New American Standard Bible 1995

Esther 4:1-4

1When MordecaiH4782learnedיָדַע֙ya.Da'H3045allכָּל־kol-H3605that had been doneנַעֲשָׂ֔הna.'a.SahH6213,he toreוַיִּקְרַ֤עvai.yik.Ra'H7167his clothesבְּגָדָ֔יוbe.ga.DavH899,putוַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁvai.yil.BashH3847on sackclothשַׂ֖קsakH8242and ashesוָאֵ֑פֶרva.'E.ferH665,and wentוַיֵּצֵא֙vai.ye.Tze'H3318out into the midstבְּת֣וֹךְbe.TokhH8432of the cityהָעִ֔ירha.'IrH5892and wailedוַיִּזְעַ֛קvai.yiz.'AkH2199loudlyגְדֹלָ֖הge.do.LahH1419and bitterlyוּמָרָֽה׃u.ma.RahH4751.

2He wentוַיָּב֕וֹאvai.ya.Vo'H935as farעַ֖ד'adH5704as the king’sהַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428gateשַֽׁעַר־sha.'ar-H8179,for noH369oneH369was to enterלָב֛וֹאla.Vo'H935the king’sהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428gateשַׁ֥עַרSha.'arH8179clothedבִּלְב֥וּשׁbil.VushH3830in sackclothשָֽׂק׃SakH8242.

3In eachמְדִינָ֣הme.di.NahH4082and everyוּבְכָל־u.ve.Khol-H3605provinceוּמְדִינָ֗הu.me.di.NahH4082whereמְקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֨רme.kOm 'a.SherH4725 H834the commandדְּבַר־de.var-H1697and decreeוְדָתוֹ֙ve.da.ToH1881of the kingהַמֶּ֤לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428cameמַגִּ֔יעַma.Gi.a'H5060,there was greatגָּדוֹל֙ga.dOlH1419mourningאֵ֤בֶל'E.velH60among the Jewsלַיְּהוּדִ֔יםlai.ye.hu.DimH3064, withfastingוְצ֥וֹםve.TzomH6685,weepingוּבְכִ֖יu.ve.KhiH1065and wailingוּמִסְפֵּ֑דu.mis.PedH4553;and manyלָֽרַבִּֽים׃La.ra.BimH7227layיֻצַּ֖עyu.Tza'H3331on sackclothשַׂ֣קsakH8242and ashesוָאֵ֔פֶרva.'E.ferH665.

4Then Esther’sאֶסְתֵּ֤ר'es.TerH635maidensנַעֲר֨וֹתna.'a.RotH5291and her eunuchsוְסָרִיסֶ֙יהָ֙ve.sa.ri.Sei.haH5631cameוַ֠תָּבֹאינָהva.te.vo.'ei.nahH935and toldוַיַּגִּ֣ידוּvai.ya.Gi.duH5046her, and the queenהַמַּלְכָּ֖הha.mal.KahH4436writhedוַתִּתְחַלְחַ֥לva.tit.chal.ChalH2342in greatמְאֹ֑דme.'OdH3966anguish. And she sentוַתִּשְׁלַ֨חva.tish.LachH7971garmentsבְּגָדִ֜יםbe.ga.DimH899to clotheלְהַלְבִּ֣ישׁle.hal.BishH3847Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכַ֗יma.re.do.KhaiH4782that he might removeוּלְהָסִ֥ירu.le.ha.SirH5493his sackclothשַׂקּ֛וֹsa.KoH8242from him, but he did not acceptקִבֵּֽל׃ki.BelH6901them.

Read all of Esther 4

Commentaries on Esther 4