Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
On account of the cruel decree of death against the Jews, Mordecai mourns with his people, and asks Esther to beseech the king for their lives. She, having proclaimed a three-day fast for herself and all the Jews, promises to do this, even at the peril of her life.
Vulgate Text: Esther 4:1-17
1. When Mordecai had heard these things, he tore his garments and put on sackcloth, sprinkling ashes on his head: and in the public square of the city he cried out with a loud voice, showing the bitterness of his soul, 2. and with this wailing he walked as far as the gates of the palace. For it was not lawful for one clothed in sackcloth to enter the king's court. 3. In all the provinces also, towns and places to which the cruel edict of the king had come, there was great mourning among the Jews, fasting, wailing and weeping, with many using sackcloth and ashes for their bedding. 4. And Esther's maidens and eunuchs came in and told her. When she heard it, she was dismayed; and she sent a garment, so that the sackcloth might be removed and he might be clothed: which he refused to accept. 5. And she summoned Hathach the eunuch, whom the king had given her as a servant, and commanded him to go to Mordecai and learn from him why he was doing this. 6. And Hathach went out and came to Mordecai, who was standing in the city square, before the gate of the palace: 7. and he told him everything that had happened, how Haman had promised to pay money into the king's treasury for the death of the Jews. 8. He also gave him a copy of the edict which was posted in Susa, to show to the queen, and to urge her to go in to the king and beseech him for her people. 9. Hathach returned and told Esther everything that Mordecai had said. 10. She answered him and ordered him to tell Mordecai: 11. All the king's servants, and all the provinces under his dominion, know that if any man or woman, not summoned, enters the king's inner court, that person is immediately put to death without any delay: unless by chance the king extends his golden scepter to that person as a sign of clemency, and thus may live. How then can I go in to the king, who have not been summoned to him for thirty days now? 12. When Mordecai heard this, 13. he sent word again to Esther, saying: Do not think that you alone will save your life, because you are in the king's house, more than all the Jews; 14. for if you are silent now, the Jews will be delivered by another means: but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this, that you might be prepared? 15. And Esther again sent these words to Mordecai: 16. Go, and gather all the Jews whom you find in Susa, and pray for me. Do not eat or 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, acting against the law, unsummoned, and giving myself over to death and danger. 17. So Mordecai went and did everything that Esther had commanded him.
Verse 1: In the Public Square of the City
1. IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE OF THE CITY, that is, in the marketplace, or a similar public place where everyone gathered. For this reason the marketplace is usually situated in the middle of the city, so that it can easily be reached by the citizens living all around for selling and buying necessary goods.
HE CRIED OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE. What he cried out the Greek text explains, namely that the Jews, who were innocent and had done nothing wrong, were being condemned to death. This custom of crying out in great calamities was in use and frequent among the Persians, as Curtius testifies, books 4 and 5, and Herodotus, books 3 and 8, so that they might move everyone to pity for themselves, and rouse someone who might bring or suggest a remedy for the evil.
Verse 3: The Cruel Decree of the King
3. THE CRUEL EDICT OF THE KING, that is, the decree. Hence in Hebrew it is 'the Word of the King'; so dogma is used for decree, in Acts chapter 16, verse 4, and by Josephus, Demosthenes, and others.
Verse 11: The Inner Court of the King
11. THE INNER COURT OF THE KING, in which the king sat on a golden throne, gleaming with gold and gems, like some earthly god. Now the law was that if anyone entered this court without being summoned, THAT PERSON WAS TO BE IMMEDIATELY PUT TO DEATH WITHOUT ANY DELAY. The reason for this law, says Rupert, book 8 of On the Victory of the Word of God, chapter 10, was "that the king's person might be concealed under the appearance of majesty, and he might be thought to possess something more than a man, lest he become cheapened by the customary public sight of him." Hence lictors stood around the king with axes and spears, so that if anyone entered without being summoned, they would kill that person, as Josephus testifies, and Ammianus, book 14, and Herodotus, books 3 and 8. Josephus, Rupert, and others add that this law was enacted or renewed by Ahasuerus, at the instigation of Haman, in order to block access to the king for Esther, Mordecai, and all others, so that they might not plead on behalf of the Jews.
Verse 13: That You Alone Will Save Your Life
13. THAT YOU ALONE WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE, that is, that you ought to save, and in fact will save, because you are in "the king's house," as queen, whom the king will certainly spare; but consider that it is your duty to save the life of your entire people, that is, their life destined for death; and in fact you will save them, if you approach your husband the king and plead with him as queen.
Verse 14: You and Your Father's House Will Perish
14. YOU AND YOUR FATHER'S HOUSE WILL PERISH. With God punishing this neglect and lack of mercy toward your people, or with the Jews themselves taking vengeance, whom you now treat with contempt, says Josephus.
Verse 16: Do Not Eat or Drink for Three Days
16. DO NOT EAT OR 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, ACTING AGAINST THE LAW, UNSUMMONED, AND GIVING MYSELF OVER TO DEATH AND DANGER. Note here the fortitude, piety, and charity of Esther, who offers herself for her people at the peril of death, trusting that God would be with her: and therefore she prudently calls for a public fast by all for three continuous days of fasting, so that by it they might placate God and win His grace for themselves.
Moreover St. Ambrose, in his book On Elijah and Fasting: 'Esther,' he says, 'was made more beautiful by fasting; for the Lord increased the grace of her sober mind.' Whence it follows in chapter 5, verse 2: 'And when he saw Queen Esther standing, she pleased his eyes.' Therefore by fasting and prayer Esther gained for herself beauty, for her people deliverance, for Haman the cross, for Ahasuerus joy, and for God glory. St. Ambrose continues in the same vein: 'She freed her whole nation, that is, the entire people of the Jews, from the bitterness of persecution; so that she made the king subject to herself, not inflamed by the love of lust, but converted by heavenly compassion; so that the punishment was turned back upon the wicked, and honor was restored to the sacred altars. And so she who fasted continuously for three days and washed her body with water, was more pleasing and obtained vengeance. But Haman, while he boasted at the royal banquet, amid the very wines paid the penalty of his drunkenness. Therefore fasting is a sacrifice of reconciliation, an increase of virtue, which made even women stronger by the increase of grace.'
And Clement of Alexandria, book VI of the Stromata, chapter IV: 'Again,' he says, 'with that perfect faith, Esther, freeing Israel from tyrannical power, and from the cruelty of the Satrap, a lone woman afflicted by fasting resisted innumerable armed forces, dissolving the tyrannical decree through faith; and indeed she softened the tyrant. She suppressed Haman, and preserved Israel unharmed by perfect prayer to God.'
Allegorically, Esther represents the Church; whence St. Prosper, part VII of the Predictions, chapter 38, after recounting Esther's heroic deeds, adds: 'Thus the Church of the Holy Cross destroys her enemies. Thus she exposes herself to such dangers for her own. Thus, having given her labors in death, she ministers by conferring life: being a queen, who is admonished by her king, spouse, and Lord, and to whom it is said: Deliver those who are being led to death, and redeem those who are being killed. Even her enemies seek the refuges of her benefits.'