The Meaning of Esther 4:3 Explained

Esther 4:3

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.

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

Darby: And 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: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Esther 4:3 Mean?

Study Notes

and many lay
Heb. sackcloth and ashes were laid under many. Isaiah 58:5 ; Daniel 9:3 .

Context Summary

Esther 4:1-17 - Opportunity For Patriotic Devotion
It seemed as if the whole nation would suddenly be cut off to satisfy the hatred of Haman, and Mordecai knew that he had been the cause of the plot. Esther was evidently living in close sympathy with her uncle, though now separated from him. In reply to the demand that she should hazard her life for the people, there was at first a natural reluctance. Was her love for her people greater than her love for herself? In her resolve there was surely something of the great love of Christ. We may be quite sure that God will carry out His plans-with us, if possible; if not, in spite of us, to our utter loss. We should look upon our position as a sacred trust to be used for others. We are created for good works, which God hath prepared for us to walk in. There can be no presumption in action which is preceded by prayer and heart-searching. [source]

Chapter Summary: Esther 4

1  The great mourning of Mordecai and the Jews
4  Esther, understanding it, sends to Mordecai,
7  who shows the cause, and advises her to undertake the suit
10  She, excusing herself, is threatened by Mordecai
15  She, appointing a fast, undertakes the suit

What do the individual words in Esther 4:3 mean?

And in every province and province wherever where command of the king and decree arrived [there was] mourning great among the Jews and with fasting and weeping and wailing in sackcloth and ashes lay many
וּבְכָל־ מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה מְקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דְּבַר־ הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְדָתוֹ֙ מַגִּ֔יעַ אֵ֤בֶל גָּדוֹל֙ לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְצ֥וֹם וּבְכִ֖י וּמִסְפֵּ֑ד שַׂ֣ק וָאֵ֔פֶר יֻצַּ֖ע לָֽרַבִּֽים

וּבְכָל־  And  in  every 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מְדִינָ֣ה  province 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְדִינָה  
Sense: province, district.
וּמְדִינָ֗ה  and  province 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְדִינָה  
Sense: province, district.
מְקוֹם֙  wherever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
דְּבַר־  command 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וְדָתוֹ֙  and  decree 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּת  
Sense: decree, law, edict, regulation, usage.
מַגִּ֔יעַ  arrived 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
אֵ֤בֶל  [there  was]  mourning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵבֶל  
Sense: mourning.
גָּדוֹל֙  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים  among  the  Jews 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: Jew.
וְצ֥וֹם  and  with  fasting 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֹום  
Sense: fast, fasting.
וּבְכִ֖י  and  weeping 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּכִי  
Sense: a weeping, weeping.
וּמִסְפֵּ֑ד  and  wailing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִסְפֵּד  
Sense: wailing.
שַׂ֣ק  in  sackcloth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׂק  
Sense: mesh, sackcloth, sack, sacking.
וָאֵ֔פֶר  and  ashes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵפֶר  
Sense: ashes.
יֻצַּ֖ע  lay 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָצַע  
Sense: to spread out, make a bed.
לָֽרַבִּֽים  many 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.