Esther 4:8
in Esther 4Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther, urging her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead before him for her people.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her people.
KJV
Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.
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This verse in Esther 4
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThat she should go in unto the king - The Greek adds, “Remember the time of your low estate, and in what manner you have been nourished, and carried in my arms; and that Haman, who is next to the king, has got a decree for our destruction. Pray, therefore, to the Lord, and plead with the king, that we may be delivered from death.” But there is not a word of this either in the Hebrew, Syriac, or Vulgate.
This site's exposition
told him all that had happened
on Esther 4:7-9
The charge ends on its last words, "plead before him for her people". It is the first time the book names the Jews to her as her people. The secret of 2:10 is being called due.
This site's exposition
Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy
Mordecai’s copy of the decree put Haman’s own words before Esther. Clarke notes that the Greek adds a charge to Mordecai’s message: remember your low estate, and pray to the Lord. The Hebrew, the Syriac and the Vulgate lack it.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
charge her that she should go in unto the king--This language is exceedingly strong. As it can scarcely be supposed that Mordecai was still using authority over Esther as his adopted daughter, he must be considered as imploring rather than commanding her, in the name of her brethren and in the name of her God, to make a direct appeal to the feelings of her royal husband.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן | patshegen | <the> copy of | H6572 → | 4 times |
| כְּתָֽב־ | ketav- | [the] writing of | H3791 → | 17 times |
| הַ֠דָּת | hadot | the law | H1881 → | 22 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נִתַּ֨ן | nitan | it had been given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| בְּשׁוּשָׁ֤ן | beshushan | in Susa | H7800 → | 21 times |
| לְהַשְׁמִידָם֙ | lehashmidam | to annihilate them | H8045 → | 90 times |
| נָ֣תַן | natan | he gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| ל֔וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| לְהַרְא֥וֹת | leharot | to show | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֶסְתֵּ֖ר | ʾester | Esther | H635 → | 55 times |
| וּלְהַגִּ֣יד | ulehagid | and to tell | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לָ֑הּ | lah | to her | ||
| וּלְצַוּ֣וֹת | uletzavot | and to command | H6680 → | 494 times |
| עָלֶ֗יהָ | ʾaleiha | to her | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לָב֨וֹא | lavo' | to go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| לְהִֽתְחַנֶּן־ | lehitchanen- | to seek favor | H2603 → | |
| ל֛וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| וּלְבַקֵּ֥שׁ | ulevakesh | and to request | H1245 → | 225 times |
| מִלְּפָנָ֖יו | milefanav | from to before him | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עַמָּֽהּ׃ | ʾamah | people her | H5971 → | 1873 times |
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן<the> copy of
patshegenH6572 →4 times
כְּתָֽב־[the] writing of
ketav-H3791 →17 times
הַ֠דָּתthe law
hadotH1881 →22 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
נִתַּ֨ןit had been given
nitanH5414 →2011 times
בְּשׁוּשָׁ֤ןin Susa
beshushanH7800 →21 times
לְהַשְׁמִידָם֙to annihilate them
lehashmidamH8045 →90 times
נָ֣תַןhe gave
natanH5414 →2011 times
ל֔וֹto him
lo
לְהַרְא֥וֹתto show
leharotH7200 →1300 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֶסְתֵּ֖רEsther
ʾesterH635 →55 times
וּלְהַגִּ֣ידand to tell
ulehagidH5046 →370 times
לָ֑הּto her
lah
וּלְצַוּ֣וֹתand to command
uletzavotH6680 →494 times
עָלֶ֗יהָto her
ʾaleihaH5921 →5755 times
לָב֨וֹאto go
lavo'H935 →2568 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַמֶּ֧לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
לְהִֽתְחַנֶּן־to seek favor
lehitchanen-H2603 →
ל֛וֹto him
lo
וּלְבַקֵּ֥שׁand to request
ulevakeshH1245 →225 times
מִלְּפָנָ֖יוfrom to before him
milefanavH6440 →2123 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
עַמָּֽהּ׃people her
ʾamahH5971 →1873 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
Ecclesiastes 10:4If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
it leads to
- Proverbs 25:15
Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
- Ecclesiastes 8:3
Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.
- 1 Samuel 25:24–44
She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant.
- Proverbs 25:15
Through
1 Timothy 6:13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who made the good confession in His testimony before Pontius Pilate:
it leads to
- John 18:36–37
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”
- 1 Timothy 5:21
I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality.
- Matthew 27:11
Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, who questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- John 18:36–37
Through
Job 9:15For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
it leads to
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Esther

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPersian periodEstherHadassah, the orphan exile who became queen of Persia and, at the risk of "if I perish, I perish," stood between her people and Ha…
- PersonPersian periodMordecaiEsther's cousin and guardian at the gate of Susa, who refused to bow to Haman, uncovered the plot against the king, and was raised…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.
