Esther 4:11

Esther 4:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All 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.
• New International Version (NIV)“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 the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)"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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.”

Context of Esther 4:11

9Hathach came back and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai, saying: “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 without being summoned, he has but one law, that he is to be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And as for me, I have not been summoned to come to the king for these [last] thirty days.” 12So they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews.

Esther 4:11 word by word

כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ וְעַם־מְדִינ֨וֹת הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ יֽוֹדְעִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָבֽוֹא־אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ֩ אֶל־הֶחָצֵ֨ר הַפְּנִימִ֜ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵ֗א אַחַ֤ת דָּתוֹ֙ לְהָמִ֔ית לְ֠בַד מֵאֲשֶׁ֨ר יֽוֹשִׁיט־ל֥וֹ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־שַׁרְבִ֥יט הַזָּהָ֖ב וְחָיָ֑ה וַאֲנִ֗י לֹ֤א נִקְרֵ֙אתי֙ לָב֣וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ זֶ֖ה שְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים יֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• All the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• do knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• that whosoever, whether manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• or womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• shall comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into the innerפְּנִימִיpenîymîy · innerH6442
• courtחָצֵרchâtsêr · courtH2691
• who is not calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• lawדָּתdâth · lawH1881
• to deathמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• exceptבַּדbad · aloneH905
• shall hold outיָשַׁטyâshaţ · to extendH3447
• the goldenזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• sceptreשַׁרְבִֿיטsharbîyţ · scepterH8275
• that he may liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• these thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117

Cross-references for Esther 4:11

• Esther 5:1On the third day [of the fast] Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace opposite his [throne] room. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the [main] entrance of the palace.
• Daniel 2:9If you will not reveal to me the [content of the] dream, there is but one sentence for you; for you have [already] prepared lying and corrupt words [and you have agreed together] to speak [them] before me [hoping to delay your execution] until the situation is changed. Therefore, tell me the dream [first], and then I will know [with confidence] that you can give me its interpretation.”
• Esther 5:2When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she found favor in his sight; and the king extended to her the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter.
• Esther 8:4Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose and stood before the king.
• Esther 1:19If it pleases the king, let a royal command be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of the Persians and Medes so that it cannot be repealed or modified, that Vashti is no longer to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better and more worthy than she.
• Esther 2:14In the evening she would go in and the next morning she would return to the second harem, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and she was summoned by name.
• 1 Peter 3:7In the same way, you husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way [with great gentleness and tact, and with an intelligent regard for the marriage relationship], as with someone physically weaker, since she is a woman. Show her honor and respect as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered or ineffective.

Commentaries on Esther 4:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Into the inner court - We have already seen that the Persian sovereigns affected the highest degree of majesty, even to the assuming of Divine honors. No man nor woman dared to appear unveiled before them, without hazarding their lives; into the inner chamber of the harem no person ever entered but the king, and the woman he had chosen to call thither. None even of his courtiers or ministers dared to appear there; nor the most beloved of his concubines…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11The golden scepter - In all the numerous representations of Persian kings at Persepolis the monarch holds a long tapering staff (probably the scepter of Esther) in his right hand. It was death to intrude on the privacy of the Persian king uninvited.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-17Verses 5-17 We are prone to shrink from services that are attended with peril or loss. But when the cause of Christ and his people demand it, we must take up our cross, and follow him. When Christians are disposed to consult their own ease or safety, rather than the public good, they should be blamed. The law was express, all knew it. It is not thus in the court of the King of kings: to the footstool of his throne of grace we may always come boldly, and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death: The king's guards strictly controlled access to him to prevent unwanted guests from wasting his time with minor requests. These were the official court rules, so Esther faced great danger. She likely decided against asking for an audience through a messenger, possibly because she would have to explain her reasons. I have not been summoned to appear before the king…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called--The Persian kings surrounded themselves with an almost impassable circle of forms. The law alluded to was first enacted by Deioces, king of Media, and afterwards, when the empires were united, adopted by the Persians, that all business should be transacted and petitions transmitted to the king through his ministers. Although the restriction was not…Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 4:11

• Readings, Select
• Scepter (Sceptre)

In the dictionaries

• Esther, Book of
• Sceptre; Scepter
• Sceptre
• scepter

Commentaries on Esther 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings