Esther 4 – Bible | Equip God’s People

World English Bible Classic

^[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.

King James Version

^[1] When MordecaiH4782 perceivedH3045(QalPerf) all that was done,H6213(NiphPerf) MordecaiH4782 rentH7167(QalImpf) his clothes,H899 and put onH3847(QalImpf) sackclothH8242 with ashes,H665 and went outH3318(QalImpf) into the midstH8432 of the city,H5892 and criedH2199(QalImpf) with a loudH1419 and a bitterH4751 cry;H2201 ^[2] And cameH935(QalImpf) even beforeH6440 the king’sH4428 gate:H8179 for none [might] enterH935(QalInf) into the king’sH4428 gateH8179 clothedH3830 with sackcloth.H8242 ^[3] And in every province,H4082 whithersoeverH4725 the king’sH4428 commandmentH1697 and his decreeH1881 came,H5060(HiphPtc) [there was] greatH1419 mourningH60 among the Jews,H3064 and fasting,H6685 and weeping,H1065 and wailing;H4553 and manyH7227 layH3331(HophImpf) in sackclothH8242 and ashes.H665 ^[4] So Esther’sH635 maidsH5291 and her chamberlainsH5631 cameH935(QalImpf) and toldH5046(HiphImpf) [it] her. Then was the queenH4436 exceedinglyH3966 grieved;H2342(HippImpf) and she sentH7971(QalImpf) raimentH899 to clotheH3847(HiphInf) Mordecai,H4782 and to take awayH5493(HiphInf) his sackclothH8242 from him: but he receivedH6901(PielPerf) [it] not. ^[5] Then calledH7121(QalImpf) EstherH635 for Hatach,H2047 [one] of the king’sH4428 chamberlains,H5631 whom he had appointedH5975(HiphPerf) to attendH6440 upon her, and gave him a commandmentH6680(PielImpf) to Mordecai,H4782 to knowH3045(QalInf) what it [was], and why it [was]. ^[6] So HatachH2047 went forthH3318(QalImpf) to MordecaiH4782 unto the streetH7339 of the city,H5892 which [was] beforeH6440 the king’sH4428 gate.H8179 ^[7] And MordecaiH4782 toldH5046(HiphImpf) him of all that had happenedH7136(QalPerf) unto him, and of the sumH6575 of the moneyH3701 that HamanH2001 had promisedH559(QalPerf) to payH8254(QalInf) to the king’sH4428 treasuriesH1595 for the Jews,H3064 to destroyH6(PielInf) them. ^[8] Also he gaveH5414(QalPerf) him the copyH6572 of the writingH3791 of the decreeH1881 that was givenH5414(NiphPerf) at ShushanH7800 to destroyH8045(HiphInf) them, to shewH7200(HiphInf) [it] unto Esther,H635 and to declareH5046(HiphInf) [it] unto her, and to chargeH6680(PielInf) her that she should go inH935(QalInf) unto the king,H4428 to make supplicationH2603(HithInf) unto him, and to make requestH1245(PielInf) beforeH6440 him for her people.H5971 ^[9] And HatachH2047 cameH935(QalImpf) and toldH5046(HiphImpf) EstherH635 the wordsH1697 of Mordecai.H4782 ^[10] Again EstherH635 spakeH559(QalImpf) unto Hatach,H2047 and gave him commandmentH6680(PielImpf) unto Mordecai;H4782 ^[11] All the king’sH4428 servants,H5650 and the peopleH5971 of the king’sH4428 provinces,H4082 do know,H3045(QalActPtc) that whosoever, whether manH376 or woman,H802 shall comeH935(QalImpf) unto the kingH4428 into the innerH6442 court,H2691 who is not called,H7121(NiphImpf) [there is] oneH259 lawH1881 of his to put [him] to death,H4191(HiphInf) exceptH905 such to whom the kingH4428 shall hold outH3447(HiphImpf) the goldenH2091 sceptre,H8275 that he may live:H2421(QalPerf) but I have not been calledH7121(NiphPerf) to come inH935(QalInf) unto the kingH4428 these thirtyH7970 days.H3117 ^[12] And they toldH5046(HiphImpf) to MordecaiH4782 Esther’sH635 words.H1697 ^[13] Then MordecaiH4782 commandedH559(QalImpf) to answerH7725(HiphInf) Esther,H635 ThinkH1819(PielImpf) not with thyselfH5315 that thou shalt escapeH4422(NiphInf) in the king’sH4428 house,H1004 more than all the Jews.H3064 ^[14] For if thou altogetherH2790(HiphInf) holdest thy peaceH2790(HiphImpf) at this time,H6256 [then] shall there enlargementH7305 and deliveranceH2020 ariseH5975(QalImpf) to the JewsH3064 from anotherH312 place;H4725 but thou and thy father’sH1 houseH1004 shall be destroyed:H6(QalImpf) and who knowethH3045(QalActPtc) whether thou art comeH5060(HiphPerf) to the kingdomH4438 for [such] a timeH6256 as this? ^[15] Then EstherH635 badeH559(QalImpf) [them] returnH7725(HiphInf) MordecaiH4782 [this answer], ^[16] Go,H3212(QalImpv) gather togetherH3664(QalImpv) all the JewsH3064 that are presentH4672(NiphPtc) in Shushan,H7800 and fastH6684(QalImpv) ye for me, and neither eatH398(QalImpf) nor drinkH8354(QalImpf) threeH7969 days,H3117 nightH3915 or day:H3117 I also and my maidensH5291 will fastH6684(QalImpf) likewise; and soH3651 will I goH935(QalImpf) in unto the king,H4428 which [is] not according to the law:H1881 and if I perish,H6(QalPerf) I perish.H6(QalPerf) ^[17] So MordecaiH4782 went his way,H5674(QalImpf) and didH6213(QalImpf) according to all that EstherH635 had commandedH6680(PielPerf) him.

Byzantine Greek New Testament

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