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Esther 4

Esther 4:1 KJV (With Strong’s)

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1
When Mordecai
Mordkay (Hebrew #4782)
Mordecai, an Israelite
KJV usage: Mordecai.
Pronounce: mor-dek-ah'-ee
Origin: of foreign derivation
perceived
yada` (Hebrew #3045)
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.) (as follow)
KJV usage: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), X will be, wist, wit, wot.
Pronounce: yaw-dah'
Origin: a primitive root
all that was done
`asah (Hebrew #6213)
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows)
KJV usage: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.
Pronounce: aw-saw'
Origin: a primitive root
, Mordecai
Mordkay (Hebrew #4782)
Mordecai, an Israelite
KJV usage: Mordecai.
Pronounce: mor-dek-ah'-ee
Origin: of foreign derivation
rent
qara` (Hebrew #7167)
to rend, literally or figuratively (revile, paint the eyes, as if enlarging them)
KJV usage: cut out, rend, X surely, tear.
Pronounce: kaw-rah'
Origin: a primitive root
m his clothes
beged (Hebrew #899)
a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillage
KJV usage: apparel, cloth(-es, ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, X very (treacherously), vesture, wardrobe.
Pronounce: behg'-ed
Origin: from 898
, and put on
labash (Hebrew #3847)
a primitive root; properly, wrap around, i.e. (by implication) to put on a garment or clothe (oneself, or another), literally or figuratively
KJV usage: (in) apparel, arm, array (self), clothe (self), come upon, put (on, upon), wear.
Pronounce: law-bash'
Origin: or labesh {law-bashe'}
sackcloth
saq (Hebrew #8242)
properly, a mesh (as allowing a liquid to run through), i.e. coarse loose cloth or sacking (used in mourning and for bagging); hence, a bag (for grain, etc.)
KJV usage: sack(-cloth, -clothes).
Pronounce: sak
Origin: from 8264
with ashes
'epher (Hebrew #665)
ashes
KJV usage: ashes.
Pronounce: ay'-fer
Origin: from an unused root meaning to bestrew
n, and went out
yatsa' (Hebrew #3318)
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
KJV usage: X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any time, X to (and fro), utter.
Pronounce: yaw-tsaw'
Origin: a primitive root
into the midst
tavek (Hebrew #8432)
a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre
KJV usage: among(-st), X between, half, X (there- ,where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), X out (of), X through, X with(-in).
Pronounce: taw'-vek
Origin: from an unused root meaning to sever
of the city
`iyr (Hebrew #5892)
or ayar (Judges 10:4) {aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
KJV usage: Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
Pronounce: eer
Origin: or (in the plural) par {awr}
, and cried
za`aq (Hebrew #2199)
to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publicly
KJV usage: assemble, call (together), (make a) cry (out), come with such a company, gather (together), cause to be proclaimed.
Pronounce: zaw-ak'
Origin: a primitive root
with a loud
gadowl (Hebrew #1419)
from 1431; great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent
KJV usage: + aloud, elder(-est), + exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.
Pronounce: gaw-dole'
Origin: or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}
and a bitter
mar (Hebrew #4751)
from 4843; bitter (literally or figuratively); also (as noun) bitterness, or (adverbially) bitterly
KJV usage: + angry, bitter(-ly, -ness), chafed, discontented, X great, heavy.
Pronounce: mar
Origin: or (feminine) marah {maw-raw'}
o cry
za`aq (Hebrew #2201)
from 2199; a shriek or outcry
KJV usage: cry(-ing).
Pronounce: zah'-ak
Origin: and (feminine) zoaqah {zeh-aw-kaw'}
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m
2 Sam. 1:11• 11Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: (2 Sam. 1:11)
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Job 1:20• 20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, (Job 1:20)
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Josh. 7:6• 6And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. (Josh. 7:6)
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Ezek. 27:30• 30And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes: (Ezek. 27:30)
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Jonah 3:6• 6For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. (Jonah 3:6)
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Gen. 27:34• 34And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. (Gen. 27:34)

More on:

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Ashes,
Mordecai,
sackcloth

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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1-3:  The great mourning of Mordecai and the Jews.
4-9:  Esther, understanding it, sends to Mordecai, who shews the cause, and advises her to undertake the suit.
10-14:  She excusing herself, is threatened by Mordecai.
15-17:  She appointing a fast, undertakes the suit.
all that.
Esther 3:8‑13• 8And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.
 9If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.
 10And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
 11And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
 12Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.
 13And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. (Esther 3:8‑13)
rent.
2 Sam. 1:11• 11Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: (2 Sam. 1:11)
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Job 1:20• 20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, (Job 1:20)
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Jonah 3:4‑9• 4And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
 5So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
 6For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
 7And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
 8But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
 9Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? (Jonah 3:4‑9)
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Acts 14:14• 14Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, (Acts 14:14)
with ashes.
Esther 4:3• 3And 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. (Esther 4:3)
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Josh. 7:6• 6And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. (Josh. 7:6)
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2 Sam. 13:19• 19And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying. (2 Sam. 13:19)
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Job 2:8• 8And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. (Job 2:8)
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Job 42:6• 6Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. (Job 42:6)
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Isa. 58:5• 5Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? (Isa. 58:5)
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Ezek. 27:30• 30And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes: (Ezek. 27:30)
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Dan. 9:3• 3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: (Dan. 9:3)
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Jonah 3:6• 6For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. (Jonah 3:6)
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Matt. 11:21• 21Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. (Matt. 11:21)
and cried.Mordecai gave every demonstration of the most poignant grief. Nor did he hide this from the city; and the Greek says that he uttered these words aloud:
[Airetai ethnos meden edikekos,] "A people is going to be destroyed who have done no evil."
Gen. 27:34• 34And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. (Gen. 27:34)
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Isa. 15:4• 4And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him. (Isa. 15:4)
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Isa. 22:4• 4Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labor not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people. (Isa. 22:4)
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Ezek. 21:6• 6Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes. (Ezek. 21:6)
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Ezek. 27:31• 31And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing. (Ezek. 27:31)
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Mic. 1:8• 8Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls. (Mic. 1:8)
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Zeph. 1:14• 14The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. (Zeph. 1:14)
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Rev. 18:17‑19• 17For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
 18And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
 19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. (Rev. 18:17‑19)
• "Let us destroy them together" (Psa. 74:8); "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation." Psa. 83:4. How much Mordecai must have suffered at the thought. Should he have done otherwise? Was he not there as representative of the people who should bear testimony of God in this world? No, with a heart filled with anguish he could say, "I can do no different," as was said many centuries later, in a time like ours, by Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms. Mordecai has a single eye; he seeks no arguments to excuse himself for being faithful to God. Would he perhaps give way at the shock of the death warrant? No; even when Haman left the palace where he alone had been invited, with the king, to a banquet given by Esther, the queen, Mordecai refused to pay to the favorite the required homage. (“Chapter 3: Mordecai and Esther” by H.L. Rossier)

J. N. Darby Translation

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And when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his garments, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry,