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Esther 4
New American Standard Bible
Esther 4
New American Standard Bible
Esther Learns of Haman’s Plot
4 When Mordecai learned of (A)everything that had been done, [a]he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. 2 And he came as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 3 In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with (B)fasting, weeping, and mourning rites; and many had sackcloth and ashes spread out as a bed.
4 Then Esther’s attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her, and the queen was seized by great fear. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai so that he would remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom [b]the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this mourning was and why it was happening. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square, in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, and (C)the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the elimination of the Jews. 8 He also gave him (D)a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their annihilation, so that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and plead with him for her people.
9 So Hathach came back and reported Mordecai’s words to Esther. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who (E)comes to the king in the inner courtyard, who is not summoned, (F)he has only one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out (G)to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” 12 And they reported Esther’s words to Mordecai.
13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, liberation and (H)rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
Esther Plans to Intercede
15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; (I)do not eat or drink for (J)three days, night or day. I and my attendants also will fast in the same way. And then I will go in to the king, which is not in accordance with the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.
Footnotes
- Esther 4:1 Lit Mordecai
- Esther 4:5 Lit he
Esther 4
New International Version
Esther 4
New International Version
Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help
4 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes,(A) put on sackcloth and ashes,(B) and went out into the city, wailing(C) loudly and bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate,(D) because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. 3 In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.
6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.(E) 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.
9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned(F) the king has but one law:(G) that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter(H) to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”
12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent(I) at this time, relief(J) and deliverance(K) for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”(L)
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast(M) for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”(N)
17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.
Esther 4
Revised Geneva Translation
Esther 4
Revised Geneva Translation
4 Now when Mordecai perceived all that was done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city and cried with a great and bitter cry.
2 And he came as far as the king’s gate; but he could not enter, being clothed with sackcloth.
3 And in every province and place where the king’s charge and his commission came, there was great sorrow among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and mourning. And many lay in sackcloth and in ashes.
4 Then, Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told it to her. Therefore, the queen was very troubled; and she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so he could remove his sackcloth. But he refused it.
5 Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to serve her and gave him a commandment to go and ask Mordecai what this was and why it was.
6 So, Hathach went out to Mordecai, into the street which was before the king’s gate.
7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and of the sum of the silver that Haman had promised to pay into the King’s treasuries, to destroy the Jews.
8 Also, he gave him the copy of the edict that was given at Shushan (to destroy them), so that he might show it to Esther and inform her, and to charge her that she should go and petition the king and make supplication for her people before him.
9 So, when Hathach came, he told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10 Then, Esther said to Hathach, and commanded him to say to Mordecai,
11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know of the king’s law stating that whoever, man or woman, comes to the king (into the inner court) who has not been called there, shall die. The only exception is him to whom the king holds out the golden rod. He may live. Now I have not been called to come to the king in the last thirty days.”
12 And they told Mordecai of Esther’s words.
13 And Mordecai sent word to Esther, saying, “Don’t think you shall escape any more than the rest of the Jews just because you live in the king’s house.
14 For if you remain silent at this time, comfort and deliverance shall appear to the Jews out of another place. And you and your father’s house shall perish. And who knows whether you have come to power for such a time as this?”
15 Then, Esther commanded an answer to Mordecai,
16 “Go and assemble all the Jews who are found in Shushan, and fast for me. And do not eat or drink for three days and nights. I and my maids will also fast. Then I will go in to the King, which is not according to the law. And if I die, I die.”
17 So, Mordecai went his way and did everything that Esther had commanded him.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)
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