Esther 4:3 - Easy To Read Version3 In every province where the king’s command had come, there was much crying and sadness among the Jews. They were fasting {\cf2\super [13]} and crying loudly. Many Jews were lying on the ground dressed in clothes of sadness with ashes on their heads. Féach an chaibidilTuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 17693 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. Féach an chaibidilAmplified Bible - Classic Edition3 And in every province, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. Féach an chaibidilAmerican Standard Version (1901)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. Féach an chaibidilCommon English Bible3 At the same time, in every province and place where the king’s order and his new law arrived, a very great sadness came over the Jews. They gave up eating and spent whole days weeping and crying out loudly in pain. Many Jews lay on the ground in mourning clothes and ashes. Féach an chaibidilCatholic Public Domain Version3 and let investigators be sent throughout all the provinces for young women, beautiful and virgins. And let them bring them to the city of Susa, and deliver them to the house of the women under the hand of Hegai the eunuch, who is the overseer and keeper of the king's women. And let them receive feminine ornaments, and other things necessary for their use. Féach an chaibidilEnglish Standard Version 20163 And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. Féach an chaibidil |
Then on the 13th day of the first month the king’s secretaries were called. They wrote out all of Haman’s commands in the language of each province. And they wrote them in the language of each group of people. They wrote to the king’s satraps (leaders), the governors of the different provinces, and the leaders of the different groups of people. They wrote with the authority of King Xerxes himself, and sealed the commands with the king’s own ring.
Mordecai wrote these letters to tell the people to start celebrating Purim. And he told them when to celebrate this new holiday. Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had sent out the command for the Jews. They did this to establish this two-day holiday for themselves and their descendants. {\cf2\super [33]} They will remember this holiday just like they remember the other holidays when they fast {\cf2\super [34]} and cry about the bad things that had happened.
Do you think on those special days for not eating food that all I want is to see people punish their bodies? Do you think I want people to look sad? Do you think I want people to bow their heads like dead plants and wear clothes of sadness? Do you think I want people to sit in ashes to show their sadness? That is what you do on your special days for not eating food. Do you think that is what the Lord wants?