Tree of Life Version
Esther 4:1
1When Mordecai learned all that was done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city crying out in a loud and bitter voice.
Esther 4:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
- New International Version (NIV)When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
Context of Esther 4:1
When Mordecai learned all that was done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city crying out in a loud and bitter voice. 2He went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one could enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 3In each and every province where the king’s edict and law came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many put on sackcloth and ashes.
Read all of Esther 4Esther 4:1 word by word
וּמָרְדֳּכַ֗י יָדַע֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֔ה וַיִּקְרַ֤ע מָרְדֳּכַי֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ שַׂ֖ק וָאֵ֑פֶר וַיֵּצֵא֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֔יר וַיִּזְעַ֛ק זְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה וּמָרָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When Mordecaiמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782
- perceivedיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- all that was doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- rentקָרַעqâra‛ · to tearH7167
- his clothesבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899
- and put onלָבֵשׁlâbash lâbêsh · to clotheH3847
- sackclothשַׂקώaq · sackclothH8242
- with ashesאֵ֫פֶר'êpher · ashesH665
- and went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- into the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- and criedזָעַקzâ‛aq · to cry outH2199
- with a loudגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- and a bitterמַרmar mârâh · bitterH4751
- cryזְעָקָהza‛aq ze‛âqâh · outcryH2201
Cross-references for Esther 4:1
- Esther 3:8Haman then said to King Ahasuerus: “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws differ from those of every other people and who do not obey the king’s laws. It is not in the king’s interest to tolerate them.
- 2 Samuel 1:11Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men that were with him,
- Job 1:20Then Job got up, tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground and worshiped.
- Jonah 3:4So Jonah began to come into the city for one day’s journey, and he cried out saying: “Another forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown!”
- Acts 14:14But when the emissaries Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out among the crowd, crying out
- Esther 4:3In each and every province where the king’s edict and law came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many put on sackcloth and ashes.
- Joshua 7:6Joshua then tore his clothes and fell to the ground on his face before the ark of Adonai until evening, both he and the elders of Israel, and they put dust on their heads.
- 2 Samuel 13:19Tamar put ashes on her head and rent her long-sleeved garment that was on her. She laid her hand on her head and was crying aloud as she went away.
- Job 2:8He took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.
- Job 42:6Therefore I despise myself, and repent on dust and ashes.”
- Isaiah 58:5Is this the fast I have chosen? A day for one to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and spreading out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to Adonai?
- Ezekiel 27:30They will raise their voices over you and cry bitterly. They will throw up dust on their heads. They will roll themselves in ashes.
- Daniel 9:3So I set my face to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.
- Jonah 3:6When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his robe, covered himself in sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
- Matthew 11:21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have turned long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
- Genesis 27:34When Esau heard his father’s words, he shouted with an intensely bitter groan. Then he said to his father, “Bless me, me too, my father!”
Commentaries on Esther 4:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Mordecai rent his clothes - He gave every demonstration of the most poignant and oppressive grief. Nor did he hide this from the city; and the Greek says that he uttered these words aloud: , A people are going to be destroyed, who have done no evil!Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Jews lament their danger. (1-4) Esther undertakes to plead for the Jews. (5-17) Verses 1-4 Mordecai avowed his relation to the Jews. Public calamities, that oppress the church of God, should affect our hearts more than any private affliction, and it is peculiarly distressing to occasion sufferings to others. God will keep those that are exposed to evil by the tenderness of their consciences.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Mordecai's intense reaction showed deep sorrow and mourning (see 2 Samuel 1:11; Ezra 9; Jonah 3:5–9).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 4:1
In the dictionaries
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
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