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Esther 4
New English Translation

Esther Decides to Risk Everything in order to Help Her People

4 Now when Mordecai became aware of all that had been done, he[a] tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went out into the city, crying out in a loud[b] and bitter voice. 2 But he went no farther than the king’s gate, for no one was permitted to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 3 Throughout each and every province where the king’s edict and law were announced[c] there was considerable[d] mourning among the Jews, along with fasting, weeping, and sorrow.[e] Sackcloth and ashes were characteristic[f] of many. 4 When Esther’s female attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her about Mordecai’s behavior,[g] the queen was overcome with anguish. Although she sent garments for Mordecai to put on so that he could remove his sackcloth, he would not accept them. 5 So Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been placed at her service,[h] and instructed him to find out the cause and reason for Mordecai’s behavior.[i] 6 So Hathach went to Mordecai at the plaza of the city in front of the king’s gate. 7 Then Mordecai related to him everything that had happened to him, even the specific amount of money that Haman had offered to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews to be destroyed. 8 He also gave him a written copy of the law that had been disseminated[j] in Susa for their destruction so that he could show it to Esther and talk to her about it. He also gave instructions that she should go to the king to implore him and petition him on behalf of her people. 9 So Hathach returned and related Mordecai’s instructions[k] to Esther.

10 Then Esther replied to Hathach with instructions for Mordecai: 11 “All the servants of the king and the people of the king’s provinces know that there is only one law applicable[l] to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court—that person will be put to death, unless the king extends to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared.[m] Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days.”

12 When Esther’s reply[n] was conveyed to Mordecai, 13 he[o] said to take back this answer to Esther: “Don’t imagine that because you are part of the king’s household you will be the one Jew[p] who will escape. 14 If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear[q] from another source,[r] while you and your father’s household perish. It may very well be[s] that you have achieved royal status[t] for such a time as this!”

15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast on my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I[u] will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law.[v] If I perish, I perish.”

17 So Mordecai set out to do everything that Esther had instructed him.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 4:1 tn Heb “Mordecai.” The pronoun (“he”) was used in the translation for stylistic reasons. A repetition of the proper name here is redundant in terms of contemporary English style.
  2. Esther 4:1 tn Heb “great.”
  3. Esther 4:3 tn Heb “reached” (so NAB, NLT); KJV, NASB, NIV “came”; TEV “wherever the king’s proclamation was made known.”
  4. Esther 4:3 tn Heb “great” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the Jews went into deep mourning.”
  5. Esther 4:3 sn Although prayer is not specifically mentioned here, it is highly unlikely that appeals to God for help were not a part of this reaction to devastating news. As elsewhere in the book of Esther, the writer seems deliberately to keep religious actions in the background.
  6. Esther 4:3 tn Heb “were spread to many”; KJV, NIV “many (+ people NLT) lay in sackcloth and ashes.”
  7. Esther 4:4 tn The words “about Mordecai’s behavior” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in translation for the sake of clarity. Cf. NIV, NLT “about Mordecai”; TEV, CEV “what Mordecai was doing.”
  8. Esther 4:5 tn Heb “whom he caused to stand before her”; NASB “whom the king had appointed to attend her.”
  9. Esther 4:5 tn Heb “concerning Mordecai, to know what this was, and why this was.”
  10. Esther 4:8 tn Heb “given” (so KJV); NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT “issued”; NIV “published”; NAB “promulgated.”
  11. Esther 4:9 tn Heb “the words of Mordecai” (so KJV); NIV, NRSV, CEV “what Mordecai had said”; NLT “with Mordecai’s message.”
  12. Esther 4:11 tn Heb “one is his law”; NASB “he (the king NIV) has but one law”
  13. Esther 4:11 tn Heb “and he will live”; KJV, ASV “that he may live”; NIV “and spare his life.”
  14. Esther 4:12 tn Heb “the words of Esther”; TEV, NLT “Esther’s message.”
  15. Esther 4:13 tn Heb “Mordecai.” The pronoun (“he”) was used in the translation for stylistic reasons. A repetition of the proper name here is redundant in terms of contemporary English style.
  16. Esther 4:13 tn Heb “from all the Jews”; KJV “more than all the Jews”; NIV “you alone of all the Jews.”
  17. Esther 4:14 tn Heb “stand”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT “arise.”
  18. Esther 4:14 tn Heb “place” (so KJV, NIV, NLT); NRSV “from another quarter.” This is probably an oblique reference to help coming from God. D. J. A. Clines disagrees; in his view a contrast between deliverance by Esther and deliverance by God is inappropriate (Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther [NCBC], 302). But Clines’ suggestion that perhaps the reference is to deliverance by Jewish officials or by armed Jewish revolt is less attractive than seeing this veiled reference as part of the literary strategy of the book, which deliberately keeps God’s providential dealings entirely in the background.
  19. Esther 4:14 tn Heb “And who knows whether” (so NASB). The question is one of hope, but free of presumption. Cf. Jonah 3:9.
  20. Esther 4:14 tn Heb “have come to the kingdom”; NRSV “to royal dignity”; NIV “to royal position”; NLT “have been elevated to the palace.”
  21. Esther 4:16 tn Heb “I and my female attendants.” The translation reverses the order for stylistic reasons.
  22. Esther 4:16 tn Heb “which is not according to the law” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “contrary to the law.”
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以斯帖记 4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

末底改求以斯帖帮忙

4 末底改得知这事，就撕裂衣服，披上麻衣，头蒙灰尘，在城中行走，放声痛哭， 2 一直走到宫门前才停住，因为穿麻衣的不可进宫门。 3 王的命令和谕旨传到各省，各地的犹太人极其悲伤，他们禁食、哭泣、哀号，许多人身披麻衣躺在灰中。

4 以斯帖王后的宫女和太监把这事禀告她，她非常难过，便为末底改送去衣服，让他换下麻衣，他却不肯接受。 5 于是，以斯帖把王派来服侍她的一个名叫哈他革的太监召来，叫他去见末底改，查明事情的原委。 6 哈他革就到宫门前的广场见末底改， 7 末底改便将自己的遭遇及哈曼为灭绝犹太人而捐入国库的银子数目都告诉了他。 8 末底改还把一份在书珊城颁布的要消灭犹太人的谕旨抄本交给哈他革，让他给以斯帖看，并嘱咐她去见王，为自己的同胞向王求情。 9 哈他革回去把末底改的话告诉以斯帖。 10 以斯帖便吩咐哈他革回复末底改说： 11 “王的所有臣仆和各省人民都知道有一条法令，不论男女，未蒙宣召擅入内院去见王的必被处死，除非王向他伸出金杖，他才能活命。现在我已有三十天未蒙王召见了。”

12 末底改听到以斯帖捎来的话后， 13 便回复她说：“你别以为在宫里就比其他犹太人安全。 14 如果此时你闭口不语，犹太人必从别处得解脱，蒙拯救，但你和你父亲一家必灭亡。谁知道你得了王后之位不是为了今日之时呢？”

15 以斯帖派人回复末底改说： 16 “你去召集书珊城所有的犹太人为我禁食，三天三夜不吃不喝，我和我的宫女也要这样禁食。然后，我要违例去见王，我若死就死吧。”

17 于是，末底改便去照以斯帖的一切吩咐行事。

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