This pressing monition produced its result. Esther returned answer to Mordochai: "Go, gather together all the Jews that are found in Susa, and fast ye for me: I also and my maidens will fast; and so will I go to the king against the law; and if I perish, I perish." Esther resolves to go to the king unsummoned, but begs Mordochai and all the Jews to unite in a three days' fast, during which she and her maidens will also fast, to seek by earnest humiliation God's gracious assistance in the step she proposes to take, for the purpose of averting the threatened destruction of her people. "Though 'God' and 'prayer' are not here mentioned, it is yet obviously assumed that it was before God that the Jews were to humble themselves, to seek His help, and to induce Him to grant it. 1 Kings 21:27-29; Joel 1:14; Jonah 3:5." (Berth.). To designate the strictness of this fasting, the words: "neither eat nor drink," are added. The "three days, night and day," are not to be reckoned as three times twenty-four hours, but to be understood of a fast which lasts till the third day after that on which it begins; for according to Esther 5:1, Esther goes to the king on the third day. Comp. the similar definition of time, Jonah 2:1. The addition "day and night" declares that the fast was not to be intermitted. וּבכן, and in thus, i.e., in this state of fasting. כּדּת לא אשׁר: which is not according to law. לא אשׁר is used, like the Aramaean form לא דּי, in the sense of without (comp. Ewald, 222, c): without according to law equals contrary to law. The last words: "if I perish, I perish," etc., are the expression not of despair, but of resignation, or perfect submission to the providence of God; comp. Genesis 43:14.

Esther 5:4 Parallel Commentaries

If it seem.

Esther 5:8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request...

Proverbs 29:11 A fool utters all his mind: but a wise man keeps it in till afterwards.

the banquet. Mishteh, from shathah, 'to drink,' a compotation, feast, or banquet accompanied with drinking; the drinking in the East being at the beginning, and not at the end of the entertainment. Olearius, describing an entertainment at the Persian court, says, 'The floor of the hall was covered with cotton cloth, which was covered with all sorts of fruits and sweetmeats in basons of gold. With them was served up excellent Shiraz wine. After an hour's time, the sweetmeats were removed, to make way for the more substantial part of the entertainment, such as rice, boiled and roast mutton, etc. When the company had been at table an hour and a half, warm water was brought, in a ewer of gold, for washing; and grace being said, they began to retire without speaking a word, according to the custom of the country.'

Esther 5:8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request...

Esther 3:15 The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace...

Genesis 27:25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless you. And he brought it near to him...

Genesis 32:20 And say you moreover, Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goes before me...

Psalm 112:5 A good man shows favor, and lends: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

1 Corinthians 14:20 Brothers, be not children in understanding: however, in malice be you children, but in understanding be men.