Esther 4:3

And in each and every province, the place where the word of the king, even his law, is coming, the Jews have a great mourning, and fasting, and weeping, and lamenting: sackcloth and ashes are spread for many.

Literal Standard Version

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

2and he comes to the front of the gate of the king, but none is to come to the gate of the king with a sackcloth-garment.

4And young women of Esther come in and her eunuchs, and declare [it] to her, and the queen is exceedingly pained, and sends garments to clothe Mordecai, and to turn aside his sackcloth from off him, and he has not received [them].

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Cross References

1 Samuel 4:13and he comes in, and behold, Eli is sitting on the throne by the side of the way, watching, for his heart has been trembling for the Ark of God, and the man has come into the city and declares [it], and all the city cries out.

Esther 1:1And it comes to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus—he [is] Ahasuerus who is reigning from Hodu even to Cush, one hundred twenty-seven provinces—

Esther 4:16“Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat nor drink three days, by night and by day; also I and my young women fast likewise, and so I go in to the king, that [is] not according to law, and when I have perished—I have perished.”

Job 2:8And he takes to him a potsherd to scrape himself with it, and he is sitting in the midst of the ashes.

Isaiah 22:12And the Lord calls, YHWH of Hosts, || In that day, to weeping and to lamentation, || And to baldness and to girding on of sackcloth,

Isaiah 58:5Is this like the fast that I choose? The day of a man’s afflicting his soul? To bow his head as a reed, || And spread out sackcloth and ashes? Do you call this a fast, || And a desirable day—to YHWH?

Matthew Henry on Esther 4:2-5

Great Mourning among the Jews. ( b. c. 510.) 1 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… Read the whole commentary →

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