From the early Church Fathers to now.
1 Jewish · 2 Reformed · 1 Methodist · 1 Catholic
“He sent word to Esther again, saying: Think not that thou mayst save thy life only, because thou art in the king a house, more than all the Jews:”
“Do not imagine to yourself Heb. אַל תְּדַמִי, do not think, like (Num. 33:56) “And it will be, that which I thought (דִמִיתִי).” Do not imagine to yourself; do not think to escape in the king’s palace on the day of the massacre; because you do not wish to imperil yourself now to come to the king without permission.”
“Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer. Which follows, and was sent by the messengers she sent the above to him. Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer. Which follows, and was sent by the messengers she sent the above to him. Esther 4:16 est 4:16 est 4:16 est 4:16Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan,.... To acquaint them with what follows; but not to continue in a body together, which might cause suspicion of an ill design in them; according to the latter Targum, 12,000 chosen priests were found in it; but that must be an exaggeration of their number; it can hardly be thought there were so many Jews in all there: and fast ye for me; that is, pray for her, that she might have courage to go in to the king, and meet with success; for prayer was the principal thing, fasting only an accessory to it, and as fitting for it, and expressive of affliction and humiliation of soul: and neither eat nor drink three days, night nor day; it was to be a continued fast unto the third day; as Aben Ezra interprets it, they were not to eat at evening, but fast two whole days, and two whole nights, until the third day came, on which Esther went in to the king, Est 5:1. I also and my maidens will fast likewise; in the same manner and as long; these maids of honour were either proselytes, perhaps of her making, or Jewish ladies, she being allowed by the king to choose whom she pleased: and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; or "afterwards", or "and then" (d) when they, and she and her maids, had fasted and prayed so long, then she was determined in the strength of the Lord to go into the king's presence with her petition, though it was contrary to law: and if I perish, I perish; signifying, that she readily and cheerfully risked her life for the good of her people; and if such was the pleasure of God, that she should lose it, she was content, and acquiesced in his will, leaving herself entirely in his hands, to dispose of her as he thought fit. (d) "et postea", Noldius, p. 198. No. 899. so the Targum, Sept. "et tune", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "tum", Tigurine version.”
“Think not - that thou shalt escape - This confirms the suspicion that Haman knew something of the relationship between Mordecai and Esther; and therefore he gives her to understand that, although in the king's palace, she should no more escape than the Jews.”
“Only. Aman would contrive to effect her ruin with the rest.”
“Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther--His answer was to this effect, that Esther need not indulge the vain hope she would, from her royal connection, escape the general doom of her race--that he (Mordecai) confidently believed God would interpose, and, if not through her, by some other deliverer, save His people; but that the duty evidently devolved on her, as there was great reason to believe that this was the design of Providence in her elevation to the dignity of queen, and therefore that she should go with a courageous heart, not doubting of success.”
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.