Esther 4
New King James Version
Esther Agrees to Help the Jews
4 When Mordecai learned all that had happened, [a]he (A)tore his clothes and put on sackcloth (B)and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He (C)cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 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.
4 So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s gate. 7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and (D)the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. 8 He also gave him (E)a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at [b]Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people. 9 So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into (F)the inner court to the king, who has not been called, (G)he has but one law: put all to death, except the one (H)to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been (I)called to go in to the king these thirty days.” 12 So they told Mordecai Esther’s words.
13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in [c]Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for (J)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; (K)and if I perish, I perish!”
17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded [d]him.
Footnotes
- Esther 4:1 Lit. Mordecai
- Esther 4:8 Or Susa
- Esther 4:16 Or Susa
- Esther 4:17 LXX adds a prayer of Mordecai here
Esteer 4
Somali Bible
Mordekay Oo Ku Qancay Caawimaddii Esteer
4 Haddaba markii Mordekay ogaaday wixii la sameeyey oo dhan ayuu dharkiisii jeexjeexay, dhar joonyad ahna wuu xidhay oo dambas ismariyey, markaasuu magaalada dhex galay oo oohin dheer oo qadhaadh ku qayliyey. 2 Wuxuuna hor yimid boqorka iriddiisa; waayo, ninna iridda boqorka ma geli karayn isagoo dhar joonyad ah qaba. 3 Oo gobol kasta oo qaynuunkii iyo amarkii boqorku gaadhayba waxaa Yuhuuddii ka dhex dhacday baroor weyn, iyo soon, iyo oohin, iyo qaylo; kuwo badanuna dambas bay ku jiifeen iyagoo dhar joonyad ah qaba. 4 Markaasaa Esteer waxaa u yimid oo xaalkaas u soo sheegay gabdhaheedii iyo midiidinnadeedii; kolkaasay boqoraddii aad iyo aad u murugootay; oo Mordekay ayay u sii dirtay dhar uu xidho, waxayna u sheegtay inuu dharkiisii joonyadda ahaa iska furo; laakiinse dharkii ma uu qaadan. 5 Markaasaa Esteer waxay u yeedhay Hatag oo boqorka midiidinnadiisa ka mid ahaa oo uu boqorku u doortay inuu u adeego, oo waxay isagii ku amartay inuu Mordekay u tago oo uu soo ogaado bal waxa xaalkanu ahaa, iyo wuxuu u dhacayba. 6 Sidaas daraaddeed Hatag wuxuu Mordekay ugu tegey magaalada bannaankeedii ka soo hor jeeday boqorka iriddiisa. 7 Markaasaa Mordekay wuxuu isagii u sheegay dhammaan wixii isaga ku dhacay, iyo lacagtii uu Haamaan u ballanqaaday inuu siinayo boqorka khasnadihiisa in Yuhuudda la baabbi'iyo aawadeed. 8 Oo weliba wuxuu isagii u dhiibay naqilka warqaddii oo amarku ku qornaa oo Shuushan lagu faafiyey si Yuhuudda loo wada baabbi'iyo, wuxuuna taas u siiyey inuu Esteer tuso oo uu iyada u warramo, oo wuxuu iyada ku amray inay boqorka u gasho, oo ay barido oo ay isaga hortiisa wax ka weyddiisato dadkeeda aawadiis. 9 Kolkaasaa Hatag yimid oo wuxuu Esteer u sheegay erayadii Mordekay. 10 Dabadeedna Esteer baa la hadashay Hatag oo waxay farriin ugu sii dhiibtay Mordekay oo ku tidhi, 11 Boqorka addoommadiisa oo dhan iyo dadka boqorka gobolladiisa deggan oo dhammu way wada og yihiin in ku alla kii, isagoo aan loo yeedhin, boqorka ugu soo gala barxadda dhexe, ama nin ha ahaado ama naag ha ahaatee, qaynuun baa loo hayaa, waana in isaga la dilo, haddaan boqorku usha dahabka ah fidin, si uu u noolaado aawadeed; laakiinse aniga la iima yeedhin inaan boqorka u soo galo intii soddon maalmood ah. 12 Kolkaasaa Mordekay loo soo sheegay Esteer erayadeedii. 13 Markaasuu Mordekay iyagii jawaab ugu sii dhiibay Esteer, oo wuxuu ku yidhi, Ha moodin inaad adiga qudhaadu guriga boqorka ku baxsan doontid iyadoo aanay Yuhuudda ka baxsan. 14 Waayo, haddaad wakhtigan iska aamustid, waxaa Yuhuudda meel kale uga kici doona furasho iyo samatabbax, laakiinse adiga iyo reerka aabbahaaba waad halligmi doontaan. Bal yaase garanaya inaad wakhtigan oo kale daraaddiis boqortooyada u soo gashay? 15 Markaasaa Esteer waxay iyaga u sheegtay inay Mordekay jawaab ku celiyaan, oo waxay ku tidhi, 16 Tag, oo soo wada ururi Yuhuudda Shuushan joogta oo dhan, oo ii sooma, oo intii saddex maalmood ah, habeen iyo maalin toona, waxba ha cunina, waxna ha cabbina; oo aniga iyo gabdhahayguna sidaas oo kalaan u soomaynaa; oo kolkaasaan boqorka u gelayaa, taasoo aan sharciga waafaqsanayn; oo haddii aan halligmona, waan halligmayaa. 17 Markaasuu Mordekay iska tegey oo sameeyey wax alla wixii Esteer ku amartay oo dhan.
Esther 4
King James Version
4 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;
2 And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
3 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.
4 So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.
7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.
9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;
11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, 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.
12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
14 For 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?
15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
16 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.
17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
© 1979, 2008 Society for International Ministries-Kenya