Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Esther 3-4

The Facts (Chapter number: Verse)

3:13 - Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces, giving orders to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all Jews, you and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.

Esther 4 - Haman has decreed to kill all of the Jews on account of Mordecai. Moredecai learns of this and in his outrage he rends his clothes and puts on sackcloth and ashes. But because he was dressed in sackcloth he could not enter the king's gates. Esther's maids and eunuchs told her about Mordecai and she was greatly distressed and sent garments to clothe him. Mordecai refused the garments. So Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, and ordered him to go see what was wrong with Mordecai. Hathach went to Mordecai and Mordecai told him all that had happened and the exact amount that Haman had offered the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the decree so that he might show it to Esther and charge Esther to go to the king and entreat him for her people.

Mathach went to Esther and told her what Mordecai had said. Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if a man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law - all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days." When Mordecai was told this his reply was, "Do not think that in the king's palace you escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father's family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this." So Esther told Mordecai to gather up all the Jews in Susa and hold a fast on her behalf., and neither eat nor drink for three days and nights. Esther and her maids will fast just as they do. After the fast she will go to the king and either perish or not. So Mordecai went and did everything as Esther told him.

My Comments

Why can't the QUEEN go see the king? Seriously, even the queen herself has to be summoned before she may see the king or she'll be put to death? The hell kind of logic is that?

Although I guess it's not odd for her to have not seen the king in a month since he's apparently got two concubine houses to get women from. No real need to have the queen around more than necessary when you have so many other disposable women to choose from.

Also gotta love how Mordecai practically threatens Esther to risk her life and go see the king. "If you don't go see the king I'm sure us Jews will be fine but you and your family will probably die." And if he's so convinced that the Jews will be saved with or without her help then why is it so important for her to risk her life? Did I mention how stupid it is that the king will apparently kill the queen just for daring to speak to him without him summoning her? Sorry, I just can't get over how stupid that is.

So in essence Esther is told to risk her life to save her and her family's life, not to really save the Jews. Sounds like a really shitty deal, to be honest. But perhaps she has a cunning plan on how to speak to the king without getting her head lopped off? She doesn't seem too confident about it right now but maybe during her fasting she will come up with a plan or God will send messengers to her to aid her in creating a plan? Such suspense!

Friday: Esther 5-6

2 comments:

  1. Yeah Mordecai's a real gem, too. "Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his cousin, for she had neither father nor mother." So his method of coercing the girl he raised is to threaten her and her father's family with death. I guess that means Mordecai is a maternal relation. And Esther was probably raised by the women of the household, but Mordecai will claim the credit. After all, the women of Mordecai's household aren't named, right?

    And why are all the Jews to be killed? Because Mordecai won't kneel or honor a Persian. He'll put Esther through the ringer, but won't bow his own head though it endangers his people.

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  2. That's pretty much exactly it right there. As much as I like his name, Mordecai pretty much comes across as kind of a douchebag.

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