Esther 4 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Esther Learns of Haman’s Plot

1 When Mordecai ^H4782 learned ^H3045 of everything ^H3605 that had been done ^H6213, [fn]he tore ^H7167 his clothes ^H899, put ^H3847 on ^H3847 sackcloth ^H8242 and ashes ^H665, and went ^H3318 out ^H3318 into the midst ^H8432 of the city ^H5892 and wailed ^H2199 H2201 loudly ^H1419 and bitterly ^H4751.

2 And he came ^H935 as far ^H5704 as the king’s ^H4428 gate ^H8179, for no ^H369 one ^H369 was to enter ^H935 the king’s ^H4428 gate ^H8179 clothed ^H3830 in sackcloth ^H8242. 3 In each ^H4082 and every ^H3605 province ^H4082 where ^H4725 H834 the command ^H1697 and decree ^H1881 of the king ^H4428 came ^H5060, there was great ^H1419 mourning ^H60 among the Jews ^H3064, with fasting ^H6685, weeping ^H1065, and mourning ^H4553 rites ^H4553; and many ^H7227 had ^H3331 sackcloth ^H8242 and ashes ^H665 spread ^H3331 out ^H3331 as ^H3331 a ^H3331 bed ^H3331.

4 Then Esther’s ^H635 attendants ^H5291 and her eunuchs ^H5631 came ^H935 and informed ^H5046 her, and the queen ^H4436 was seized ^H2342 by ^H2342 great ^H3966 fear ^H2342. And she sent ^H7971 garments ^H899 to clothe ^H3847 Mordecai ^H4782 so that he would remove ^H5493 his sackcloth ^H8242 from him, but he did not accept ^H6901 them. 5 Then Esther ^H635 summoned ^H7121 Hathach ^H2047 from the king’s ^H4428 eunuchs ^H5631, whom ^H834 [fn]the king had appointed ^H5975 to attend ^H6440 her, and ordered ^H6680 him to go to Mordecai ^H4782 to learn ^H3045 what ^H4100 this ^H2088 mourning was and why ^H4100 it was happening. 6 So Hathach ^H2047 went ^H3318 out ^H3318 to Mordecai ^H4782 in the city ^H5892 square ^H7339, in front ^H6440 of the king’s ^H4428 gate ^H8179. 7 Mordecai ^H4782 told ^H5046 him everything ^H3605 that had happened ^H7136 to him, and the exact ^H6575 amount ^H6575 of money ^H3701 that Haman ^H2001 had promised ^H559 to pay ^H8254 to the king’s ^H4428 treasuries ^H1595 for the elimination ^H6 of the Jews ^H3064. 8 He also gave ^H5414 him a copy ^H6572 of the text ^H3791 of the edict ^H1881 which ^H834 had been issued ^H5414 in Susa ^H7800 for their annihilation ^H8045, so that he might show ^H7200 Esther ^H635 and inform ^H5046 her, and to order ^H6680 her to go ^H935 in ^H935 to the king ^H4428 to implore ^H2603 his favor ^H2603 and plead ^H1245 with him for her people ^H5971.

9 So Hathach ^H2047 came ^H935 back and reported ^H5046 Mordecai’s ^H4782 words ^H1697 to Esther ^H635. 10 Then Esther ^H635 spoke ^H559 to Hathach ^H2047 and ordered ^H6680 him to reply to Mordecai ^H4782: 11 “All ^H3605 the king’s ^H4428 servants ^H5650 and the people ^H5971 of the king’s ^H4428 provinces ^H4082 know ^H3045 that for any ^H3605 man ^H376 or woman ^H802 who ^H834 comes ^H935 to the king ^H4428 in the inner ^H6442 courtyard ^H2691, who ^H834 is not summoned ^H7121, he has only one ^H259 law ^H1881, that he be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191, unless ^{H905 H4480 H834} the king ^H4428 holds ^H3447 out ^H3447 to him the golden ^H2091 scepter ^H8275 so that he may live ^H2421. And I have not been summoned ^H7121 to come ^H935 to the king ^H4428 for these ^H2088 thirty ^H7970 days ^H3117.” 12 And they reported ^H5046 Esther’s ^H635 words ^H1697 to Mordecai ^H4782.

13 Then Mordecai ^H4782 told ^H559 them to reply ^H7725 to Esther ^H635, “Do not imagine ^H1819 that you in the king’s ^H4428 palace ^H1004 can escape ^H4422 any more ^H4480 than ^H4480 all ^H3605 the other Jews ^H3064. 14 For if ^H518 you keep ^H2790 silent ^H2790 at this ^H2088 time ^H6256, liberation ^H7305 and rescue ^H2020 will arise ^H5975 for the Jews ^H3064 from another ^H312 place ^H4725, and you and your father’s ^H1 house ^H1004 will perish ^H6. And who ^H4310 knows ^H3045 whether ^H518 you have not attained ^H5060 royalty ^H4438 for such a time ^H6256 as this ^H2088?”

Esther Plans to Intercede

15 Then Esther ^H635 told ^H559 them to reply ^H7725 to Mordecai ^H4782, 16 “Go ^H1980, gather ^H3664 all ^H3605 the Jews ^H3064 who are found ^H4672 in Susa ^H7800, and fast ^H6684 for me; do not eat ^H398 or drink ^H8354 for three ^H7969 days ^H3117, night ^H3915 or day ^H3117. I and my attendants ^H5291 also ^H1571 will fast ^H6684 in the same ^H3651 way ^H3651. And then ^H3651 I will go ^H935 in ^H935 to the king ^H4428, which ^H834 is not in accordance with the law ^H1881; and if ^H834 I perish ^H6, I perish ^H6.” 17 So Mordecai ^H4782 went ^H5674 away ^H5674 and did ^H6213 just ^H3605 H834 as Esther ^H635 had commanded ^H6680 him.