Esther 4

Mordecai learns of Haman's decree to annihilate the Jews, tears his clothes, dons sackcloth and ashes (שַׂק וָאֵפֶר), and mourns publicly before the king's gate, prompting widespread Jewish fasting and lamentation. Through the eunuch Hathach, he urges Esther to plead (בָּקַשׁ) with Ahasuerus despite the mortal risk of uninvited approach, warning that silence will not save her and declaring she came to the kingdom 'for such a time as this'; Esther resolves to fast with her maids and the Jews of Shushan for three days, then go to the king, saying 'if I perish (אָבַד), I perish.'

Interlinear Text

Verse 1 וּ/מָרְדֳּכַ֗י 𐤅/𐤌𐤓𐤃𐤊𐤉 umaredokhay and-Mordecai and Mordecai and Mredekhay HC/Np יָדַע֙ 𐤉𐤃𐤏 yada knew he knew HVqp3ms אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et direct object marker object-marker HTo כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal all entirety of HNcmsa אֲשֶׁ֣ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher that that-which HTr נַעֲשָׂ֔ה 𐤍𐤏𐤔𐤄 naasah had-been-done was done HVNp3ms וַ/יִּקְרַ֤ע 𐤅/𐤉𐤒𐤓𐤏 vayiqera and-he-tore he called out HC/Vqw3ms מָרְדֳּכַי֙ 𐤌𐤓𐤃𐤊𐤉 maredokhay Mordecai Mordecai Mredekhay HNp אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et-2 direct object marker object-marker HTo בְּגָדָ֔י/ו 𐤁𐤂𐤃𐤉/𐤅 begadayv his-garments his garments HNcmpc/Sp3ms וַ/יִּלְבַּ֥שׁ 𐤅/𐤉𐤋𐤁𐤔 vayilebash and-he-put-on and he clothed himself HC/Vqw3ms שַׂ֖ק 𐤔𐤒 saq sackcloth coarse sackcloth HNcmsa וָ/אֵ֑פֶר 𐤅/𐤀𐤐𐤓 vaefer and-ashes ashes HC/Ncmsa וַ/יֵּצֵא֙ 𐤅/𐤉𐤑𐤀 vayetse and-he-went-out and he went out HC/Vqw3ms בְּ/ת֣וֹךְ 𐤁/𐤕𐤅𐤊 betokhe in-midst-of in the midst of HR/Ncmsc הָ/עִ֔יר 𐤄/𐤏𐤉𐤓 hair the-city the watchful settlement HTd/Ncfsa וַ/יִּזְעַ֛ק 𐤅/𐤉𐤆𐤏𐤒 vayizeaq and-he-cried and he cried out HC/Vqw3ms זְעָקָ֥ה 𐤆𐤏𐤒𐤄 zeaqah a-cry distress-cry HNcfsa גְדֹלָ֖ה 𐤂𐤃𐤋𐤄 gedolah great great HAafsa וּ/מָרָֽה 𐤅/𐤌𐤓𐤄 umarah and-bitter and bitter HC/Aafsa
Verse 4 וַ֠/תָּבוֹאינָה 𐤅/𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍𐤄 vatavoynah came and they entered HC/Vqw3fp נַעֲר֨וֹת 𐤍𐤏𐤓𐤅𐤕 naarot maidens young women of HNcfpc אֶסְתֵּ֤ר 𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 eseter Esther's Esther Eseter HNp וְ/סָרִיסֶ֨י/הָ֙ 𐤅/𐤎𐤓𐤉𐤎𐤉/𐤄 vesariseyha and her eunuchs and her court officials HC/Ncmpc/Sp3fs וַ/יַּגִּ֣ידוּ 𐤅/𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤃𐤅 vayagidu told and they made known HC/Vhw3mp לָ֔/הּ 𐤋/𐤄 lah her HR/Sp3fs וַ/תִּתְחַלְחַ֥ל 𐤅/𐤕𐤕𐤇𐤋𐤇𐤋 vatitechalechal trembled she writhed violently HC/Vfw3fs הַ/מַּלְכָּ֖ה 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤄 hamalekah the queen the reigning-woman HTd/Ncfsa מְאֹ֑ד 𐤌𐤀𐤃 meod greatly with great force HD וַ/תִּשְׁלַ֨ח 𐤅/𐤕𐤔𐤋𐤇 vatishelach sent and she dispatched HC/Vqw3fs בְּגָדִ֜ים 𐤁𐤂𐤃𐤉𐤌 begadim garments garments HNcmpa לְ/הַלְבִּ֣ישׁ 𐤋/𐤄𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤔 lehalebish to clothe to clothe another HR/Vhc אֶֽת 𐤀𐤕 et [direct object marker] object-marker HTo מָרְדֳּכַ֗י 𐤌𐤓𐤃𐤊𐤉 maredokhay Mordecai Mordecai Mredekhay HNp וּ/לְ/הָסִ֥יר 𐤅/𐤋/𐤄𐤎𐤉𐤓 ulehasir and to remove and to cause to turn aside HC/R/Vhc שַׂקּ֛/וֹ 𐤔𐤒/𐤅 saqo his sackcloth his coarse-cloth sack HNcmsc/Sp3ms מֵ/עָלָ֖י/ו 𐤌/𐤏𐤋𐤉/𐤅 mealayv from upon him from upon him HR/R/Sp3ms וְ/לֹ֥א 𐤅/𐤋𐤀 velo but not and not HC/Tn קִבֵּֽל 𐤒𐤁𐤋 qibel he accepted he accepted HVpp3ms
Verse 8 וְ/אֶת 𐤅/𐤀𐤕 veet and the and object-marker HC/To פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן 𐤐𐤕𐤔𐤂𐤍 pateshegen copy official transcript of HNcmsc כְּתָֽב 𐤊𐤕𐤁 ketav of the document Write! HNcmsc הַ֠/דָּת 𐤄/𐤃𐤕 hadat of the edict the decree HTd/Ncfsa אֲשֶׁר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher which that-which HTr נִתַּ֨ן 𐤍𐤕𐤍 nitan had been given being given HVNp3ms בְּ/שׁוּשָׁ֤ן 𐤁/𐤔𐤅𐤔𐤍 beshushan in Susa in Shushan in Shushan HR/Np לְ/הַשְׁמִידָ/ם֙ 𐤋/𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤃/𐤌 lehashemidam to destroy them to annihilate them HR/Vhc/Sp3mp נָ֣תַן 𐤍𐤕𐤍 natan he gave he gave HVqp3ms ל֔/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo to him HR/Sp3ms לְ/הַרְא֥וֹת 𐤋/𐤄𐤓𐤀𐤅𐤕 lehareot to show to cause to see HR/Vhc אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et it object-marker HTo אֶסְתֵּ֖ר 𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 eseter to Esther Esther Eseter HNp וּ/לְ/הַגִּ֣יד 𐤅/𐤋/𐤄𐤂𐤉𐤃 ulehagid and to tell and to make known HC/R/Vhc לָ֑/הּ 𐤋/𐤄 lah to her HR/Sp3fs וּ/לְ/צַוּ֣וֹת 𐤅/𐤋/𐤑𐤅𐤅𐤕 uletsauot and to command and to command HC/R/Vpc עָלֶ֗י/הָ 𐤏𐤋𐤉/𐤄 aleyha her upon her HR/Sp3fs לָ/ב֨וֹא 𐤋/𐤁𐤅𐤀 lavo to go to come in HR/Vqc אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR הַ/מֶּ֧לֶךְ 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤊 hamelekhe the king the king HTd/Ncmsa לְ/הִֽתְחַנֶּן 𐤋/𐤄𐤕𐤇𐤍𐤍 lehitechanen to make supplication to implore favor HR/Vtc ל֛/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo-2 to him HR/Sp3ms וּ/לְ/בַקֵּ֥שׁ 𐤅/𐤋/𐤁𐤒𐤔 ulevaqesh and to plead and to earnestly seek HC/R/Vpc מִ/לְּ/פָנָ֖י/ו 𐤌/𐤋/𐤐𐤍𐤉/𐤅 milefanayv before him from before his face HR/R/Ncbpc/Sp3ms עַל 𐤏𐤋 al for upon HR עַמָּֽ/הּ 𐤏𐤌/𐤄 amah her people forearm-measure HNcmsc/Sp3fs
Verse 11 כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal All entirety of HNcmsc עַבְדֵ֣י 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉 avedey servants servants of HNcmpc הַ/מֶּ֡לֶךְ 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤊 hamelekhe of the king the king HTd/Ncmsa וְ/עַם 𐤅/𐤏𐤌 veam and the people and a people HC/Ncmsc מְדִינ֨וֹת 𐤌𐤃𐤉𐤍𐤅𐤕 medinot of the provinces governed provinces of HNcfpc הַ/מֶּ֜לֶךְ 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤊 hamelekhe-2 of the king the king HTd/Ncmsa יֽוֹדְעִ֗ים 𐤉𐤅𐤃𐤏𐤉𐤌 yodeim know the knowing ones HVqrmpa אֲשֶׁ֣ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher that that-which HTr כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal-2 any entirety of HNcmsc אִ֣ישׁ 𐤀𐤉𐤔 ish man man HNcmsa וְ/אִשָּׁ֡ה 𐤅/𐤀𐤔𐤄 veishah or woman and a woman HC/Ncfsa אֲשֶׁ֣ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher-2 who that-which HTr יָבֽוֹא 𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤀 yavo comes he comes HVqi3ms אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR הַ/מֶּלֶךְ֩ 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤊 hamelekhe-3 the king the king HTd/Ncmsa אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el-2 into toward HR הֶ/חָצֵ֨ר 𐤄/𐤇𐤑𐤓 hechatser the inner court the enclosure HTd/Ncbsa הַ/פְּנִימִ֜ית 𐤄/𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤕 hapenimit the inner the inner (feminine) HTd/Aafsa אֲשֶׁ֣ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher-3 who that-which HTr לֹֽא 𐤋𐤀 lo is not not HTn יִקָּרֵ֗א 𐤉𐤒𐤓𐤀 yiqare called he will be called HVNi3ms אַחַ֤ת 𐤀𐤇𐤕 achat Eka (Bemba) one one HAcfsa דָּת/וֹ֙ 𐤃𐤕/𐤅 dato law of it his decree HNcfsc/Sp3ms לְ/הָמִ֔ית 𐤋/𐤄𐤌𐤉𐤕 lehamit to put to death to cause to die HR/Vhc לְ֠/בַד 𐤋/𐤁𐤃 levad except apart HR/Ncmsa מֵ/אֲשֶׁ֨ר 𐤌/𐤀𐤔𐤓 measher such to whom from that-which HR/Tr יֽוֹשִׁיט 𐤉𐤅𐤔𐤉𐤈 yoshit extends he will extend HVhi3ms ל֥/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo-2 to him HR/Sp3ms הַ/מֶּ֛לֶךְ 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤊 hamelekhe-4 the king the king HTd/Ncmsa אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et the object-marker HTo שַׁרְבִ֥יט 𐤔𐤓𐤁𐤉𐤈 sharevit scepter royal scepter of HNcmsc הַ/זָּהָ֖ב 𐤄/𐤆𐤄𐤁 hazahav golden the gold HTd/Ncmsa וְ/חָיָ֑ה 𐤅/𐤇𐤉𐤄 vechayah that he may live and he lived HC/Vqq3ms וַ/אֲנִ֗י 𐤅/𐤀𐤍𐤉 vaani Ine (Bemba) but I and I HC/Pp1cs לֹ֤א 𐤋𐤀 lo-3 have not not HTn נִקְרֵ֨אתי֙ 𐤍𐤒𐤓𐤀𐤕𐤉 niqerety been called I was called HVNp1cs לָ/ב֣וֹא 𐤋/𐤁𐤅𐤀 lavo to come to come in HR/Vqc אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el-3 to toward HR הַ/מֶּ֔לֶךְ 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤊 hamelekhe-5 the king the king HTd/Ncmsa זֶ֖ה 𐤆𐤄 zeh these this one HPdxms שְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים 𐤔𐤋𐤅𐤔𐤉𐤌 sheloshim thirty thirty HAcbpa יֽוֹם 𐤉𐤅𐤌 yom days day HNcmsa
Verse 14 כִּ֣י 𐤊𐤉 ki for for/because HC אִם 𐤀𐤌 im if if / whether HC הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ 𐤄𐤇𐤓𐤔 hacharesh you-are-silent to silence HVha תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮ 𐤕𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤔𐤉 tacharishi you-keep-silent you will silence HVhi2fs בָּ/עֵ֣ת 𐤁/𐤏𐤕 baet at-the-time at the appointed time HRd/Ncbsa הַ/זֹּאת֒ 𐤄/𐤆𐤀𐤕 hazot this this one HTd/Pdxfs רֶ֣וַח 𐤓𐤅𐤇 revach relief open relief-space HNcmsa וְ/הַצָּלָ֞ה 𐤅/𐤄𐤑𐤋𐤄 vehatsalah and-deliverance and rescue HC/Ncfsa יַעֲמ֤וֹד 𐤉𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤃 yaamod will-arise he will stand HVqi3ms לַ/יְּהוּדִים֙ 𐤋/𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤉𐤌 layehudim for-the-Jews to the Judahites to Yehudim HRd/Ngmpa מִ/מָּק֣וֹם 𐤌/𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌 mimaqom from-place from a standing-place HR/Ncmsa אַחֵ֔ר 𐤀𐤇𐤓 acher another another (masculine) HAamsa וְ/אַ֥תְּ 𐤅/𐤀𐤕 veate and-you and you HC/Pp2fs וּ/בֵית 𐤅/𐤁𐤉𐤕 uveyt and-house and house of HC/Ncmsc אָבִ֖י/ךְ 𐤀𐤁𐤉/𐤊 avikhe of-your-father her father HNcmsc/Sp2fs תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ 𐤕𐤀𐤁𐤃𐤅 tovedu will-perish you will perish HVqi2mp וּ/מִ֣י 𐤅/𐤌𐤉 umi and-who and who? HC/Ti יוֹדֵ֔עַ 𐤉𐤅𐤃𐤏 yodea knows the knowing one HVqrmsa אִם 𐤀𐤌 im-2 if if / whether HC לְ/עֵ֣ת 𐤋/𐤏𐤕 leet for-time for an appointed time HR/Ncbsa כָּ/זֹ֔את 𐤊/𐤆𐤀𐤕 kazot like-this this (feminine) HR/Pdxfs הִגַּ֖עַתְּ 𐤄𐤂𐤏𐤕 higaate you-have-come you caused to touch HVhp2fs לַ/מַּלְכֽוּת 𐤋/𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤅𐤕 lamalekhut to-the-kingdom to the kingship HRd/Ncfsa
Verse 16 לֵךְ֩ 𐤋𐤊 lekhe Go Go HVqv2ms כְּנ֨וֹס 𐤊𐤍𐤅𐤎 kenos gather to gather together HVqv2ms אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et together object-marker HTo כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal all entirety of HNcmsc הַ/יְּהוּדִ֜ים 𐤄/𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤉𐤌 hayehudim the Jews the Judahites the Yehudim HTd/Ngmpa הַֽ/נִּמְצְאִ֣ים 𐤄/𐤍𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤉𐤌 hanimetseim who are found the ones being found HTd/VNrmpa בְּ/שׁוּשָׁ֗ן 𐤁/𐤔𐤅𐤔𐤍 beshushan in Susa in Shushan in Shushan HR/Np וְ/צ֣וּמוּ 𐤅/𐤑𐤅𐤌𐤅 vetsumu and fast and fast HC/Vqv2mp עָ֠לַ/י 𐤏𐤋/𐤉 alay for me upon me HR/Sp1cs וְ/אַל 𐤅/𐤀𐤋 veal and not and do not HC/Tn תֹּאכְל֨וּ 𐤕𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤅 tokhelu eat you all will eat HVqj2mp וְ/אַל 𐤅/𐤀𐤋 veal-2 nor and do not HC/Tn תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ 𐤕𐤔𐤕𐤅 tishetu drink you will drink HVqj2mp שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת 𐤔𐤋𐤔𐤕 sheloshet three three of HAcmsc יָמִים֙ 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌 yamim days days HNcmpa לַ֣יְלָה 𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 layelah night night HNcmsa וָ/י֔וֹם 𐤅/𐤉𐤅𐤌 vayom and day in the day HC/Ncmsa גַּם 𐤂𐤌 gam also also HTa אֲנִ֥י 𐤀𐤍𐤉 ani Ine (Bemba) I I HPp1cs וְ/נַעֲרֹתַ֖/י 𐤅/𐤍𐤏𐤓𐤕/𐤉 venaarotay and my maidens my young women HC/Ncfpc/Sp1cs אָצ֣וּם 𐤀𐤑𐤅𐤌 atsum will fast mighty HVqi1cs כֵּ֑ן 𐤊𐤍 ken likewise thus HTm וּ/בְ/כֵ֞ן 𐤅/𐤁/𐤊𐤍 uvekhen and so and in this established way HC/R/D אָב֤וֹא 𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤀 avo I will go I will come HVqi1cs אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR הַ/מֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤊 hamelekhe the king the king HTd/Ncmsa אֲשֶׁ֣ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher which that-which HTr לֹֽא 𐤋𐤀 lo not not HTn כַ/דָּ֔ת 𐤊/𐤃𐤕 khadat according to the law according to decree HRd/Ncfsa וְ/כַ/אֲשֶׁ֥ר 𐤅/𐤊/𐤀𐤔𐤓 vekhaasher and as and as/that which HC/R/Tr אָבַ֖דְתִּי 𐤀𐤁𐤃𐤕𐤉 avadeti I perish I have perished HVqp1cs אָבָֽדְתִּי 𐤀𐤁𐤃𐤕𐤉 avadeti-2 I perish I have perished HVqp1cs