Esther 4

1 When Mordecai [a brave Israelite] learned [ascertained by seeing, perceived] of all [everything] that had happened [was done], he tore [rent] his clothes [garments, robe], put on [clothed himself with] sackcloth [coarse cloth, a sign of mourning] and ashes, and went out [came out] into the middle [midst, center] of the city [a place with a wall, a settlement], wailing [crying out, shrieking] loudly [with a great cry] and bitterly [with intense emotional pain, in distress]. word study 2 But he went only as far as the king’s [royal, belonging to the monarch] gate [entrance, doorway], because the law [regulation, rule] prohibited [forbade, did not allow] anyone [no one, not a single person] wearing [clothed in, dressed with] sackcloth [coarse cloth, mourning garment] from entering [coming into, approaching] that gate [entrance, doorway]. word study 3 In every [all, each] province [district, region] to which the king’s [royal, sovereign] command [decree, law] and edict [official order] came, there was great [intense, profound] mourning [lamentation, grief] among the Jews [people of Judah, Israelites]. They fasted [abstained from food, went without eating], wept [cried, lamented], and lamented [wailed, mourned], and many [a large number, numerous] lay in sackcloth [coarse cloth, humble attire] and ashes. word study 4 When Esther’s maidens [young women, female servants] and eunuchs [high-ranking officials, attendants] came and told her about Mordecai, the queen [female ruler, monarch] was overcome with [exceedingly, greatly] distress [grief, pain]. She sent clothes [garments, robes] for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth [coarse cloth, mourning attire], but he would not accept [receive, take] them. word study 5 Then Esther [the brave Jewish queen] summoned Hathach [one of the king’s chamberlains, a high-ranking official], one of the king’s eunuchs [a castrated male, often in charge of the female apartments] appointed to her, and she dispatched him to Mordecai [a brave Israelite who lived during the Exile and Return] to learn [to know, to ascertain by seeing] what was troubling him [what this was, and why it was] and why [for what reason, on account of what]. word study 6 So Hathach [a Persian eunuch, royal servant] went out [to come out, depart] to Mordecai [a brave Israelite, cousin of Esther] in the city square [street, plaza, public area] in front of [before the face, in the presence of] the king’s [royal, monarch’s] gate [entrance, doorway], word study 7 and Mordecai told [declared openly, shared fully] him all [everything, every detail] that had happened [occurred, met him] to him, including [specifically, namely] the exact amount [precise sum, weighed quantity] of money [silver, wealth] that Haman [the enemy of the Jews] had promised [vowed, spoken to pay] to pay into [weigh out to, give to] the royal treasury [the king’s store, the national coffers] in order to destroy [bring to nothing, cause to perish] the Jews [the people of Judah, God’s chosen]. word study 8 Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy [transcript, written document] of the written decree [law, royal command] issued in Susa [the capital city of Persia] for the destruction [annihilation, devastation] of the Jews, to show [to see, look after] and explain [to tell, declare openly] to Esther, urging her to approach [go in, come near] the king, implore [to seek, request] his favor [mercy, kindness], and plead [to make supplication, beg] before him for her people [nation, community]. word study 9 So Hathach [the Persian eunuch, Hatach] went back [returned, came] and relayed [told, declared] Mordecai’s [the brave Israelite] response [words, message] to Esther [the brave Jewish queen]. word study 10 Then Esther [a brave Jewish queen] spoke [to say, to command] to Hathach [a Persian eunuch, a court servant] and instructed [gave a message, commanded] him to tell [to say, to inform] Mordecai [a brave Israelite, her cousin], word study 11 “All [every single one] the royal officials [servants of the king] and the people [nation, citizens] of the king’s provinces [regions, territories] know [are aware, understand] that one law [decree, command] applies to every man or woman [male or female, anyone] who approaches [comes near, enters] the king [ruler, sovereign] in the inner court [private chambers, restricted area] without being summoned [called, invited]—that he be put to death [executed, killed]. Only if the king [ruler, sovereign] extends [stretches out, offers] the gold [valuable, precious] scepter may that person live [survive, be spared]. But I have not been summoned [called, invited] to appear before the king [ruler, sovereign] for the past thirty [a month, a period of time] days [period of twenty-four hours].” word study 12 When Esther’s [brave Jewish queen] words [statements, declarations] were relayed [told, declared openly] to Mordecai [a brave Israelite, her cousin], word study 13 he sent back to her this reply: “Do not [think to yourself] imagine that because you are in the king’s [royal, sovereign] palace you alone [by yourself, isolated] will escape [be delivered, slip away to safety] the fate [destiny, judgment] of all [every, the entire] the Jews [people of Judah, God’s chosen]. word study 14 For if you remain [keep completely] silent [hold your peace] at this time [in this moment, now], relief [rescue, help] and deliverance [salvation, liberation] for the Jews [people of Judah] will arise [come, stand] from another [a different] place [location, source], but you and your father’s house [family, household] will perish [be destroyed, lost]. And who knows [is aware, understands] if perhaps [it may be, whether] you have come [been brought] to the kingdom [royal power, authority] for such a time [occasion, purpose] as this [now, this moment]?” word study 15 Then Esther [the brave Jewish queen] sent [commanded to return, bade them to answer] this reply [answer, message] to [toward, unto] Mordecai [the brave Israelite, her cousin]: word study 16 “Go and assemble [gather, collect] all the Jews [people of Judah, God’s chosen] who can be found [discovered, located] in Susa [Shushan, the royal city], and fast [abstain from food, humble yourselves] for me. Do not [refrain from] eat or drink [consume, partake] for three [a period of testing, a span of time] days, night [a time of darkness, a period of trial] or day, and I and my maidens [young women, female attendants] will fast [deny ourselves, abstain] as you do. After that, I will go [approach, present myself] to the king [the ruler, the sovereign], even though it is against [contrary to, in violation of] the law [the decree, the command]. And if I perish [am destroyed, lose my life], I perish [am lost, succumb]! ” word study 17 So Mordecai [the brave Israelite] went [passed on, transitioned] and did [made, performed] all [everything, the entirety] that Esther [the brave Jewish queen] had instructed [commanded, given orders to] him [upon his responsibility]. word study