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Esther

Chapter 4
1
Phonetic (Hebrew): umaredּoka֗y yada'֙ 'et-kּal-'ashshe֣r na'ashsa֔h vayּiqera֤ maredּokay֙ 'et-bּegada֔yv vayּilebּa֥shsh shsa֖q va'e֑per vayּetze'֙ bּet֣oke ha'i֔yr vayּize'a֛q ze'aqa֥h gedola֖h umaraֽh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.

וּמָרְדֳּכַ֗י יָדַע֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֔ה וַיִּקְרַ֤ע מָרְדֳּכַי֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ שַׂ֖ק וָאֵ֑פֶר וַיֵּצֵא֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֔יר וַיִּזְעַ֛ק זְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה וּמָרָֽה׃

2
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּab֕o 'a֖d lipene֣y shshaֽ'ar-hamּe֑leke kּi֣y 'e֥yn lab֛o 'el-shsha֥'ar hamּe֖leke bּileb֥ushsh shsaֽq׃
Edified Edition (EDE)But he went only as far as the king’s gate, for no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it.

וַיָּב֕וֹא עַ֖ד לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין לָב֛וֹא אֶל־שַׁ֥עַר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בִּלְב֥וּשׁ שָֽׂק׃

3
Phonetic (Hebrew): ubekal-mediyna֣h umediyna֗h meqom֙ 'ashshe֨r dּebar-hamּe֤leke vedato֙ magּi֔y'a 'e֤bel gּadol֙ layּehudi֔ym vetz֥om ubeki֖y umisepּe֑d shsa֣q va'e֔per yutzּa֖ laֽrabּiֽym׃
Edified Edition (EDE)In every province where the king’s order and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

וּבְכָל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה מְקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְדָתוֹ֙ מַגִּ֔יעַ אֵ֤בֶל גָּדוֹל֙ לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְצ֥וֹם וּבְכִ֖י וּמִסְפֵּ֑ד שַׂ֣ק וָאֵ֔פֶר יֻצַּ֖ע לָֽרַבִּֽים׃

4
Phonetic (Hebrew): va֠tּabo'ynah na'ar֨ot 'esetּe֤r vesariyse֨yha֙ vayּagּi֣ydu la֔hּ vatּitechalecha֥l hamּalekּa֖h me'o֑d vatּishshela֨ch bּegadi֜ym lehalebּi֣yshsh 'eֽt-maredּoka֗y ulehasi֥yr shsaqּ֛o me'ala֖yv velo֥ qibּeֽl׃
Edified Edition (EDE)When Esther’s maidservants and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of the sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

וַ֠תָּבוֹאינָה נַעֲר֨וֹת אֶסְתֵּ֤ר וְסָרִיסֶ֨יהָ֙ וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לָ֔הּ וַתִּתְחַלְחַ֥ל הַמַּלְכָּ֖ה מְאֹ֑ד וַתִּשְׁלַ֨ח בְּגָדִ֜ים לְהַלְבִּ֣ישׁ אֶֽת־מָרְדֳּכַ֗י וּלְהָסִ֥יר שַׂקּ֛וֹ מֵעָלָ֖יו וְלֹ֥א קִבֵּֽל׃

5
Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּiqera'֩ 'esetּe֨r lahata֜ke misּariyse֤y hamּe֨leke֙ 'ashshe֣r he'emi֣yd lepane֔yha vatּetzaue֖hu 'aֽl-maredּoka֑y lada֥'at mah-zּe֖h ve'al-mah-zּeֽh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.

וַתִּקְרָא֩ אֶסְתֵּ֨ר לַהֲתָ֜ךְ מִסָּרִיסֵ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶעֱמִ֣יד לְפָנֶ֔יהָ וַתְּצַוֵּ֖הוּ עַֽל־מָרְדֳּכָ֑י לָדַ֥עַת מַה־זֶּ֖ה וְעַל־מַה־זֶּֽה׃

6
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּetze֥ hata֖ke 'eֽl-maredּoka֑y 'el-rech֣ob ha'i֔yr 'ashshe֖r lipene֥y shshaֽ'ar-hamּeֽleke׃
Edified Edition (EDE)So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate.

וַיֵּצֵ֥א הֲתָ֖ךְ אֶֽל־מָרְדֳּכָ֑י אֶל־רְח֣וֹב הָעִ֔יר אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֥י שַֽׁעַר־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

7
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּagּed-l֣o maredּoka֔y 'e֖t kּal-'ashshe֣r qara֑hu ve'e֣t ׀ pּarashsha֣t hakּe֗sep 'ashshe֨r 'ama֤r haman֙ li֠shsheqol 'al-gּineze֥y hamּe֛leke byhvdyym bּayּehudi֖ym le'abּedaֽm׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Mordecai told him everything that had happened, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.

וַיַּגֶּד־ל֣וֹ מָרְדֳּכַ֔י אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָרָ֑הוּ וְאֵ֣ת ׀ פָּרָשַׁ֣ת הַכֶּ֗סֶף אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר הָמָן֙ לִ֠שְׁקוֹל עַל־גִּנְזֵ֥י הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ ביהודיים בַּיְּהוּדִ֖ים לְאַבְּדָֽם׃

8
Phonetic (Hebrew): ve'et-pּateshshe֣gen kּetaֽb-ha֠dּat 'ashsher-nitּa֨n bּeshshushsha֤n lehashshemiydam֙ na֣tan l֔o lehare'֥ot 'et-'esetּe֖r ulehagּi֣yd la֑hּ uletzau֣ot 'ale֗yha lab֨o 'el-hamּe֧leke lehiֽtechanּen-l֛o ulebaqּe֥shsh milּepana֖yv 'al-'amּaֽhּ׃
Edified Edition (EDE)He also gave him a copy of the text of the decree for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her. He told him to urge her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead for her people.

וְאֶת־פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן כְּתָֽב־הַ֠דָּת אֲשֶׁר־נִתַּ֨ן בְּשׁוּשָׁ֤ן לְהַשְׁמִידָם֙ נָ֣תַן ל֔וֹ לְהַרְא֥וֹת אֶת־אֶסְתֵּ֖ר וּלְהַגִּ֣יד לָ֑הּ וּלְצַוּ֣וֹת עָלֶ֗יהָ לָב֨וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ לְהִֽתְחַנֶּן־ל֛וֹ וּלְבַקֵּ֥שׁ מִלְּפָנָ֖יו עַל־עַמָּֽהּ׃

9
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּab֖o hata֑ke vayּagּe֣d le'esetּe֔r 'e֖t dּibere֥y maredּokaֽy׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said.

וַיָּב֖וֹא הֲתָ֑ךְ וַיַּגֵּ֣ד לְאֶסְתֵּ֔ר אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃

10
Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּo֤'mer 'esetּer֙ lahata֔ke vatּetzaue֖hu 'eֽl-maredּokaֽy׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Then she instructed Hathak to say to Mordecai,

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר אֶסְתֵּר֙ לַהֲתָ֔ךְ וַתְּצַוֵּ֖הוּ אֶֽל־מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃

11
Phonetic (Hebrew): kּal-'abede֣y hamּe֡leke ve'am-mediyn֨ot hamּe֜leke yֽode'i֗ym 'ashshe֣r kּal-'i֣yshsh ve'ishshּa֡h 'ashshe֣r yabֽo'-'el-hamּeleke֩ 'el-hechatze֨r hapּeniymi֜yt 'ashshe֣r loֽ'-yiqּare֗ 'acha֤t dּato֙ lehami֔yt le֠bad me'ashshe֨r yֽoshshiyt-l֥o hamּe֛leke 'et-shsharebi֥yt hazּaha֖b vechaya֑h va'ani֗y lo֤ niqere֨'ty֙ lab֣o 'el-hamּe֔leke ze֖h shsheloshshi֥ym yֽom׃
Edified Edition (EDE)"All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned, the king has but one law: that person must be put to death. The only exception is if the king extends the golden sceptre to them so that they may live. But I have not been summoned to come to the king for thirty days."

כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ וְעַם־מְדִינ֨וֹת הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ יֽוֹדְעִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָבֽוֹא־אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ֩ אֶל־הֶחָצֵ֨ר הַפְּנִימִ֜ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵ֗א אַחַ֤ת דָּתוֹ֙ לְהָמִ֔ית לְ֠בַד מֵאֲשֶׁ֨ר יֽוֹשִׁיט־ל֥וֹ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־שַׁרְבִ֥יט הַזָּהָ֖ב וְחָיָ֑ה וַאֲנִ֗י לֹ֤א נִקְרֵ֨אתי֙ לָב֣וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ זֶ֖ה שְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים יֽוֹם׃

12
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּagּi֣ydu lemaredּoka֔y 'e֖t dּibere֥y 'esetּeֽr׃p
Edified Edition (EDE)When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai,

וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לְמָרְדֳּכָ֔י אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י אֶסְתֵּֽר׃פ

13
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֥'mer maredּoka֖y lehashshi֣yb 'el-'esetּe֑r 'al-tּedamּi֣y benapeshshe֔ke lehimּale֥t bּeyt-hamּe֖leke mikּal-hayּehudiֽym׃
Edified Edition (EDE)he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape."

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מָרְדֳּכַ֖י לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶל־אֶסְתֵּ֑ר אַל־תְּדַמִּ֣י בְנַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ לְהִמָּלֵ֥ט בֵּית־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִכָּל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃

14
Phonetic (Hebrew): kּi֣y 'im-hachare֣shsh tּachariyshshiy֮ bּa'e֣t hazּo't֒ re֣vach vehatzּala֞h ya'am֤od layּehudiym֙ mimּaq֣om 'ache֔r ve'a֥tּe ubeyt-'abi֖yke tּo'be֑du umi֣y yode֔'a 'im-le'e֣t kּazo֔'t higּa֖'atּe lamּalekֽut׃
Edified Edition (EDE)"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this [1]?"

כִּ֣י אִם־הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַעֲמ֤וֹד לַיְּהוּדִים֙ מִמָּק֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וְאַ֥תְּ וּבֵית־אָבִ֖יךְ תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ אִם־לְעֵ֣ת כָּזֹ֔את הִגַּ֖עַתְּ לַמַּלְכֽוּת׃

15
Phonetic (Hebrew): vatּo֥'mer 'esetּe֖r lehashshi֥yb 'eֽl-maredּokaֽy׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:

וַתֹּ֥אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֖ר לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֶֽל־מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃

16
Phonetic (Hebrew): leke֩ kּen֨os 'et-kּal-hayּehudi֜ym haֽnּimetze'i֣ym bּeshshushsha֗n vetz֣umu 'a֠lay ve'al-tּo'kel֨u ve'al-tּishshetּ֜u shshelo֤shshet yamiym֙ la֣yelah vay֔om gּam-'ani֥y vena'arota֖y 'atz֣um kּe֑n ubeke֞n 'ab֤o 'el-hamּe֨leke֙ 'ashshe֣r loֽ'-kadּa֔t veka'ashshe֥r 'aba֖detּiy 'abaֽdetּiy׃
Edified Edition (EDE)"Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish [1]."

לֵךְ֩ כְּנ֨וֹס אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בְּשׁוּשָׁ֗ן וְצ֣וּמוּ עָ֠לַי וְאַל־תֹּאכְל֨וּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם־אֲנִ֥י וְנַעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן וּבְכֵ֞ן אָב֤וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־כַדָּ֔ת וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָבַ֖דְתִּי אָבָֽדְתִּי׃

17
Phonetic (Hebrew): vaֽyּa'abo֖r maredּoka֑y vayּa֕'ashs kּeko֛l 'ashsher-tziueta֥h 'ala֖yv 'esetּeֽr׃s
Edified Edition (EDE)So Mordecai went away and did exactly as Esther had instructed him.

וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוְּתָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו אֶסְתֵּֽר׃ס