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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Esther 4:2

He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

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 Century Version
But Mordecai went only as far as the king's gate, because no one was allowed to enter that gate dressed in rough cloth.
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 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 learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province where the king's command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4 So Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept 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
therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.
Genesis 4:25
And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, "For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed."
Genesis 4:26
26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. [fn] Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.
Genesis 9:20
And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.
Genesis 37:13
And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." So he said to him, "Here I am."
Genesis 47:3
Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers."
Exodus 3:1
Exodus 6:2-7:7; 11:1-4; 12:35,36">[xr] Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Psalms 127:3
Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Amos 7:15
Then the LORD took me as I followed the flock, And the LORD said to me, "Go, prophesy to My people Israel.'
Luke 11:51
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.

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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