Esther 4:3

Esther 4:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

Context of Esther 4:3

1When Mordecai found out about everything that had been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went into the middle of the city and cried loudly and bitterly. 2He even went right up to the king’s gate. (No one could enter it wearing sackcloth.) In every province touched by the king’s command and decree, the Jews went into mourning, fasting, weeping, and wailing. Many put on sackcloth and ashes. 4Esther’s servants and eunuchs came and informed her ⌞about Mordecai⌟. The queen was stunned. She sent clothing for Mordecai to put on in place of his sackcloth, but he refused to accept it. 5Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to serve her. She commanded him to go to Mordecai and find out what was going on and why.

Esther 4:3 word by word

וּבְכָל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה מְקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְדָתוֹ֙ מַגִּ֔יעַ אֵ֤בֶל גָּדוֹל֙ לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְצ֥וֹם וּבְכִ֖י וּמִסְפֵּ֑ד שַׂ֣ק וָאֵ֔פֶר יֻצַּ֖ע לָֽרַבִּֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And in every provinceמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• whithersoeverמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• commandmentדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• and his decreeדָּתdâth · lawH1881
• cameנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
• greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• mourningאֵ֫בֶל'êbel · mourningH60
• among the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
• and fastingצוֹםtsôm tsôm · fastH6685
• and weepingבְּכִיbekîy · weepingH1065
• and wailingמִסְפֵּדmispêd · mourningH4553
• and manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• layיָצַעyatsa‛ · to layH3331
• in sackclothשַׂקώaq · sackclothH8242
• and ashesאֵ֫פֶר'êpher · ashesH665

Cross-references for Esther 4:3

• Esther 1:1In the days of Xerxes the following events took place. This was the same Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Sudan.
• Esther 3:12On the thirteenth day of the first month the king’s scribes were summoned. All Haman’s orders were written to the king’s satraps, the governors of every province, and the officials of every people. They wrote to each province in its own script and to the people in each province in their own language. The orders were signed in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s ring.
• 1 Samuel 4:13When he arrived, Eli was sitting on a chair beside the road, watching. He was worried about the ark of God. The man went into the city to tell the news. The whole city cried out.
• 1 Samuel 11:4The messengers came to Saul’s town, Gibeah. When they told the people the news, the people cried loudly.
• Isaiah 22:4That is why I say, “Turn away from me so that I can cry bitterly. Don’t try to comfort me because of the destruction brought on my people.”
• Isaiah 37:1When King Hezekiah heard the message, he tore his clothes in grief, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the Lord’s temple.
• Matthew 13:42The angels will throw them into a blazing furnace. People will cry and be in extreme pain there.
• Matthew 22:13Then the king told his servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him outside into the darkness. People will cry and be in extreme pain there.’
• Matthew 25:30Throw this useless servant outside into the darkness. People will cry and be in extreme pain there.’
• Isaiah 58:5Is this the kind of fasting I have chosen? Should people humble themselves for ⌞only⌟ a day? Is fasting just bowing your head like a cattail and making your bed from sackcloth and ashes? Is this what you call fasting? Is this an acceptable day to the Lord?
• Daniel 9:3So I turned to the Lord God and looked to him for help. I prayed, pleaded, and fasted in sackcloth and ashes.

Commentaries on Esther 4:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Fasting, and weeping, and wailing - How astonishing, that in all this there is not the slightest intimation given of praying to God!Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3there was great mourning among the Jews: Although these reports of lamenting do not mention God's name, the lamenting and fasting suggest they were praying for God to intervene and save his people (Exodus 2:23–25; Ezra 9:5–15; Daniel 9:1–19).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-141-2. When Mordecai perceived all that was done--Relying on the irrevocable nature of a Persian monarch's decree (Da 6:15), Hamman made it known as soon as the royal sanction had been obtained; and Mordecai was, doubtless, among the first to hear of it. On his own account, as well as on that of his countrymen, this astounding decree must have been indescribably distressing. The acts described in this passage are, according to the Oriental fashion…Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 4:3

• Ashes
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Ashes
• Esther, Book of
• Fast; Fasting

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