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2018 March 18




Valentine of Milan Mourning her Husband, the Duke of Orleans (1802)
Fleury-Francois Richard (1777-1852)
Romanticism Style; Precursor of the Troubadour Style
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art

     [ Illustration: Today's painting depicts the kind of opulent setting in which Esther would have experienced her personal period of mourning and anxiety evoked by the threat to her and her people. ]



SPECIAL NOTE:

[ I will again be working through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. I will be adding links, resources, images, and the like, upgrading the former work-through which began with the 2013-10-12 posting which can be found, along with the full Genesis to Revelation postings, in the Archive Page. Postings will be at midnight Eastern Time, as I am able. However, no chapters will be skipped, even though a posting may be late. And all postings will be housed in the Archive Page. ]



     Explanation: In Esther 4, Mordecai persuades Esther to attempt to persuade Ahasuerus to deliver the Jewish nation which was in danger of annihilation. This threat caused deep mourning.
     When Mordecai learned about the plot against the Jews (as detailed in the previous chapter) he went into a period of deep mourning, as did the Jews throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus (1-3).
     When Esther learned that Mordecai was in deep mourning, she asked why; and Mordecai told her of the plot against the Jews. He also asked her to plead with the king to protect them from the death and destruction which would soon come upon them. But Esther told Mordecai that she could die for going into the king's presence without being called (4-11).
     Mordecai warned her that she would not escape death, even though she was in the king's household. He told her that deliverance would come to the Jews form another quarter, but she and her household would be destroyed. Esther then told Mordecai to gather the other Jews who were in Shushan and fast three days and nights while she and her maidens did the same. She promised to then go to the king whether she perished or survived (12-17).
     NOTE: Esther (fl. 483-473 B.C.) was contemporary with the following Biblical persons:; Nehemiah (served 445-425 B.C.); Joel (580-450 B.C. -- if this late date applies, rather than a date in the 9th century B.C.); Haggai (520 B.C.); Zechariah (520-518 B.C.); Ezra (538-456 B.C.).


[Traditional Patriarchal Chronology. Judges Period Chronology 1. Judges Period Chronology 2. Kings of Judah and Israel #1. Kings of Judah and Israel #2].

[Post Exile Chronology 1. Post Exile Chronology 2. Post Exile Chronology 3.]

[Prophets Chronology 1. Prophets Chronology 2. Prophets Chronology 3. Prophets Chronology 4.]

[Intertestamental Period Chronology 1. Intertestamental Period Chronology 2. Intertestamental Period Chronology 3.
Intertestamental Period Chronology 4. Intertestamental Period Chronology 5.]

[New Testament Chronology 1. New Testament Chronology 2. New Testament Chronology 3. New Testament Chronology 4. New Testament Chronology 5.]



     [ Sermons: Dominic Smart. Various. ]





RESOURCES

PLEASE NOTE: Use the resources on this and other sites thoughtfully, particularly the commentaries and encyclopedias. I have attempted to list conservative, scholarly resources. However, some providers use liberal or liberal-influenced commentaries such as the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (in Bible Hub). Such commentaries are undoubtedly included by the provider for the wealth of useful information and comments which they provide. By consulting several commentaries, it should be fairly easy to sort out the wheat from the chaff. If, however, you would like personal assistance, write to me at AD LIB ARTS EMAIL.


          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Esther 4: Esther 3].
[1] Esther 3:8-13; Daniel 6:10; Ezra 8:23; Nehemiah 1:4.
[3] Esther 1:1; Esther 3:12.
[7] Esther 3:2-15.
[8] Esther 3:14-15; Esther 2:20; Esther 7:3-4; Esther 8:6.
[11] Esther 5:1-2; Esther 8:4; Esther 1:19; Esther 2:14.
[14] Ezra 9:9; Esther 2:7, 15.
     -- From Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers ]


          [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Micha'el Ben David. Sons of Korah. Fernando Ortega. Janet Isaac Morrison. Music of the Bible Revealed - Suzanne Haik-Vantoura. Dr. David Erb. Gregorian Chants. ]


HARMONY OF THE LAW


John Calvin - CCEL | Analytical Chart - BLB



GOSPEL HARMONIES

Gospel Harmony - Summary | The Harmony of the Gospels - Augustine | Gospel Harmony Chart - Online Bible

Greek Harmony of the Gospels - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF) | Gospel Harmony in English - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF)


HEBREW AND GREEK INTERLINEAR BIBLES


Hebrew and Greek Interlinear Download - Scripture 4 All

Bible Hub Interlinear Hebrew and Greek Bible


Bible Hub Hebrew Interlinear | Scripture 4 All Hebrew Interlinear


Mounce Interlinear | Bible Hub Greek Interlinear | Scripture 4 All Greek Interlinear Bible




Esther Detailed Outline



Esther 4

Map 1: Bible Nations | Map 2: Empire of David and Solomon Map 3: Kingdoms of Judah and Israel | Post Exile Chronology.


3. The Triumph of Esther (4:1 - 10:3)

A. Mordecai Enlists Esther's Help (4:1-17)

     1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2 And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province [province and province], whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
     4 So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. 5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was. 6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate. 7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. 8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people. 9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai; 11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
     12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. 13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer [to reply unto] Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. 14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace [to be silent you are being silent] at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? 15 Then Esther bade them return [return unto] Mordecai this answer, 16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. 17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.


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