Esther 4:1
When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
2 And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
3 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.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- When Mordecai learned of all that had happened, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
- KJV
- When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
- WEB
- Now when Mordecai found out all that was done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, and wailed loudly and bitterly.
- ASV
- Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
- DARBY
- And when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his garments, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry,
- BLB
- And Mordecai knew all that had been done, and Mordecai tore his clothes, and he put on sackcloth and ashes, and he went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out [with] a cry great and bitter.
- ÅB
- Da Mordekai fikk vite alt som hadde hendt, sønderrev han sine klær og kledde seg i sekk og aske og gikk ut i byen under høye klagerop.
- OTB
- Da Mordekai fikk vite alt som var gjort, rev han klærne sine, tok på seg sekkestrie og aske, og gikk ut midt i byen, klagende høyt og bittert.
- B1930
- Da Mordekai fikk vite alt som hadde hendt, sønderrev han sine klær og klædde sig i sekk og aske og gikk ut i byen under høie klagerop.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Daniel 9:3
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
Read in contextEzekiel 27:30–31
And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes:
Read in context2 Samuel 13:19
And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.
Read in context2 Samuel 1:11
Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
Read in contextJob 42:6
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Read in contextMicah 1:8
Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
Read in contextZephaniah 1:14
The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
Read in contextActs 14:14
Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
Read in context