went in and told her. And when she heard it she was in a consternation; and she sent a garment to clothe Mardochai, and to take off the sackcloth: but he would not receive it. 5. And sending for Athach the eunuch, whom the king had appointed to wait on her, she commanded him to go to Mardochai, and to learn of him why he did this. 6. And Athach going out went to Mardochai, who was standing in the street of the city, before the gate of the palace: 7. and he told him all that had happened, how Aman had promised to pay money into the king’s treasures, for the destruction of the Jews. 8. He gave him also a copy of the edict that was hung up in Susan, to be shewn to the queen, and to admonish her to go in to the king, and make supplication to him for her people. 9. Athach returned, and told Esther all that Mardochai had said. 10. She answered him, and bade him say to Mardochai: 11. All the king’s servants, and all the provinces that are under his dominion, know, that whether man or woman, who ever goes into the king’s inner court, who is not called for, is immediately to be put to death, without any delay: unless the king shall hold out the golden sceptre to him in token of clemency, and so he may live. How then can I go in to the king, who for these thirty days now have not been called to him? 12. And when Mardochai had heard this, 13. he sent word to Esther again, saying: Think not that thou mayst save thy life only, because thou art in the king’s house, more than all the Jews: 14. for if thou wilt now hold thy peace, the Jews shall be delivered by some other occasion: and thou, and thy father’s house shall perish. And who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom, that thou shouldst be ready in such a time as this? 15. And again Esther sent these words to Mardochai: 16. Go, and gather together all the Jews whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger. 17. So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him.
Verse 1.
1. In the midst of the street of the city,—namely in the forum, or a like public place, to which all flocked. For the forum is wont to be placed in the middle of the city for this reason, that it may be easily approached by the citizens dwelling round about for selling and buying necessary things.
And cried with a loud voice.—What he cried the Greek explains, namely that innocent Jews, who had done no wrong, were condemned to death. This custom of crying out in great calamities was in use and frequent among the Persians, according to Curtius, books IV and V, and Herodotus, books III and VIII, to move all to compassion for oneself, and to rouse someone who might bring or suggest a remedy for the evil.
3. The king’s cruel edict,—in Latin dogma, that is, edict. Hence it is the word of the law; so dogma is taken for decree, Acts chapter xvi, verse 4, and by Josephus, Demosthenes and others.
11. The inner court of the king,—in which the king sat on a golden throne, shining with gold and gems, like some earthly God. Now the law was that, if anyone entered this court uncalled, he should be IMMEDIATELY PUT TO DEATH WITHOUT ANY DELAY.—The reason for the law was, says Rupert, book VIII On the Victory of the Word of God, chapter 10, “that the person of the king might be hidden under a show of majesty, and be thought to have something more than man, lest he become cheaper by the public use of being seen.” Hence around the king stood lictors with axes and spears, to kill anyone who entered uncalled, according to Josephus and Ammianus, book XIV, and Herodotus, books III and VIII. Josephus, Rupert and others add that this law was made, or renewed, by Ahasuerus at the instigation of Aman, to shut off Esther, Mardochai and all the rest from access to the king, lest they plead for the Jews.
13. That thou mayst save thy life only,—that is, thou oughtest to save, and in fact wilt save thy life, because thou art in “the king’s house,” as queen, whom the king will surely spare; but it is part of thy office that thou shouldst deliver the life of thy whole people, destined to death; and in fact thou wilt deliver it, if as queen thou approach the king thy husband and make supplication.
14. Thou and thy father’s house shall perish,—God avenging this neglect of thy people and want of mercy, or the Jews themselves avenging it, whom you now hold in contempt, says Josephus.
16. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights, and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger.—Note here the courage, piety and charity of Esther, who offers herself to the peril of death for her people, trusting that God will be present: and therefore she prudently demands a public fast of all for three days continuously, to appease God and win his favour for herself. Furthermore St. Ambrose, in the book On Elias and Fasting: “Esther,” he says, “was made more beautiful by fasting; for the Lord increased the grace of a sober mind.” Hence it follows in chapter v, verse 2: “And when he saw Esther the queen standing, she pleased his eyes.” By fasting and prayer, therefore, Esther won for herself beauty, for her people deliverance, for Aman the cross, for Ahasuerus a litter, and for God glory. St. Ambrose continues the same: “She freed all her kind, that is, the whole people of the Jews, from the bitterness of persecution; so that she made the king subject to herself, not inflamed with the love of lust, but turned by heavenly compassion; so that the penalty was turned back upon the impious one, and honour restored to the sacred altars. Thus she who fasted three days continuously, and washed her body with water, pleased the more and brought vengeance. But Aman, while he boasts at a royal banquet, paid among the very wines the penalty of his drunkenness. Fasting is therefore a sacrifice of reconciliation, an increase of virtue, which made even women stronger by increase of grace.” And Clement of Alexandria, book VI of the Stromata, chapter iv: “Again,” he says, “by her perfect faith Esther, delivering Israel from tyrannical power and from the cruelty of the satrap, a woman alone, afflicted with fasts, withstood innumerable armed forces, loosing the tyrannical decree by faith; and she softened the tyrant, but crushed Aman, and by perfect prayer to God preserved Israel unharmed.”
Allegorically Esther represents the Church; hence St. Prosper, part VII of the Predictions, chapter xxxvii, having recounted the heroic deeds of Esther, adds: “So the Church destroys her enemies by the Holy Cross. So she opposes herself for her own in such perils. So, having given her labours in death, she ministers life by conferring it: as a queen who is admonished by her king, her spouse and Lord, and to whom it is said: Deliver them that are led to death, and redeem them that are slain. To the refuges of whose benefits her very enemies also resort.”