Esther 4:16

Esther 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
• New International Version (NIV)“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”

Context of Esther 4:16

14For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? 15Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. 17So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Esther 4:16 word by word

לֵךְ֩ כְּנ֨וֹס אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בְּשׁוּשָׁ֗ן וְצ֣וּמוּ עָ֠לַי וְאַל־תֹּאכְל֨וּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם־אֲנִ֥י וְנַעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן וּבְכֵ֞ן אָב֤וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־כַדָּ֔ת וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָבַ֖דְתִּי אָבָֽדְתִּי׃Read the interlinear

• Goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• gather togetherכָּנַסkânas · to gatherH3664
• all the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
• that are presentמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• in Shushanשׁוּשַׁןshûshan · SusaH7800
• and fastצוּםtsûm · to fastH6684
• ye for me, and neither eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• nor drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• I also and my maidensנַעֲרָהna‛ărâh · maidenH5291
• likewise; and soכֵּןkên · rightH3651
• will I goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• in unto the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• not according to the lawדָּתdâth · lawH1881
• and if I perishאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6

Cross-references for Esther 4:16

• 2 Chronicles 20:3And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek Yhwh, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
• Isaiah 22:12And in that day did the Lord Yhwh of Armies call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
• Joel 1:14Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of Yhwh your God, and cry unto Yhwh,
• Joel 2:12Therefore also now, saith Yhwh, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
• Jonah 3:4And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
• Esther 5:1Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
• Matthew 12:40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
• Acts 9:9And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
• Acts 27:33And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
• Genesis 18:19For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of Yhwh, to do justice and judgment; that Yhwh may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
• Joshua 24:15And if it seem evil unto you to serve Yhwh, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Yhwh.
• Acts 10:7And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
• Genesis 43:14And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
• 1 Samuel 19:5For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, And Yhwh wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
• 2 Samuel 10:12Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: And Yhwh do that which seemeth him good.
• Luke 9:24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Commentaries on Esther 4:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days - What a strange thing, that still we hear nothing of prayer, nor of God! What is the ground on which we can account for this total silence? I know it not. She could not suppose there was any charm in fasting, sackcloth garments, and lying on the ground. If these were not done to turn away the displeasure of God, which seemed now to have unchained their enemies against them, what were they done for? If…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Again the religious element shows itself. Esther‘s fast could have no object but to obtain God‘s favor and protection in the dangerous course on which she was about to enter.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. 16fast for me: Esther was convinced, but she wanted as many Jews as possible to pray for God to save her life. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day: A complete fast without any food or water usually lasted only one day (Leviticus 16:29–31; Judges 20:26). The three-day duration showed the seriousness of the situation and the urgent need for God’s help. I will go to the king, even though it is against the law: Despite the danger, she decided she…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law--The appeal of Mordecai was irresistible. Having appointed a solemn fast of three days, she expressed her firm resolution to make an appeal to the king, though she should perish in the attempt. I ... and my maidens--It is probable that she had surrounded herself with Jewish maidens, or women who were proselytes to that religion.Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 4:16

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Courage
• Decision
• Fasting
• Readings, Select
• Resignation
• Self-Denial
• Shushan (Susa)
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Prayer
• Esther, Book of
• Fast; Fasting
• Feasts and Fasts
• Self-Surrender
• Fasts

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