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 learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. 2He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes. 4Then Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. 5Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.

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

• In eachמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• and everyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• whereמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• whereאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• the commandדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• and decreeדָּתdâth · lawH1881
• of the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• cameנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
• there was greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• mourningאֵ֫בֶל'êbel · mourningH60
• among the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
• fastingצוֹםtsôm tsôm · fastH6685
• weepingבְּכִיbekîy · weepingH1065
• and wailingמִסְפֵּדmispêd · mourningH4553
• and manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• layיָצַעyatsa‛ · to layH3331
• on sackclothשַׂקώaq · sackclothH8242
• and ashesאֵ֫פֶר'êpher · ashesH665

Cross-references for Esther 4:3

• Esther 1:1Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces,
• Esther 3:12Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring.
• 1 Samuel 4:13When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road eagerly watching, because his heart was trembling for the ark of God. So the man came to tell it in the city, and all the city cried out.
• 1 Samuel 11:4Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people lifted up their voices and wept.
• Isaiah 22:4Therefore I say, “Turn your eyes away from me, Let me weep bitterly, Do not try to comfort me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.”
• Isaiah 37:1And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of the Lord.
• Matthew 13:42and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• Matthew 22:13Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
• Matthew 25:30Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• Isaiah 58:5Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord?
• Daniel 9:3So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, 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