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New Century Version

Esther 4:2

But Mordecai went only as far as the king's gate, because no one was allowed to enter that gate dressed in rough cloth.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Readings, Select;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Sackcloth;  

Dictionaries:

- Easton Bible Dictionary - Sackcloth;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Gate;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Esther;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Esther, Apocryphal Book of;   Sackcloth;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for July 8;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He went only as far as the King’s Gate, since the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering the King’s Gate.
Hebrew Names Version
and he came even before the king's gate: for none might enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
King James Version
And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
English Standard Version
He went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.
New English Translation
But he went no further than the king's gate, for no one was permitted to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.
Amplified Bible
He went [only] as far as the king's gate, because no one was to enter the king's gate dressed in sackcloth.
New American Standard Bible
And he came as far as the king's gate, for no one was to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.
World English Bible
and he came even before the king's gate: for none might enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he came euen before the Kings gate, but he might not enter within the Kings gate, being clothed with sackecloth.
Legacy Standard Bible
And he went as far as the king's gate, for no one was to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.
Berean Standard Bible
But he went only as far as the King's Gate, because the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering that gate.
Contemporary English Version
But he could go only as far as the palace gate, because no one wearing sackcloth was allowed inside the palace.
Complete Jewish Bible
He stopped before entering the King's Gate, since no one was allowed to go inside the King's Gate wearing sackcloth.
Darby Translation
and came even before the king's gate; for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
Easy-to-Read Version
But Mordecai went only as far as the king's gate. No one was allowed to enter the gate dressed in sackcloth.
George Lamsa Translation
And came even as far as the kings gate; for it was unlawful for any man to enter into the kings gate clothed with sackcloth.
Good News Translation
until he came to the entrance of the palace. He did not go in because no one wearing sackcloth was allowed inside.
Lexham English Bible
he went up to the entrance of the gate of the king, for he could not go to the gate of the king in sackcloth.
Literal Translation
And he came until he was before the king's gate; for there was no entering into the king's gate in clothing of sackcloth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and came before the kynges gate: for there might no man entre within the kynges gate, that had a sack cloth on.
American Standard Version
and he came even before the king's gate: for none might enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
Bible in Basic English
And he came even before the king's doorway; for no one might come inside the king's door clothed in haircloth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And came before the kinges gate: but he might not enter within the kinges gate, because he had sackcloth on.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and he came even before the king's gate; for none might enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
King James Version (1611)
And came euen before the kings gate: for none might enter into the kings gate clothed with sackcloth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he came to the king’s gate, and stood; for it was not lawful for him to enter into the palace, wearing sackcloth and ashes.
English Revised Version
and he came even before the king's gate: for none might enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and he yede with this yellyng `til to the yatis of the paleis; for it was not leueful a man clothid with a sak to entre in to the halle of the kyng.
Update Bible Version
and he came even before the king's gate: for none might enter inside the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
Webster's Bible Translation
And came even before the king's gate: for none [might] enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
New King James Version
He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
New Living Translation
He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning.
New Life Bible
He went as far as the king's gate, for no one was to go through the king's gate wearing cloth made from hair.
New Revised Standard
he went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and went in as far as before the gate of the king, - for, none, might enter into the gate of the king, clothed with sackcloth.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he came lamenting in this manner even to the gate of the palace: for no one clothed with sackcloth might enter the king’s court.
Revised Standard Version
he went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
Young's Literal Translation
and he cometh in unto the front of the gate of the king, but none is to come in unto the gate of the king with a sackcloth-garment.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He went as far as the king's gate, for no one was to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.

Contextual Overview

1 When Mordecai heard about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on rough cloth and ashes, and went out into the city crying loudly and painfully. 2 But Mordecai went only as far as the king's gate, because no one was allowed to enter that gate dressed in rough cloth. 3 As the king's order reached every area, there was great sadness and loud crying among the Jewish people. They fasted and cried out loud, and many of them lay down on rough cloth and ashes to show how sad they were. 4 When Esther's servant girls and eunuchs came to her and told her about Mordecai, she was very upset and afraid. She sent clothes for Mordecai to put on instead of the rough cloth, but he would not wear them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Genesis 50:4 - Joseph Luke 7:25 - are in Revelation 11:3 - clothed

Cross-References

Genesis 3:23
So the Lord God forced Adam out of the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.
Genesis 4:25
Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth and said, "God has given me another child. He will take the place of Abel, who was killed by Cain."
Genesis 4:26
Seth also had a son, and they named him Enosh. At that time people began to pray to the Lord .
Genesis 9:20
Noah became a farmer and planted a vineyard.
Genesis 37:13
Israel said to Joseph, "Go to Shechem where your brothers are grazing the flocks." Joseph answered, "I will go."
Genesis 47:3
The king said to the brothers, "What work do you do?" And they said to him, "We, your servants, are shepherds, just as our ancestors were."
Exodus 3:1
One day Moses was taking care of Jethro's flock. (Jethro was the priest of Midian and also Moses' father-in-law.) When Moses led the flock to the west side of the desert, he came to Sinai, the mountain of God.
Psalms 127:3
Children are a gift from the Lord ; babies are a reward.
Amos 7:15
But the Lord took me away from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
Luke 11:51
from the killing of Abel to the killing of Zechariah, who died between the altar and the Temple. Yes, I tell you that you who are alive now will be punished for them all.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And came even before the king's gate,.... Or court, that Esther might if possible be made acquainted with this dreadful calamity coming upon her people:

for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth: or appear in such a dress at court, where nothing was admitted to damp the pleasures of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

None might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth - This law is not elsewhere mentioned; but its principle - that nothing of evil omen is to be obtruded on the monarch - has been recognized throughout the East in all ages.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Esther 4:2. Before the king's gate — He could not enter into the gate, of the place where the officers waited, because he was in the habit of a mourner; for this would have been contrary to law.


 
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