Esther chapter “C”
[This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] The prayer of Mordecai. The prayer of Queen Esther.
This chapter is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Catholic Churches
THE PRAYER OF MORDECAI
VERSE 1. Mordecai prayed to the Lord, making mention of all the works of the Lord.
VERSE 2. He said, “Lord God, you are king ruling over all, for all things are in your power, and there is no one who can oppose you in your purpose to save Israel;
VERSE 3. for you have made the heaven and the earth and every wonderful thing under heaven.
VERSE 4. You are Lord of all, and there is no one who can resist you, Lord.
VERSE 5. You know all things. You know, Lord, that it is not in insolence, nor arrogance, nor love of glory, that I have done this, to refuse to bow down to the arrogant Haman.
it is not in insolence, nor arrogance. Why did Mordecai refuse to bow down to Haman? It was NOT due to arrogance.
VERSE 6. For I would gladly have kissed the soles of his feet for the safety of Israel.
VERSE 7. But I have done this that I might not set the glory of man above the glory of God. I will not worship anyone except you, my Lord, and I will not do these things in arrogance.
not set the glory of man above the glory of God. Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman because he will not commit idolatry.
VERSE 8. And now, O Lord God, the King, the God of Abraham, spare your people, for our enemies are planning our destruction, and they have desired to destroy your ancient inheritance.
VERSE 9. Do not overlook your people, whom you have redeemed for yourself out of the land of Egypt.
VERSE 10. Listen to my prayer. Have mercy on your inheritance and turn our mourning into gladness, that we may live and sing praise to your name, O Lord. Don’t utterly destroy the mouth of those who praise you, O Lord.”
sing praise to your name. Mordecai correlates worship of the LORD God with the singing of praise.
VERSE 11. All Israel cried with all their might, for death was before their eyes.
death was before their eyes. That is, “death was staring them in the face” (NAB translation).
THE PRAYER OF QUEEN ESTHER
VERSE 12. And queen Esther took refuge in the Lord, being taken as it were in the agony of death.
taken as it were in the agony of death. That is, “seized with mortal anguish” (NAB translation).
VERSE 13. Having taken off her glorious apparel, she put on garments of distress and mourning. Instead of grand perfumes she filled her head with ashes and dung. She greatly brought down her body, and she filled every place of her glad adorning with the her tangled hair.
VERSE 14. She implored the Lord God of Israel, and said, “O my Lord, you alone are our king. Help me. I am destitute, and have no helper but you,
VERSE 15. for my danger is near at hand.
VERSE 16. I have heard from my birth, in the tribe of my kindred that you, Lord, took Israel out of all the nations, and our fathers out of all their kindred for a perpetual inheritance, and have done for them all that you have said.
VERSE 17. And now we have sinned before you, and you have delivered us into the hands of our enemies,
VERSE 18. because we honored their gods. You are righteous, O Lord.
VERSE 19. But now they have not been contented with the bitterness of our slavery, but have laid their hands on the hands of their idols
VERSE 20. to abolish the decree of your mouth, and utterly to destroy your inheritance, and to stop the mouth of those who praise you, and to extinguish the glory of your house and your alter,
stop the mouth of those who praise you. Esther correlates worship of the LORD God with the singing of praise.
VERSE 21. and to open the mouth of the Gentiles to speak the praises of vanities, and that a mortal king should be admired forever.
VERSE 22. O Lord, don’t resign your sceptre to them that are not, and don’t let them laugh at our fall, but turn their counsel against themselves, and make an example of him who has begun to injure us.
VERSE 23. Remember us, O Lord, manifest yourself in the time of our affliction. Encourage me, O King of gods, and ruler of all dominion!
Encourage me. That is, “Give me courage” (NAB translation).
VERSE 24. Put harmonious speech into my mouth before the lion, and turn his heart to hate him who fights against us, to the utter destruction of him who agrees with him.
VERSE 25. But deliver us by your hand, and help me who am destitute, and have none but you, O Lord.
VERSE 26. You know all things, and know that I hate the glory of transgressors, and that I abhor the couch of the uncircumcised, and of every stranger.
VERSE 27. You know my necessity, for I abhor the symbol of my proud station, which is upon my head in the days of my splendor. I abhor it as a menstruous cloth, and I don’t wear it in the days of my tranquility.
the symbol of my proud station, which is upon my head. That is, her crown as queen.
VERSE 28. Your handmaid has not eaten at Haman’s table Haman, and I have not honored the banquet of the king, neither have I drunk wine of libations.
VERSE 29. Neither has your handmaid rejoiced since the day of my promotion until now, except in you, O Lord God of Abraham.
NAB translation. From the day I was brought here till now, your handmaid has had no joy except in you, O Lord, God of Abraham.
Compared to the great experience of knowing the LORD God, all else is relatively boring and uninspiring.
VERSE 30. O God, who has power over all, listen to the voice of the desperate, and deliver us from the hand of those who devise mischief. Deliver me from my fear.
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Book of Esther and from the entire Bible.
Deliver me from my fear. For those who are held back by fear, this is a great thing to pray.
ESTHER
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10
Deuterocanonical chapters: [A], [B], [C], [D], [E]
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Esther’s Call to Fast
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.