Esther 4:11

Esther 4:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
• New International Version (NIV)“All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)"All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.”

Context of Esther 4:11

9Hathach went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him instructions for Mordecai: “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces fully understand that for anyone, man or woman, who approaches the king in the inner courtyard without being summoned, he has one law—that he be put to death, unless the king extends his golden scepter permitting him to live. But I have not been summoned to come to the king for 30 days.” 12So they conveyed Esther’s words to Mordecai. 13Mordecai told them to reply to Esther with this answer, “Do not think in your soul that you will escape in the king’s household more than all the Jews.

Esther 4:11 word by word

כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ וְעַם־מְדִינ֨וֹת הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ יֽוֹדְעִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָבֽוֹא־אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ֩ אֶל־הֶחָצֵ֨ר הַפְּנִימִ֜ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵ֗א אַחַ֤ת דָּתוֹ֙ לְהָמִ֔ית לְ֠בַד מֵאֲשֶׁ֨ר יֽוֹשִׁיט־ל֥וֹ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־שַׁרְבִ֥יט הַזָּהָ֖ב וְחָיָ֑ה וַאֲנִ֗י לֹ֤א נִקְרֵ֙אתי֙ לָב֣וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ זֶ֖ה שְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים יֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• All the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• do knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• that whosoever, whether manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• or womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• shall comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into the innerפְּנִימִיpenîymîy · innerH6442
• courtחָצֵרchâtsêr · courtH2691
• who is not calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• lawדָּתdâth · lawH1881
• to deathמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• exceptבַּדbad · aloneH905
• shall hold outיָשַׁטyâshaţ · to extendH3447
• the goldenזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• sceptreשַׁרְבִֿיטsharbîyţ · scepterH8275
• that he may liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• these thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117

Cross-references for Esther 4:11

• Esther 5:1On the third day, Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance.
• Daniel 2:9that if you do not reveal the dream to me, there is only one verdict for you. You have conspired to say something false and fraudulent, until such a time as things might change. So then, tell me the dream and I will know that you can tell me its meaning.”
• Esther 5:2When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she found favor in his eyes, so the king held out to Esther the golden scepter in his hand and Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter.
• Esther 8:4Then the king extended the golden scepter to Esther, and she arose and stood before the king.
• Esther 1:19If it pleases the king, let a royal commandment go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal status to another who is more worthy than she.
• Esther 2:14In the evening she would go, and in the morning she would return to the second women’s home under the supervision of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, guardian of the concubines. She would not go back to the king unless the king was pleased with her, and summoned her by name.
• 1 Peter 3:7In the same way, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way. Though they are weaker partners, honor them as equal heirs of the grace of life. In this way, your prayers will not be hindered.

Commentaries on Esther 4:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Into the inner court - We have already seen that the Persian sovereigns affected the highest degree of majesty, even to the assuming of Divine honors. No man nor woman dared to appear unveiled before them, without hazarding their lives; into the inner chamber of the harem no person ever entered but the king, and the woman he had chosen to call thither. None even of his courtiers or ministers dared to appear there; nor the most beloved of his concubines…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11The golden scepter - In all the numerous representations of Persian kings at Persepolis the monarch holds a long tapering staff (probably the scepter of Esther) in his right hand. It was death to intrude on the privacy of the Persian king uninvited.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. 11who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death: The king's guards strictly controlled access to him to prevent unwanted guests from wasting his time with minor requests. These were the official court rules, so Esther faced great danger. She likely decided against asking for an audience through a messenger, possibly because she would have to explain her reasons. I have not been summoned to appear before the king…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called--The Persian kings surrounded themselves with an almost impassable circle of forms. The law alluded to was first enacted by Deioces, king of Media, and afterwards, when the empires were united, adopted by the Persians, that all business should be transacted and petitions transmitted to the king through his ministers. Although the restriction was not…Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 4:11

• Readings, Select
• Scepter (Sceptre)

In the dictionaries

• Esther, Book of
• Sceptre; Scepter

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