Esther 4:9–14

Mordechai's response

Hathach went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said.

10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

In the seclusion of the harem, Esther was oblivious to the plot against the Jews until she heard about her stepfather’s mourning and inquired about its cause. Mordecai warned her of the seriousness of the plot by informing her of the great financial gain that would come to King Xerxes if the plot were carried out. Not only Haman’s hatred but also Xerxes’ greed had to be overcome if the Jews were to be saved.

Esther tried to excuse herself from helping the Jews by claiming that it would be too dangerous for her to go to King Xerxes without being invited. We have no other knowledge about this Persian custom, except from the Jewish historian Josephus, who wrote much later than the time of Esther. It seems that ancient kings lived under the constant threat of assassination. No one dared to approach the king without an invitation.

The fact that Esther had not been in Xerxes’ presence for a month indicates that they did not have a close husband-wife relationship. Given Xerxes’ unstable character, Esther may have felt she had fallen from his favor.

Mordecai challenged Esther’s reluctance with a mixture of threatening and encouraging words. Esther should not imagine she could escape the decreed fate of all Jews just because she lived in the royal palace. The terms of the decree did not exempt her. If she were too indifferent or fearful to help her people, she should at least take action for her own sake. Mordecai also encouraged her by pointing out that God had always provided deliverance for his people from their oppressors. If Esther failed to use the position to which God had raised her, God would provide another deliverer to make up for her negligence: “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place.”

Here, as everywhere in the book of Esther, the role of God is present only by implication, not by direct statement. Mordecai merely said, “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” These are the key words of the book of Esther. Until this time Esther and Mordecai probably did not realize why Esther had become queen of Persia. Perhaps they had even sought the position for her from selfish motives. But now it was clear to Mordecai that God had been working behind the scenes. The Lord was directing the affairs of Persia, so that one of his people would be in a position to help Israel in time of peril. Even at this moment, the Lord was not dependent on Esther. All creation is under his control. If Esther failed to use her position to help her people, God would provide another deliverer. His will would be done, with Esther or without her.