Esther 4 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Esther Writhes in Anguish

Now Mordecai^H4782 came to know^H3045 of all^H3605 that had been done^H6213. And [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 cried^H2199 out^H2199 loudly^H1419 and bitterly^H4751.

Est 4:2

Est 4:2And he went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth.

Est 4:3

Est 4:3Now in each and every province where the word and law of the king reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many made their bed in sackcloth and ashes.

Est 4:4

Then Esther’s^H635 young^H5291 women^H5291 and her eunuchs^H5631 came^H935 and told^H5046 her, and the queen^H4436 writhed^H2342 in great^H3966 anguish. And she sent^H7971 garments^H899 to clothe^H3847 Mordecai^H4782 and to remove^H5493 his sackcloth^H8242 from upon him, but he did not accept^H6901 them.

Est 4:5

Est 4:5Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom [fn]the king had appointed to attend her, and commanded him to go to Mordecai to know what this was and why it was.

Est 4:6

Est 4:6So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate.

Est 4:7

Est 4:7And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of silver that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries to cause the Jews to perish.

Est 4:8

Est 4:8He also gave him a copy of the written law which had been given in Susa for their destruction, in order to show Esther and to tell her and to command her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to seek him out for her people.

Est 4:9

Then Hathach^H2047 came^H935 back and told^H5046 Mordecai’s^H4782 words^H1697 to Esther^H635.

Est 4:10

Est 4:10Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to reply to Mordecai:

Est 4:11

Est 4:11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out 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.”

Est 4:12

Est 4:12So they told Esther’s words to Mordecai.

Est 4:13

Then Mordecai^H4782 said^H559 for them to respond^H7725 to Esther^H635, “Do not imagine^H1819 that you in the king’s^H4428 [fn]house^H1004 can escape^H4422 any more^H4480 than^H4480 all^H3605 the Jews^H3064.

Est 4:14

Est 4:14“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not reached royalty for such a time as this?”

Esther and the Jews Fast

Est 4:15

Est 4:15Then Esther said for them to respond to Mordecai,

Est 4:16

Est 4:16“Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.”

Est 4:17