Esther 4:12-16

12 And when Mordecai had heard this thing,

13 he sent again to Esther, and said, Guess thou not, that thou shalt deliver only thy life, for thou art in the house of the king, before all (the) Jews; (he sent back word to Esther, saying, Do not thou think, that since thou art in the king's palace, thou shalt save thy own life, even though the other Jews shall not escape;)

14 for if thou art still now, the Jews shall be delivered by another way, and thou and the house of thy father shall perish; and who knoweth, whether therefore thou camest to the realm, that thou shouldest be made ready in such a time to help? (for if thou art silent now, the Jews shall be saved by another way, but thou and thy father's house shall all perish; and who knoweth, whether thou camest to the kingdom, that is, to thy crown, so that now thou couldest help in such a time of need?)

15 And again Esther sent these words to Mordecai, saying, (And Esther sent back an answer to Mordecai, saying,)

16 Go thou, and gather together all the Jews, which thou findest in Susa, and pray ye for me; eat ye not, that is, fast ye, neither drink ye, in three days and three nights, and I with mine handmaidens shall fast in like manner; and then I not called, shall enter in to the king, and I shall do against the law, and I shall betake me to death and to peril. (Go thou, and gather together all the Jews, whom thou findest in Susa, and pray ye for me; eat ye not, that is, fast ye, and drink ye not, for three days and three nights, and I shall fast with my servantesses in like manner; and then though I be not called, I shall go to the king, and I shall go against the law, and I shall deliver myself unto peril and even death.)

Esther 4:12-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 4

This chapter relates the mourning of Mordecai, and of the Jews in every province, on account of the edict to destroy them, Es 4:1-3, the information Esther had of it, and what passed between her and Mordecai, through Hatach, a chamberlain, by whom he put her upon making a request to the king in their favour, Es 4:4-8, to which she at first objected, because of a law in Persia which forbids any to come to the king unless called, Es 4:9-12, but being pressed to it by Mordecai, she agreed, and ordered a general fast among the Jews, Es 4:13-17.