Esther 4 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Esther 4 (WEBP)

[1] Now when Mordecai found out all that was done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, and wailed loudly and bitterly.
[2] He came even before the king’s gate, for no one is allowed inside the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
[3] In every province, wherever 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] Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her this, and the queen was exceedingly grieved. She sent clothing to Mordecai, to replace his sackcloth, but he didn’t receive it.
[5] Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, whom he had appointed to attend her, and commanded him to go to Mordecai, to find out what this was, and why it was.
[6] So Hathach went out to Mordecai, to the city square which was before the king’s gate.
[7] Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
[8] He also gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Susa to destroy them, to show it to Esther, and to declare it to her, and to urge her to go in to the king to make supplication to him, and to make request before him for her people.
[9] Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
[10] Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a message to Mordecai:
[11] “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king might hold out the golden scepter, that he may live. I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
[12] They told Esther’s words to Mordecai.
[13] Then Mordecai asked them to return this answer to Esther: “Don’t think to yourself that you will escape in the king’s house any more than all the Jews.
[14] For if you remain silent now, then relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows if you haven’t come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
[15] Then Esther asked them to answer Mordecai,
[16] “Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
[17] So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Esther 4 (KJVS)

[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 , 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 () 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 () 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 () 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.

Young’s Literal Translation

Esther 4 (YLT)

[1] And Mordecai hath known all that hath been done, and Mordecai rendeth his garments, and putteth on sackcloth and ashes, and goeth forth into the midst of the city and crieth-a cry loud and bitter,
[2] and he cometh in unto the front of the gate of the king, but none is to come in unto the gate of the king with a sackcloth-garment.
[3] And in every province and province, the place where the word of the king, even his law, is coming, a great mourning have the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and lamenting: sackcloth and ashes are spread for many.
[4] And young women of Esther come in and her eunuchs, and declare it to her, and the queen is exceedingly pained, and sendeth garments to clothe Mordecai, and to turn aside his sackcloth from off him, and he hath not received them.
[5] And Esther calleth to Hatach, of the eunuchs of the king, whom he hath stationed before her, and giveth him a charge for Mordecai, to know what this is, and wherefore this is.
[6] And Hatach goeth out unto Mordecai, unto a broad place of the city, that is before the gate of the king,
[7] and Mordecai declareth to him all that hath met him, and the explanation of the money that Haman said to weigh to the treasuries of the king for the Jews, to destroy them,
[8] and the copy of the writing of the law that had been given in Shushan to destroy them he hath given to him, to shew Esther, and to declare it to her, and to lay a charge on her to go in unto the king, to make supplication to him, and to seek from before him, for her people.
[9] And Hatach cometh in and declareth to Esther the words of Mordecai,
[10] and Esther speaketh to Hatach, and chargeth him for Mordecai:
[11] ‘All servants of the king, and people of the provinces of the king, do know that any man and woman, who cometh in unto the king, unto the inner court, who is not called-one law of his is to put them to death, apart from him to whom the king holdeth out the golden sceptre, then he hath lived; and I-I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.’
[12] And they declare to Mordecai the words of Esther,
[13] and Mordecai speaketh to send back unto Esther: ‘Do not think in thy soul to be delivered in the house of the king, more than all the Jews,
[14] but if thou keep entirely silent at this time, respite and deliverance remaineth to the Jews from another place, and thou and the house of thy fathers are destroyed; and who knoweth whether for a time like this thou hast come to the kingdom?’
[15] And Esther speaketh to send back unto Mordecai:
[16] ‘Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat nor drink three days, by night and by day; also I and my young women do fast likewise, and so I go in unto the king, that is not according to law, and when I have perished-I have perished.’
[17] And Mordecai passeth on, and doth according to all that Esther hath charged upon him.