Esther 4:14
in Esther 4For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father’s house will perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
KJV
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
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This verse in Esther 4
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThen shall there enlargement and deliverance arise - He had a confidence that deliverance would come by some means; and he thought that Esther would be the most likely; and that, if she did not use the influence which her providential station gave her, she would be highly culpable. And who knoweth whether thou art come - As if he had said, “Is it likely that Divine providence would have so distinguished thee, and raised thee from a state of abject obscurity, merely for thy own sake? Must it not have been on some public account!
This site's exposition
he sent back to her
on Esther 4:13-14
Mordecai answers that relief "will arise from another place" if she stays silent. He ends, "who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Most of the older commentators, with the Targums, read another place as a veiled reference to God.
This site's exposition
For if you remain silent at this time
Barnes reads the warning that Esther and her father’s house will perish as judgment on a duty neglected. Spurgeon applied the verse to every believer and church, each placed where it stands for such a time. Henry calls Mordecai’s certainty of deliverance strong faith.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
From another place - This was the language of strong faith, against hope believing in hope. Who knoweth - It is probable God hath raised thee to this honour for this very season. We should every one of us consider, for what end God has put us in the place where we are?
"If thou shouldst decline the service, enlargement and deliverance will arise to the Jews from another place. " This was the language of a strong faith, which staggered not at the promise when the danger was most threatening, but against hope believed in hope. Instruments may fail, but God's covenant will not.
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
THE appeal of Mordecai in his pressing time of distress was to one single person, namely, to Esther. I believe that I shall do better this morning by making my sermon an address to individuals than by speaking of nations or Churches. I assuredly believe that England has been raised up as a nation and brought to her present unique position that she may be the means of spreading the Gospel throughout all the nations of the earth.
THE appeal of Mordecai in his pressing time of distress was to one single person, namely, to Esther. I believe that I shall do better this morning by making my sermon an address to individuals than by speaking of nations or Churches. I assuredly believe that England has been raised up as a nation and brought to her present unique position that she may be the means of spreading the Gospel throughout all the nations of the earth. I judge that God has blessed the two great nations of the Anglo-Saxon race—England and the United States—and given them pre-eminence in commerce and in liberty on purpose, that in such a time as this they may spread abroad the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Woe to these nations if they fail to fulfill their solemn obligations! If, being raised up for a purpose, they refuse to perform it, they shall melt away. If, being armed and carrying bows, they turn back in the day of battle, both empires will perish as surely as did the power of Macedon and the dominion of Rome. We ought to be very careful as a people to act upon the rule of righteousness and the principles of peace, for any other conduct is inconsistent with our high calling. We are entrusted with great opportunities—if we do not rightly use them, the New Zealander of Macaulay may yet survey the ruins of this empire city. "You and your father's house shall be destroyed," said Mordecai to Esther, and he says the same to us! Oh, that England may know the day of her visitation! We might properly say of any Christian Church that it has its own appointed place in the purposes of Divine Mercy. If the candle is lit, even though it is set upon a golden candlestick, it is not lit for itself, but that it may give light to all that are in the house.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
From another place - i. e. “from some other quarter.” Mordecai probably concluded from the prophetic Scriptures that God would NOT allow His people to be destroyed before His purposes with respect to them were accomplished, and was therefore satisfied that deliverance would arise from one quarter or another. Thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed - i. e. “a divine vengeance will overtake thee and thine, if thou neglectest thy plain duty.” Though the name of God is not contained in the Book of Esther, there is in this verse a distinct, tacit allusion to God’s promises, and to the direction of human events by Divine Providence.
Modern Voices1 voice
In Hebrew it literally means, "If you choose to silence yourself." What is remarkable is that in the entire Book of Esther, God's name is never mentioned—yet His presence guides every event to bring deliverance to His people.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Who knows whether, at this time next year, you will retain your royal position. [I.e.,] “And who knows whether the king will desire you next year, which is the time of the massacre.” 6 I.e., who knows whether you will be spared from the decree.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
You had better not fantasize. [I.e.,] “Do not think,” as in, “And it will be, that which I had thought.” 4 Bamidbar:56.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ | hacharesh | certainly <to keep quiet> | H2790 → | 74 times |
| תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮ | tacharishi | you will keep quiet | H2790 → | 74 times |
| בָּעֵ֣ת | baet | at the time | H6256 → | 296 times |
| הַזֹּאת֒ | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| רֶ֣וַח | revach | relief | H7305 → | |
| וְהַצָּלָ֞ה | vehatzalah | and deliverance | H2020 → | |
| יַעֲמ֤וֹד | yaamod | it will arise | H5975 → | 521 times |
| לַיְּהוּדִים֙ | laiyehudim | for the Jews | H3064 → | 75 times |
| מִמָּק֣וֹם | mimakom | from a place | H4725 → | 401 times |
| אַחֵ֔ר | ʾacher | another | H312 → | |
| וְאַ֥תְּ | veat | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| וּבֵית־ | uveit- | and [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אָבִ֖יךְ | ʾavikh | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ | tovedu | you will perish | H6 → | 184 times |
| וּמִ֣י | umi | and who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| יוֹדֵ֔עַ | yodea' | [is] knowing | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| לְעֵ֣ת | leet | for a time | H6256 → | 296 times |
| כָּזֹ֔את | kazot | like this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| הִגַּ֖עַתְּ | higaat | you have reached | H5060 → | 150 times |
| לַמַּלְכֽוּת׃ | lamalkhut | <to> the queenhood | H4438 → | 91 times |
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
הַחֲרֵ֣שׁcertainly <to keep quiet>
hachareshH2790 →74 times
תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮you will keep quiet
tacharishiH2790 →74 times
בָּעֵ֣תat the time
baetH6256 →296 times
הַזֹּאת֒<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
רֶ֣וַחrelief
revachH7305 →
וְהַצָּלָ֞הand deliverance
vehatzalahH2020 →
יַעֲמ֤וֹדit will arise
yaamodH5975 →521 times
לַיְּהוּדִים֙for the Jews
laiyehudimH3064 →75 times
מִמָּק֣וֹםfrom a place
mimakomH4725 →401 times
אַחֵ֔רanother
ʾacherH312 →
וְאַ֥תְּand you
veatH859 →1094 times
וּבֵית־and [the] house of
uveit-H1004 →2046 times
אָבִ֖יךְfather your
ʾavikhH1 →1212 times
תֹּאבֵ֑דוּyou will perish
toveduH6 →184 times
וּמִ֣יand who?
umiH4310 →423 times
יוֹדֵ֔עַ[is] knowing
yodea'H3045 →945 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
לְעֵ֣תfor a time
leetH6256 →296 times
כָּזֹ֔אתlike this
kazotH2063 →603 times
הִגַּ֖עַתְּyou have reached
higaatH5060 →150 times
לַמַּלְכֽוּת׃<to> the queenhood
lamalkhutH4438 →91 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 54:17No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the…
it leads to
- Romans 8:28–39
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- Isaiah 54:15
If anyone attacks you, it is not from Me; whoever assails you will fall before you.
- John 10:28–30
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.
- Isaiah 50:8
The One who vindicates Me is near. Who will dare to contend with Me? Let us confront each other! Who has a case against Me? Let him approach Me!
- Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- Romans 8:28–39
Through
1 Samuel 12:22Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 14:2
for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the…
- Psalms 106:8
Yet He saved them for the sake of His name, to make His power known.
- Deuteronomy 14:2
Through
Deuteronomy 32:36For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their strength is gone and no one remains, slave or free.
it leads to
- Psalms 135:14
For the LORD will vindicate His people and will have compassion on His servants.
- Psalms 135:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Esther
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1777: “Esther's Exaltation—or, Who Knows?” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Sid Roth, Messianic Vision Newsletter, April 2026.