Tree of Life Version
Esther 4:16
16“Go! Gather together all the Jews who are in Shushan and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast in the same way. Afterwards, I will go in to the king, even though it is not according to the law. So if I perish, I perish!”
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 you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place—but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows whether you have attained royal status for such a time as this?” 15Esther sent this to reply to Mordecai, “Go! Gather together all the Jews who are in Shushan and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast in the same way. Afterwards, I will go in to the king, even though it is not according to the law. So if I perish, I perish!” 17So Mordecai left and did all that Esther commanded him.
Read all of Esther 4Esther 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- 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 20:3Jehoshaphat was afraid so he resolved to seek Adonai, and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
- Isaiah 22:12Now in that day, Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot will call for weeping and wailing, for baldness and putting on sackcloth.
- Joel 1:14Consecrate a fast. Proclaim a solemn assembly. Gather elders and all living in the land to the House of Adonai your God, and cry to Adonai.
- Joel 2:12“Yet even now” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and lamenting.”
- 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!”
- 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.
- Matthew 12:40For just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
- Acts 9:9For three days he could not see, and he did not eat or drink.
- Acts 27:33As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have kept waiting and going without food, having taken nothing.
- Genesis 18:19For I have made myself known to him so that he will command his sons and his household after him to keep the way of Adonai by doing righteousness and justice, so that Adonai may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”
- Joshua 24:15If it seems bad to you to worship Adonai, then choose for yourselves today whom you will serve—whether the gods that your fathers worshipped that were beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will worship Adonai!”
- Acts 10:7When the angel speaking to him had left, he called two of his servants and a soldier from among those attached to his command.
- Genesis 43:14May El Shaddai grant you mercy before the man, so that he may release your other brother to you, along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
- 1 Samuel 19:5For he put his life in his hand and killed the Philistine, and Adonai won a great victory for all Israel—you saw it and rejoiced. So why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David without a cause?”
- 2 Samuel 10:12Chazak! And let us take courage for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God, and may Adonai do what is good in His eyes.”
- Luke 9:24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will 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
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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