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 about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail. 2He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning. And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes. 4When Queen Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it. 5Then Esther sent for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been appointed as her attendant. She ordered him to go to Mordecai and find out what was troubling him and why he was in mourning.

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 1:1These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.
• Esther 3:12So on April 17 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king’s highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring.
• 1 Samuel 4:13Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.
• 1 Samuel 11:4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears.
• Isaiah 22:4That’s why I said, “Leave me alone to weep; do not try to comfort me. Let me cry for my people as I watch them being destroyed.”
• Isaiah 37:1When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into the Temple of the Lord.
• Matthew 13:42And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• Matthew 22:13Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
• Matthew 25:30Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
• Isaiah 58:5You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord?
• Daniel 9:3So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with 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