Esther 4:10-11
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Esther doesn't just relay a message; she commands Hathach, highlighting her newly discovered authority and the urgency of the situation. This isn't a casual request but a royal directive, showing how Esther has stepped into her power as queen to address a crisis.
Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Esther, queen of Persia, has just learned of a genocidal plot against her people, the Jews, orchestrated by Haman. She had initially refused Mordecai's urgent plea to intervene, citing the law that anyone approaching the king unsummoned would be executed. Now, after Mordecai's firm reply that she might be queen for such a time as this, Esther re-engages the conversation through her attendant. She commands Hathach to relay a specific message back to Mordecai, signaling her willingness to act despite the danger.
Esther is terrified. She knows the penalty for approaching the king unsummoned is death. Yet, a nation's fate hangs in the balance. What drives her fear, and what compels her to act?
A Royal Decree of Death
Esther has just received word from Mordecai: Haman has plotted the annihilation of all Jewish people throughout the Persian empire.
This isn't a distant threat; it's an impending doom, sealed by the king's own signet ring.
Esther's Dilemma
As queen, Esther is uniquely positioned to intervene. But the law is absolute: any approach to the king without being summoned means certain death, unless the king extends his golden scepter. Esther's initial response is fear, a very human and understandable reaction. She knows the stakes are incredibly high, not just for her people, but for her own life.
Esther doesn't go directly to Mordecai. She uses a messenger. Why this indirect approach, and what does it reveal about the social and political realities of her time?
The Role of the Eunuch
Hathach, the eunuch appointed to attend Esther, serves as a vital intermediary. In the Persian court, direct communication between the queen and those outside her immediate circle, especially men like Mordecai who were not part of the inner court, was highly restricted. Eunuchs often acted as trusted messengers and gatekeepers.
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A Layered Message
Esther's command to Hathach isn't just to deliver a message; it's to relay her thoughts and perhaps her inner turmoil to Mordecai. This establishes a chain of communication vital for the unfolding events. It shows that even a queen, with immense influence, still operated within strict protocols and relied on others to relay critical information.
Understand the original words
dath · Hebrew Noun
A formal royal decree or regulation established by a monarch, often implying an unalterable rule or standard. In biblical contexts, it can refer to both human royal edicts and the divine authoritative instruction of God.
sharvit · Hebrew Noun
A rod or staff held by a ruler as a symbol of sovereignty, power, and authority. The extending of it indicates royal favor, mercy, and protection to an individual who has approached the monarch.
Esther's conversation with Hathach is a pivotal moment, occurring within the tense political climate of the Persian court where royal favor was fickle and a deadly decree hung over her people.
c. 483 BC
Xerxes I Reigns as Persian King
Xerxes I inherits the vast Achaemenid Empire, known for his ambitious building projects and military campaigns, including the ill-fated invasion of Greece.
c. 478 BC
Esther Becomes Queen of Persia
After the deposition of Queen Vashti, Esther, a Jewish orphan raised by Mordecai, is chosen by Xerxes to be his new queen, a fact she keeps hidden at Mordecai's counsel.
c. 474 BC
Haman's Rise and Plotting
Haman, a high-ranking official, is promoted by Xerxes. He becomes deeply offended by Mordecai's refusal to bow to him, leading him to plot the destruction of all Jews in the empire.
c. 474 BC
The Pur Plan is Cast
Haman casts lots (Pur) to determine the most auspicious day for the annihilation of the Jewish people, a decree that is officially issued throughout the empire.
c. 474 BC
Mordecai's Plea to Esther
Upon learning of the decree, Mordecai dons sackcloth and ashes, publicly mourns, and sends a message to Esther urging her to intercede with the king.
c. 474 BC— this verse
Esther Seeks Counsel
Esther, initially hesitant due to the extreme danger of approaching the king unsummoned, sends her trusted eunuch Hathach to confer with Mordecai.
Esther's hesitation and need for confirmation before acting highlights the importance of prayer and communication, much like Paul encourages believers not to be anxious but to bring their requests to God.
Proverbs 3:5-6Esther's situation calls for trusting in God's plan even when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, echoing the wisdom of leaning not on our own understanding but acknowledging God in all our ways.
Romans 8:28The unfolding events in Esther's life, though perilous, ultimately serve a greater purpose, reflecting the assurance that God works all things for good for those who love Him.
Matthew 10:16Esther's fear of approaching the king without being summoned, and her subsequent mission, parallels Jesus' warning to his disciples to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves as they face challenging situations.
gillEsther 4:10: "Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;"
Again Esther spake unto Hatach,.... For there was no other way of corresponding and conversing but by an eunuch; the wives of kings being altogether under their watch and care: and gave him commandment unto Mordecai; to go unto him, and what he should say to him from her, which is as follows.
ellicottEsther 4:10: "Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;"
(10) Again. —There is nothing for this in the original, and it would be better to put and, as the statement of Esther 4:10 is clearly continuous with Esther 4:9 .
Esther doesn't just relay a message; she commands Hathach, highlighting her newly discovered authority and the urgency of the situation. This isn't a casual request but a royal directive, showing how Esther has stepped into her power as queen to address a crisis.
Esther, queen of Persia, has just learned of a genocidal plot against her people, the Jews, orchestrated by Haman. She had initially refused Mordecai's urgent plea to intervene, citing the law that anyone approaching the king unsummoned would be executed. Now, after Mordecai's firm reply that she might be queen for such a time as this, Esther re-engages the conversation through her attendant. She commands Hathach to relay a specific message back to Mordecai, signaling her willingness to act despite the danger.
Esther, queen of Persia, has just learned of a genocidal plot against her people, the Jews, orchestrated by Haman. She had initially refused Mordecai's urgent plea to intervene, citing the law that anyone approaching the king unsummoned would be executed. Now, after Mordecai's firm reply that she might be queen for such a time as this, Esther re-engages the conversation through her attendant. She commands Hathach to relay a specific message back to Mordecai, signaling her willingness to act despite the danger.
"Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is…" — Esther doesn't just relay a message; she commands Hathach, highlighting her newly discovered authority and the urgency of the situation. This isn't a casual request but a royal directive, showing h…
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Last reviewed October 2026
