Esther 4 4

Esther 4:4 kjv

So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.

Esther 4:4 nkjv

So Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them.

Esther 4:4 niv

When Esther's eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

Esther 4:4 esv

When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

Esther 4:4 nlt

When Queen Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it.

Esther 4 verses

Esther 4 4 Meaning

Esther 4:4 depicts Queen Esther's profound distress upon learning of Mordecai's public mourning, her initial attempt to alleviate his suffering by providing him with fresh clothes, and his resolute refusal of this superficial comfort. It marks the first crucial exchange that will initiate Esther's direct engagement with the imminent threat to her people.

Esther 4 4 Context

Esther chapter 4 immediately follows Haman's decree to annihilate all Jews within the Persian Empire. Mordecai, upon learning of this horrific edict, tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth and ashes, and goes into the heart of the city, wailing loudly. This public display of intense grief and mourning serves as a profound protest and a desperate call for attention to the dire predicament. Due to the strict protocol and seclusion within the royal palace, Queen Esther is initially unaware of the specific nature of this distress. Her personal servants and eunuchs, seeing Mordecai's extraordinary lament from afar, report his strange and grievous appearance to her, leading to the scene in Esther 4:4 where her distress and initial, limited attempts to resolve the issue become apparent. Her insulated position means that external realities, particularly unpleasant ones, are often filtered or delivered indirectly.

Esther 4 4 Word analysis

• "Then came her maids" (נערותיה, na'aroteha): Refers to the queen's personal female attendants, typically young and unmarried, who lived within the inner chambers of the palace. Their role was intimate service to the queen, indicating Esther's seclusion and the close relationships within her immediate retinue. They served as primary sources of internal information and emotional support within the strictures of the Persian harem.
• "and her eunuchs" (סריסיה, sariseya): High-ranking royal officials in the Persian court, often holding positions of great trust and influence. They were guardians of the harem and served as crucial intermediaries in palace communication. Their presence highlights the formal and controlled nature of information flow to the queen.
• "and told it her" (ויגידו לה, vayagidu lah): Signifies the formal relaying of important information. Esther's deep confinement within the palace meant news of external events had to be conveyed through trusted channels, reinforcing her initial detachment from the public crisis.
• "and the queen was exceedingly grieved" (ותתחלחל המלכה מאד, vattithallel hamalkeha me'od): The Hebrew word chalchal (חלחל) denotes a profound internal turmoil, signifying being greatly agitated, pained, or even writhing in anguish, often due to great distress or shock. The intensifier "me'od" (מאד), meaning "exceedingly" or "very much," stresses the deep emotional and perhaps physical impact the news had on Esther. It wasn't mere sadness, but a visceral, deeply unsettling feeling. This suggests a powerful bond with Mordecai and an intuitive sensing of great danger.
• "And she sent raiment" (ותשלח בגדים, vattishlach begadim): "Raiment" (beged) refers to outer garments, clothes of social or public significance. This was Esther's immediate, practical, yet somewhat limited response. From her secluded vantage point, removing the sackcloth would alleviate Mordecai's visible distress and restore his dignity or official appearance, which was the superficial problem she could perceive and attempt to remedy.
• "to clothe Mordecai, and to take his sackcloth from off him" (להלביש את מרדכי ולסיר שקו מעליו, l'halbish et Mordekhai ulesir saqo me'alav): This reflects Esther's intention to hide the public sign of his profound grief. Sackcloth was seen as improper attire for a palace official and could draw unwanted attention to both Mordecai and, by extension, to Esther herself. Her aim was to remove the visible symptom of distress, not yet understanding its catastrophic root cause.
• "but he received it not" (ולא קיבל, velo qibel): Mordecai's firm and deliberate refusal. This act is pivotal, signaling his unyielding commitment to his message. He does not seek comfort or superficial covering for his grief; he demands attention and action for the deep-seated, life-threatening decree. His rejection underscores the profound nature of the crisis—it's not merely personal mourning but a desperate protest that cannot be appeased by outward gestures.

Word Group/Phrase Analysis:

• "Her maids and her eunuchs": This combination illustrates Esther's insulated position and the network through which she learns information. It contrasts with Mordecai's raw, public demonstration, highlighting the communication gap that Esther must bridge to truly grasp the peril.
• "Exceedingly grieved": This powerful phrase signifies a deeper connection than merely a relative's concern. It suggests a bond of loyalty and affection between Esther and Mordecai, possibly even a foreboding that the issue was dire and deeply personal to her people. Her inner turmoil would eventually motivate her brave actions.
• "Sent raiment to clothe Mordecai... but he received it not": This exchange represents the initial clash between Esther's limited understanding of the situation and Mordecai's unwavering commitment to exposing the full gravity of the threat. Esther offered a practical but inadequate solution, while Mordecai, through his refusal, forcefully communicated that the issue was not his personal comfort but the existential danger facing all Jews. His action compelled Esther to seek deeper understanding.

Esther 4 4 Bonus section

• Theological Nuance (Implicit): While the book of Esther does not explicitly mention God, Mordecai's unwavering resolve and the severity of his public lament, followed by his later challenge to Esther, can be interpreted as acts of faith. He seems to operate on a profound conviction that deliverance is necessary and possible, implicitly trusting in a divine plan or justice, even in the absence of an overt divine name. His refusal is a manifestation of uncompromised purpose, an attribute often associated with biblical figures demonstrating obedience to a higher call.
• Royal Protocol vs. Urgent Reality: The verse powerfully illustrates the severe limitations imposed by Persian court protocol, even on the queen herself. Esther learns vital information indirectly and tries to solve problems within the accepted boundaries of royal behavior. Mordecai, however, shatters these protocols with his public display and refusal, forcing the gravity of the external threat to penetrate the gilded cage of the palace.
• Preparation for Sacrifice: Mordecai's refusal can be seen as a necessary precursor to Esther's later sacrifice (Esther 4:16). He refuses personal comfort or ease, signaling that the gravity of the situation demands everyone, including the queen, embrace a sacrificial spirit, foreshadowing the immense personal risk she would soon undertake.

Esther 4 4 Commentary

Esther 4:4 is a critical moment where the private, sheltered world of Queen Esther begins to collide with the terrifying public reality. Her initial reaction, profound grief conveyed through her maids and eunuchs, reveals her concern for Mordecai, her loyal guardian. The Hebrew term for "exceedingly grieved" (ותתחלחל מאד) emphasizes a visceral, gut-wrenching anguish, not just polite sorrow. This powerful emotional response signifies the depth of her bond with Mordecai and a potential intuitive understanding that his dramatic display was no ordinary lament.

Her attempt to send him new garments is an understandable yet limited response, indicative of her insulation from the true extent of the decree. She aims to cover the outward manifestation of his suffering—the sackcloth—rather than directly confronting its underlying, catastrophic cause. This gesture reflects the queen's power within her confined sphere: she can offer comfort and restore appearance, but she doesn't yet fully grasp the life-and-death stakes involved.

Mordecai's resolute refusal to accept the clothing is paramount. It signals that his protest is not a personal cry for help or comfort, but a strategic and desperate public appeal that demands attention to the magnitude of the genocidal threat. By rejecting Esther's attempt to normalize his appearance, he ensures that the issue remains glaringly public and that Esther must delve deeper to understand the true source of his profound lament. His steadfastness forces Esther to move beyond superficial solutions towards understanding the terrifying reality, thus setting the stage for her heroic intervention. This refusal marks a pivotal moment, transforming Esther's passive concern into an urgent necessity for active engagement.