Esther 4:13-17 – Mordechai Warns Esther

Mordechai learned about Haman’s plot to destroy the Jewish people. He asks Esther to speak to King Ahasuerus.

Esther expresses some hesitation about approaching the king without a formal invitation. Then Mordechai warns her of what will happen.

Let’s begin by looking briefly at each of these verses. At the end of this article I will summarize Malbim’s message about God’s oversight of His world.

Esther 4:13

13. Then Mordechai commanded to answer Esther, “Think not yourself that in the king’s palace you shall escape, any more than all the Jews.

Rashi writes about this verse: You will not escape the day of killing by being in the king’s palace. But you don’t want to endanger yourself now to go to the king without permission even though the outcome is in doubt?

I used a question mark at the end of Rashi’s comment to indicate that Mordechai is puzzled by Esther’s hesitation.

In Esther 4:11, Esther expressed concern that if she approached the king without being summoned, she might be executed.

Mordechai tells Esther that if the rest of the Jews in the kingdom are killed, she also will not survive that massacre. Therefore, she should not hesitate to approach King Ahasuerus now.

Esther 4:14

14. For if you remain silent at this time, then relief and deliverance shall arise for the Jews from another place; but you and your father’s house shall be destroyed. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this?”

And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this? – who knows if the king will desire you in the coming year, at the time of killing? [Rashi]

such a time as this – it was now the month of Nisan and the killing was set for Adar in the coming year [Rashi].

According to Rashi, Mordechai was concerned that Esther didn’t think it was necessary to act now. She thought they had time on their side. He tells her that she cannot assume that her current status as queen and being favored by King Ahasuerus will continue.

We will see a different approach from Malbim in the last section of this article.

Esther 4:15-16

15. Then Esther bade them return Mordechai this answer,
16. “Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night and day; I also and my girls will fast likewise; and so will I go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”

though it is against the law – it is not legal to go to the king without being called [Rashi].

and if I perish, I perish – just as I would perish due to the decree of Haman, so I might perish by the action of Ahasuerus. Esther is not concerned that King Ahasuerus might put her to death, but there is a certainty that she would perish due to Haman’s decree. [Daat Mikra]

According to Daat Mikra, Esther has accepted Mordechai’s warning.

Esther 4:17

17. So Mordechai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

So Mordechai went his way – this is the translation of “va’yavor [root: ayin-bet-reish] Mordechai.”

The Hebrew root ayin-bet-reish is also used to describe a transgression of Jewish law. This leads to Rashi’s comment on the verse:

Mordechai transgressed Jewish law and fasted on the first day of Passover, the 15th of Nisan. The letters by Haman were written on the 13th of Nisan (Esther 3:12). Mordechai and the Jews of Shushan fasted for 3 days on the 14th, 15th, and 16th of Nisan.

Esther 4:13-17 – Malbim Explains

Malbim (on Esther 4:13) teaches us about God’s oversight of the world and His preservation the Jewish people.

Mordechai makes known to Esther several important points.

1. When we see something that departs from the regular and natural, we need to take it to heart that God has done it for some purpose.

Esther was elevated from a low situation (a Jewish exile) to the palace. Since this is not a normal occurrence, it must be it was by the word of God for some purpose.

After we see the widespread threats that came upon the Jewish people, it is clear that God appointed Esther to heal the wound of His people.

2. For every distress that comes on the Jewish people, there is a limited and hidden time prepared for their salvation. These are preparations and factors that He already put into place.

If the Jews are not saved in one way, by necessity God will establish for them a different way of salvation because God does not abandon His people.

3. Every thing that exists not for its own sake, rather for the sake of some other thing or purpose, its continued existence depends on that other thing.

Malbim gives the example of a person who builds a hot house to grow plants and flowers during the winter. What if the owner changes his mind and decides to no longer grow a winter garden? Since the hot house is no longer needed, it will be abandoned and dismantled.

Malbim suggests that Esther should know that her being elevated to be in the palace, was not for her sake, rather for the salvation of the Jewish people.

And Mordechai is telling her that if she rebels and refrains from saving God’s people, then without a doubt God has arranged other less obvious ways to save them.

She should know this: her elevated position was so that through her the salvation could come at this current time. If this time should pass and she would not act, then salvation would come in some other way.

God would not abandon His inheritance to the hand of one woman who has free will to choose good or evil. By necessity there are other causes at God’s disposal. In that case, there would be no need for Esther after that the salvation already came from another place.

Further Reading

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