Esther 4:3 web — In every province, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fa…

World English Bible

"In every province, wherever 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, World English Bible

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Esther 4:3 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • ASV

    “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. ”

  • NET

    “Throughout each and every province where the king’s edict and law were announced there was considerable mourning among the Jews, along with fasting, weeping, and sorrow. Sackcloth and ashes were characteristic of many.”

  • DRB

    “And in all provinces, towns, and places, to which the king's cruel edict was come, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, wailing, and weeping, many using sackcloth and ashes for their bed.”

  • BBE

    “And in every part of the kingdom, wherever the king's word and his order came, there was great sorrow among the Jews, and weeping and crying and going without food; and numbers of them were stretched on the earth covered with dust and haircloth.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

Esther 4 — Context

1

Now when Mordecai found out all that was done, Mordecai tore his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and wailed loudly and a bitterly.

2

He came even before the king's gate, for no one is allowed inside the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

3

In every province, wherever 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.

4

Esther's maidens and her eunuchs came and told her this, and the queen was exceedingly grieved. She sent clothing to Mordecai, to replace his sackcloth; but he didn't receive it.

5

Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, whom he had appointed to attend her, and commanded him to go to Mordecai, to find out what this was, and why it was.

6

So Hathach went out to Mordecai, to city square which was before the king's gate.

Esther 4:3 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Esther 4:3 say?
Esther 4:3 in the World English Bible reads: “In every province, wherever 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.”
Where is Esther 4:3 in the Bible?
Esther 4:3 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Esther, chapter 4, verse 3.
Who wrote Esther?
Esther is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Mordecai). It was written c. 460–400 BC.
What is the book of Esther about?
Esther tells how a Jewish orphan becomes queen of Persia and risks her life to save her people from genocide. Though God's name is never mentioned, his unseen providence is woven through every reversal — and the Jewish festival of Purim still celebrates the deliverance.
What are the major themes of Esther?
Esther explores themes including Providence, Courage, Deliverance, Identity, Reversal. These themes shape the meaning and context of Esther 4:3.
What translation should I read Esther 4:3 in?
Esther 4:3 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Esther 4:3?
Esther 4:3 reads (WEB): “In every province, wherever 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.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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