אֶסְתֵּר

Esther — Chapter 4

Read Esther Chapter 4 in Biblical Hebrew alongside the King James Version (KJV) — 17 verses. Original Hebrew text with vowel points (nikud) and full English translation.

וּמָרְדֳּכַ֗י יָדַע֙ אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֔ה וַיִּקְרַ֤ע מָרְדֳּכַי֙ אֶת בְּגָדָ֔יו וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ שַׂ֖ק וָאֵ֑פֶר וַיֵּצֵ֣א בְת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֗יר וַיִּזְעַ֛ק זְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה וּמָרָֽה׃

KJVWhen 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 bitter cry;

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, crying out with a loud and bitter cry.

וַיָּב֕וֹא עַ֖ד לִפְנֵ֣י שַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין לָ֣בוֹא אֶ֣ל שַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ בִּלְב֣וּשׁ שָֽׂק׃

KJVAnd came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

He went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.

וּבְכָל מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה מְקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דְּבַר הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ וְדָת֣וֹ מַגִּ֗יעַ אֵ֣בֶל גָּד֣וֹל לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְצ֥וֹם וּבְכִ֖י וּמִסְפֵּ֑ד שַׂ֣ק וָאֵ֔פֶר יֻצַּ֖ע לָרַבִּֽים׃

KJVAnd 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.

And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.

וַתָּב֞וֹאנָה נַעֲר֤וֹת אֶסְתֵּר֙ וְסָרִיסֶ֔יהָ וַיַּגִּ֖ידוּ לָ֑הּ וַתִּתְחַלְחַ֤ל הַמַּלְכָּה֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַתִּשְׁלַ֤ח בְּגָדִים֙ לְהַלְבִּ֣ישׁ אֶת מָרְדֳּכַ֔י וּלְהָסִ֥יר שַׂקּ֖וֹ מֵעָלָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א קִבֵּֽל׃

KJVSo Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her, and the queen was exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.

When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

וַתִּקְרָ֤א אֶסְתֵּר֙ לַהֲתָ֔ךְ מִסָּרִיסֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶעֱמִ֖יד לְפָנֶ֑יהָ וַתְּצַוֵּ֙הוּ֙ עַל מָרְדֳּכָ֔י לָדַ֕עַת מַה זֶּ֖ה וְעַל מַה זֶּֽה׃

KJVThen 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.

Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.

וַיֵּצֵ֥א הֲתָ֖ךְ אֶל מָרְדֳּכָ֑י אֶל רְח֣וֹב הָעִ֔יר אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֥י שַׁ֖עַר הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

KJVSo Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.

Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate,

וַיַּגֶּד לוֹ מָרְדֳּכַ֕י אֵ֖ת כָּל אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָרָ֑הוּ וְאֵ֗ת פָּרָשַׁ֤ת הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣ר הָמָ֔ן לִשְׁקֹ֥ל עַל גִּנְזֵ֖י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ בַּיְּהוּדִ֖ים לְאַבְּדָֽם׃

KJVAnd 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.

and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.

וְאֶת פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן כְּתָ֣ב הַדָּ֗ת אֲשֶׁר נִתַּ֤ן בְּשׁוּשָׁן֙ לְהַשְׁמִידָ֔ם נָ֣תַן ל֔וֹ לְהַרְא֖וֹת אֶת אֶסְתֵּ֑ר וּלְהַגִּ֣יד לָ֗הּ וּלְצַוּ֤וֹת עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ לָב֣וֹא אֶל הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְהִֽתְחַנֶּן לּ֥וֹ וּלְבַקֵּ֥שׁ מִלְּפָנָ֖יו עַל עַמָּֽהּ׃

KJVAlso 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.

Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people.

וַיָּב֖וֹא הֲתָ֑ךְ וַיַּגֵּ֣ד לְאֶסְתֵּ֔ר אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃

KJVAnd Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

And Hathach came and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר אֶסְתֵּר֙ לַהֲתָ֔ךְ וַתְּצַוֵּ֖הוּ אֶל מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃

KJVAgain Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;

Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say:

כָּל עַבְדֵ֣י הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ וְעַם מְדִינ֣וֹת הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ יֹדְעִ֡ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּל אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָב֣וֹא אֶל הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֶל הֶחָצֵ֣ר הַפְּנִ֡ימִית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹ֣א יִקָּרֵ֡א אַחַ֣ת דָּת֣וֹ לְהָמִ֣ית לְבַ֡ד מֵאֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹושִׁ֣יט ל֣וֹ הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת שַׁרְבִ֣יט הַזָּ֣הָב וָחָ֑י וַאֲנִ֗י לֹ֥א נִקְרֵ֛אתִי לָב֥וֹא אֶל הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ זֶ֥ה שְׁלוֹשִׁ֖ים יֽוֹם׃

KJVAll 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.

All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.

וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לְמָרְדֳּכָ֔י אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י אֶסְתֵּֽר׃

KJVAnd they told to Mordecai Esther's words.

And they told Mordecai what Esther had said.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מָרְדֳּכַ֖י לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶל אֶסְתֵּ֑ר אַל תְּדַמִּ֣י בְנַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ לְהִמָּלֵ֥ט בֵּית הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִכָּל הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃

KJVThen Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther: Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.

כִּ֣י אִם הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֗ה יַעֲמ֤וֹד לַיְּהוּדִים֙ מִמָּק֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וְאַ֖תְּ וּבֵ֣ית אָבִ֑יךְ תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ אִם לְעֵ֣ת כָּזֹ֔את הִגַּ֖עַתְּ לַמַּלְכֽוּת׃

KJVFor 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?

For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

וַתֹּ֥אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֖ר לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֶל מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃

KJVThen Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai:

לֵ֣ךְ כְּנ֤וֹס אֶת כָּל הַיְּהוּדִים֙ הַנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בְּשׁוּשָׁ֔ן וְצ֣וּמוּ עָלַ֔י וְאַל תֹּאכְל֥וּ וְאַל תִּשְׁתּ֖וּ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם אֲנִ֥י וְנַעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן וּבְכֵ֨ן אָב֣וֹא אֶל הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא כַדָּת֙ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָבַ֔דְתִּי אָבָֽדְתִּי׃

KJVGo, 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.

Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.

וַיַּעֲבֹ֖ר מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר צִוְּתָ֖ה עָלָ֥יו אֶסְתֵּֽר׃

KJVSo Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.