4:1-3    - Once Mordecai learns of Haman’s plot against the Jews, he tears his cloths and puts on sackcloth, wailing and weeping.  Mordecai went as far as the King’s Gate wailing loudly.  He would be considered ceremonially unclean in sackcloth and not permitted to enter the King’s Gate.  In every province, similar grief was being expressed by the Jews (fasting, weeping, wailing, etc.).  Mordecai may have wanted to attract Esther’s attention with his outward show of grief.

 

4:4-5    - Esther’s maids saw Mordecai and reported to the queen what was going on.  They must have known that Esther and Mordecai were acquaintances.  She sent clothes for him to wear, maybe so he could enter the gate, but he refused.  Esther sent one of the king’s eunuchs to find out what was troubling Mordecai.

 

4:6-8    - The eunuch, Hathach, found Mordecai and is told everything about the edict to annihilate the Jewish people.  Somehow, Mordecai even knew about the money transaction that Haman had proposed to the king and told the eunuch to relay everything to Queen Esther.  He even had a copy of the written edict so Esther could see for herself.  Mordecai requested Esther to appear before the king to beg for mercy for her people.  This implied or required Esther to reveal her true nationality.  She was being requested to speak to the king in defense for the Jews, which Haman already received permission from the king to destroy.

 

4:9-11  - Esther knew the danger in what Mordecai was asking her to do, and she wanted to make sure he understood too.  She sends word back to Mordecai reminding him that to go to the king without being summoned could result in her death unless Xerxes extended the golden scepter to her in mercy.  The king had not summoned for her in a month, so she would be at risk by appearing uninvited before the king.  She is looking to Mordecai’s judgment and appears to be more concerned about her own life.

 

4:12-14            - This is a critical passage in this beautiful story and speaks to us of God’s providence and His will.  Mordecai tells Esther that if she refuses this request, deliverance will come to the Jews anyway but she would perish.  This alludes to God raising up another means of accomplishing his will for His people.  It also speaks of the special place the Jews hold in God’s eyes since He would not allow them to be annihilated.  Mordecai also warns Esther that she will not be able to hide behind her royal position since the king’s edict would include all Jews regardless of position. Then Mordecai delivers the famous line in the book that we need to consider in many circumstances.  “And who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this?”  Why was she beautiful to look at?  Why was she selected?  Why was her true nationality kept secret?  Why did she find favor in the eyes of Hegai the eunuch or Xerxes himself?  Why was she crowned queen of Persia?  Could it be that all these things happened the way they did so she would be in the right position to bring deliverance to her people.  Even though God is not specifically mentioned here, we can see His handiwork clearly.

 

4:15-17            - Esther’s reply is humbling and a sign of her respect for Mordecai’s judgment as well as her own faith.  She would obey and go before the king without being summoned.  However, she is not going in without all the Jews praying and fasting for three days for this thing she was about to do.  She would do the same thing with her maids.  After covering this thing in earnest prayer, she would go to the king and die there if she must.  The matter would be out of her hands and in God’s alone.  This was Esther’s great sign of submission and courage.  Mordecai carried out her request.