A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 4
Eſther CHAP. IV.
THIS Chapter contains the doleful Lamentation both of the Jews in General, and of Mordecai and Eſther in Particular.
Remark the Firſt, Upon the General Mourning of the Jews, ver. 3. in every Province and Province, Hebr. [bekol-medinnah umedinna] the one hundred and twenty ſeven Provinces were all Places call'd Bochim, like that in Judg. 2.5. for whereſoever the Debar Hammeleck or Decree of the King came, there was Abel Gadol, great Lamentings, the Jews generally lift up their Voices and wept.
Mark 1. They greatly mourned, 'tis not ſaid they murmured, much leſs mutined or meditated revenge againſt the King and Haman but they calmly and quietly caſt themſelves down before the Lord. N.B. As ſenſible of their ſlothful and ſinful neglect in not returning with Zerabbabel into their own Countrey, when God had ſo loudly call'd them, crying [Ho, Ho, come forth, &c.] Zech. 2.6. and ſaying to thoſe diſperſed Jews [Ariſe, Depart this is not your reſt, for it is polluted] Mic. 2.10.
Mark 2. This being as a Bodkin at their Hearts, it made them Faſt (as well as weep and wail) which gave Wings to their Prayers, while their very weeping had the Voice of Praying which God heard, Pſalm 6.8. N.B. They knew no better weapons to make uſe of now, but only Preces & Lachrymas, Prayers and Tears, as was the Language of the Primitive Chriſtians, and our Lord tells us, that Faſting and Prayer, will caſt forth the moſt moroſe, and moſt Tenacious Devil, Matth. 17.21.
Mark 3. Many-day in Sackcloth and Aſhes, or Hebr. Sackcloth and Aſhes were laid under many, ſo many, as were more deeply affected with their Sins, and the ſad Conſequents thereof, would decline their own ſoft Beds (ſaith Vatablus) laying all along upon Sackcloth and Aſhes: And thus they reſtrained themſelves not only from Work, Meat and Delights by Day, but alſo from ſleep by Night, that they might Watch as well as Pray, Mark 13.33. Matth. 26.41.
Mark 4. This Faſt was after commanded to be continued three Days, ver. 15, 16, 17. wherein they abſtained, though not à Toto from all neceſſary Food, yet at leaſt à Tanto and à Tali, taking no more of Quantity than to keep alive, and not any of a luſcious and delightſome Quality, as Dan. 10.2, 3. N.B. Thus that like Phraſe, Acts 27.33. is to be taken, and all this was done for furthering their Repentance, a right Remedy for Reconcilement.
Remark the Second, Concerns Mordecai's Mourning in Particular, ver. 1, 2.
Mark 1. So ſoon as Mordecai [Jadan perceived, either by the Relation of ſome Friend, or by the Triumph of the Jews Enemies, ſaith Junius, or rather by Poſting up the Proclamation in Shuſhan, ſaith Maſius, then he Rent his Clohths, to ſhew that his very Heart was Rent with Sorrow for Sion, Joel 2.12, 13. ſo ſolicitous was he for the Church's welfare, as old Eli had been for the Ark, 1 Sam. 4.13.
Mark 2. He put on Sackcloth, after the manner of Mourners, not only among the Jews, Gen. 37.29, 34. 1 Kings 21.27. and 2 Kings 19.1, &c. but alſo among the Gentiles, 1 Kings 20.32. and Jon. 3. &c. yea he put on a duſty Garment beſprinkl'd with Aſhes, ſaith Druſius, as holding the worſt Cloaths too good for ſuch a woful Caitiff, &c.
Mark 3. He went into the midſt of the City, that is, into the Market-Place (ſaith A Lapide) which uſually is in the Heart of Cities: And there cried out with a loud and bitter cry (ſaith Joſephus) that an Innocent Nation was deſign'd to be deſtroyed, he did this partly as a pattern to his Brethren, partly to move the Perſians to pity them, that they might do what they could to prevent it, and partly that it might by this means come to Eſther's Ears (who was yet ignorant of it) as well as to expreſs his deep Senſe of Danger.
Mark 4. In this Mourning Poſture Mordecai returns to the Place before the King's Gate, but might not enter in to ſit there, as he had hitherto done, leaſt his Sackcloath being ſeen at Court, it might have been an Eye-ſore, and caus'd ſadneſs to the King and his Jolly Courtiers, who never could endure to ſee a Night-Cap, for marring their mad Merriments, ſaith Tirinus, that Gate (which ſhould always be open for poor Petitioners) was now ſhut againſt ſuch Mourners as Mordecai: 'Tis probable, that Haman had likewiſe procured this Law, that the King and his Courtiers muſt ſee no ſad ſights, leſt their Mirth ſhould be marred, and themſelves ſurpriſed with Heavineſs and Horrour, and more eſpecially, leſt any Mourner ſhould make means to complain to the King of his Cruelty, &c.
Remark the Third, Concerns Eſther's Mourning moved by Mordecai's.
Mark 1. Though the Queen was kept cloſe (according to the ſupercilious Cuſtom of the Perſian Court, rarely ſuffering their Wives to be publickly ſeen abroad, &c.) yet her Servants had more Liberty and obſerved Mordecai's Sackcloath and Sorrow; they acquaint Eſther herewith, who was exceedingly grieved to hear it, ſends preſently to change his Sackcloath into Sattin, to make him capable of returning to his former Place, if not of coming to her, to acquaint her with the Cauſe of his uncuſtomary Carriage, &c. ver. 4. but ſo great was his Grief, as not to accept of the Queen's kindneſs, thinking theſe mean Cloaths were good enough for him, unleſs his Condition were more comfortable.
Mark 2. Holy Eſther was not ſullen towards Mordecai, as vain Vaſthi had been to the King without any ſuch Affront, as this of Mordecai's rejecting the Queen's Courteſie, in offering a change of his courſe cloathing of a Mourner into the bravery of a Courtier, but ſends Hatach (an honeſt Servant and perhaps a Jew, at leaſt a Jew inwardly) to him, to know what and why, &c. ver. 5. N.B. Though Eſther (of a poor Captive Maid) was now made an eminent Miſtreſs over a hundred and twenty ſeven Provinces (which is one of the four Burdens the Earth cannot bear, Prov. 30.32.) yet doth ſhe not capriciouſly Tax her Uncle of any Incivility in Rejecting her kindneſs, nor turns ſhort upon him, by bidding Hatach tell him [He had tyed her Hands from offering any more of her Royal Favours, but ſhe candidly Conſtrue's all, believing, he had greater Grounds of his Grief, and of ſuch loud Lamentations, than ſhe yet knew of.
Mark 3. Hatach readily runs with his Miſtreſs's Meſſage (like a faithful Servant) to Mordecai, whom he ſound in the Broad-ſtreet of the City, as Rechob, Hebr. ſignifies, for no nearer the Court might a Mourner come, ver. 6. to him Mordecai relates the whole matter, ver. 7. and ſends her a Copy of the Bloody Decree, ver. 8. that ſhe might ſee it, and be aſſured of it, and now or never ſhe muſt beſtir her ſelf, and venture to go in to the King to intercede for God's poor periſhing Church: All this Mordecai puſhes forward with utmoſt earneſtneſs, improving his antient Authority over her, and preſſing it upon her with moſt cogent Arguments. N.B. All which are purpoſely Recorded here, that all may learn to lay out themſelves to the utmoſt for the Church's good.
Remark the Fourth; Hatach returns with his ſtrict Charge from Mordecai (who had been her Foſter-Father, and ſtill lays claim to an Intereſt in her, and an Authority over her, prudently preſuming upon her well-known Ingenuity, &c.) in perſuading Eſther to venture in to the King and to Requeſt of him a Remedy againſt ſo fatal a Malady, declaring to her from Mordecai's mouth the Reaſons of that cruel Edict, (becauſe he could not (out of Conſcience) bow his Knee to Haman that curſed Amalekite) and the dreadful Events that were like to follow thereupon, ver. 8, 9. Thus Bonartius excellently explains them.
Remark the Fifth; Queen Eſther refuſeth this Commanding Requeſt of her Foſter-Father Mordecai, rendring a Reaſon for her Refuſal, ver. 10, 11. pleading, [Should ſhe go uncalled, ſhe ſhall be put to death for breaking the Law that forbids it.] N. B. The Learned enquire, When that wretched Law was made? And 1. Lyra and Serrarius ſay, it was procured by Haman, leſt any way of Acceſs to the King ſhould lay open to any Friend of the Jews to Suit him for ſaving them from this bloody Decree of Cruelty. 2. But Druſius demonſtrates this Law to be older than Haman or Ahaſuerus himſelf, becauſe all Perſons far and near in all the 127 Provinces had this Law ſo notoriouſly made known to them; beſide Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, &c. make it a more Antient Law. 3. Tho' this Old Law (ſo commonly known by Cuſtom and common Fame) was firſt compoſed for Safety of the King's Perſon, and to ſet off his State and Majeſty, left Familiarity ſhould breed Contempt; yet was it condemn'd by the very Pagans for being over Severe, Barbarous and Pernicious to the Publick; for if Subjects may not have Acceſs and make Addreſſes to their Soveraign, what ſhall the Oppreſſed do?
Remark the Sixth; Another Reaſon Queen Eſther renders for her Refuſal; namely, [Moreover, I have not been call'd to come in to the King theſe Thirty Days.]
Mark 1. At what a ſtrange Diſtance did this proud Perſian Monarch keep himſelf even from his own Royal Conſort? So that ſhe her ſelf (his own Queen) might not dare, but in danger of Death, to preſume into his Preſence in the Inner Court uncalled: The manner of calling whom he would, was (ſaith Piſcator) his extending out his Golden Scepter, in token that he call'd for them.
Mark 1. How this Queen (in whom the King ſo much delighted before above all other Women, Chap. 2.17.) had not been call'd to come to the King a full Month's interſpace: Here was cold Love to the Queen all this while. Lyra ſaith, 'twas becauſe his Concubines had now engroſſed him by the means of Haman le Grand. N. B. Mortal Monarchs are Changeable Creatures in their Affections and Objects.
Remark the Seventh; Eſther at length undertakes to venture, being preſs'd by a ſecond Precept from Mordecai, who prognoſticated her own Peril in caſe of her Neglect, ver. 12, 13. Yet ſuppoſe her Sinful Silence ſhould continue, he tells her, that he foreſaw by the force of his Faith, (grounded upon God's Promiſe for preſerving his Church) Deliverance ſhall ariſe from ſome other hand, or from ſome other Land, but thou and thy Father's Houſe ſhall be deſtroyed, ver. 14. That is, Think not thou to eſcape, (ſaith Grotius) ſeeing Haman's Edict is againſt all the Jews in General; for God will puniſh thee for thy want of commiſeration to the Church, and for ſeeking the ſafety of thy ſelf alone: Or the Jews themſelves will deſtroy thee (ſaith A Lapide out of Joſephus) for thy deſpiſing of them. N. B. 'Tis equally an Evil to be ever and over Silent, as to be ever and over Loquacious. Thus Mordecai's Meſſage deterreth Eſther by an heap of Holy Arguments compos'd of Diſcords, ſometimes Thundering out Threatnings for her deſerting the Church to ſave her ſelf, and ſometimes palating them with Promiſes (Sowre and ſweet make the beſt Sauce to Humane Palates) which he gathers out of God's Providence in raiſing her up to be Queen at this juncture, ſaying, ['Tis probable thou art come to the Kingdom for this purpoſe.] There is a Wheel within a Wheel, Ezek. 1.16. therefore be Couragious, &c.
Remark the Eighth; Eſther, being thus Cajol'd and Conquer'd by theſe Cogent Arguments, now Complies; ſends a ſweet and ſatisfactory Anſwer to comfort Mourning Mordecai, ver. 15, 16, 17. N. B. She reſolves to Roll her ſelf upon God, to whom the care of the End appertaineth; yet takes ſhe to her ſelf a moſt Religious care of means to the End; fiſt ſeeking God, then caſts her ſelf upon the King, well knowing that the hearts of Kings are in God's hands, Prov. 21.1.
Mark 1. The Means; [Go gather together all the Jews.] Great is the Power of Joint Prayer, 2 Chron. 20.3, 4. Rom. 15.30. and Rev. 14.2. 'tis as the Voice of a great Thunder, it works Wonders in Heaven and on Earth.
Mark 2. She bids them Faſt and Pray for her who went in danger of her Life; as Rom. 15.30, 31. 1 Theſ. 5.25. requiring them to point their Prayers with Faſting, that they may pierce Heaven and prevail.
Mark 3. She appoints a three days Faſt; that is, (ſaith Lyra) to eat but once a day, and that no more than to ſuſtain Nature, and this Modicum was reputed nothing: This Time was exactly meaſured as the three Days and Nights of Chriſt's Burial, Mat. 12.40. two whole Nights, one whole Day, and part of two Days.
Mark 4. She enjoins nothing but what ſhe will do her ſelf and her Maidens; tho' ſhe was Tender and a Queen, and muſt (ſaith Serrarius) preſerve her Beauty for Enamouring the King, yet will ſhe Faſt ſo long as they did, leaving the Iſſue to the Lord, and none but Proſelytes that will Faſt and Pray, muſt be Maidens for her.
Mark 5. Then ſhe reſolves to caſt her ſelf upon God's Providence for her Safety and Succeſs; going (upon the Wings of Prayer) in her Royal Agparel upon the third day when the King had Dined, and in the beſt Humour, Esther ventures without bidding, (when Vaſthi bidden, would not go) and ſhe found favour with the King, Chap. 5. Whether the Authority that Mordecai took over the Queen, or the Obedience that the Queen rendred to him here, ſhould moſt be admired, is not eaſie to determine, &c.