EST 4:11 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “There’s a law about going to the king that applies to everyone in the kingdom, both men and women. If anyone goes into the inner courtyard of the palace, where the king can see them, and the king has not summoned them, that person will be executed. Only if the king holds out his golden scepter to them, then they will live. (Everyone in the whole empire knows this law.) The king hasn’t called for me in over a month, and if I go in without being summoned, I could be put to death.”

4:11 Note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

4:11 Note: Marks an anomalous form.

4:11 Note: We read one or more vowels in L differently from BHS.

Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT “All the servants of the king and the people of the provinces of the king are knowing that for any man or woman who goes to the king, to the inner court, who has not been called, his law is one: to cause to die, apart from when the king holds out to him the scepter of gold; then he will live. But as for me, I have not been called to come to the king these 30 days.”

UST “There is a law about going to the king that applies to everyone in the kingdom, both men and women. If anyone goes into the inner courtyard of the palace, where the king can see them, and the king has not summoned them, that person will die. Only if the king holds out his golden scepter to them, then they will live. Everyone in the whole empire knows this law. So I cannot go and speak to the king as you have requested. The king has not called for me in over a month, and if I go without being summoned, I could be put to death.”

BSB “All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”

OEB ‘All the king’s courtiers and the people of the king’s provinces know that for every man or woman who goes to the king into the inner court without being called there is one penalty, death, unless the king holds out the golden sceptre signifying that they may live. It has been thirty days since I have been called to go in to the king.’

WEBBE “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king might hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live. I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET “All the servants of the king and the people of the king’s provinces know that there is only one law applicable to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court – that person will be put to death, unless the king extends to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days!”

LSV “All servants of the king, and people of the provinces of the king, know that any man and woman who comes to the king, into the inner court, who is not called—one law of his [is] to put [them] to death, apart from him to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, then he has lived; and I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

FBV “All the king's officials, and even the people in the provinces of the king's empire, know that any man or any woman who goes to the king, entering his inner court without being summoned, is sentenced to death—that is the king's one law—unless the king holds out his golden scepter to them so they can live. In my case, I have not been called to go to the king for thirty days.”

T4T “There is a law about people going to talk to the king. All the king’s officials and all the people in the empire know this law. In that law it states that anyone who goes to the king in his inner court without having been summoned by the king must be executed. Only those to whom the king has extended his scepter/staff will not be executed. And a month has passed since the king has summoned me, so what will happen to me if I try to see him and he doesn’t want to see me?”

LEB “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman who goes to the king to the inner courtyard, who is not called, he has one law, to be killed, except if the king extends to him the gold scepter so that he may live. I have not been called to come to the king for thirty days.”[fn]

4:11 Literally “these thirty days”

BBE It is common knowledge among all the king's servants and the people of every part of the kingdom, that if anyone, man or woman, comes to the king in his inner room without being sent for, there is only one law for him, that he is to be put to death; only those to whom the king's rod of gold is stretched out may keep their lives: but I have not been sent for to come before the king these thirty days.

Moff No Moff EST book available

JPS 'All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live; but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.'

ASV All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

DRA All the king’s servants, and all the provinces that are under his dominion, know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, cometh into the king’s inner court, who is not called for, is immediately to be put to death without any delay: except the king shall hold out the golden sceptre to him, in token of clemency, that so he may live. How then can I go in to the king, who for these thirty days now have not been called unto him?

YLT 'All servants of the king, and people of the provinces of the king, do know that any man and woman, who cometh in unto the king, unto the inner court, who is not called — one law [of] his [is] to put [them] to death, apart from him to whom the king holdeth out the golden sceptre, then he hath lived; and I — I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.'

Drby All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces do know that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law, to put [him] to death, except [such] to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live; and I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

RV All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

Wbstr All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except him to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.

KJB-1769 All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

KJB-1611 All the Kings seruants, and the people of the kings prouinces do know, that whosoeuer, whether man or woman, shall come vnto the King into the inner court, who is not called, there is one lawe of his to put him to death, except such to whom the King shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may liue: but I haue not beene called to come in vnto the King, these thirtie dayes.
(All the Kings servants, and the people of the kings provinces do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the King into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the King shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may liue: but I have not been called to come in unto the King, these thirty days.)

Bshps All the kinges seruauntes, & the people in the prouinces of the king knowe, that whosoeuer commeth within the courte vnto the king, whether it be man or woman, which is not called, the comaundement is, that the same shall dye, except the king holde out the golden septer vnto him, for then he shall lyue: As for me, I haue not ben called to come in vnto the king now this thirtie dayes.
(All the kings servants, and the people in the provinces of the king knowe, that whosoever cometh/comes within the courte unto the king, whether it be man or woman, which is not called, the commandment is, that the same shall dye, except the king hold out the golden septer unto him, for then he shall lyue: As for me, I have not been called to come in unto the king now this thirty days.)

Gnva All the Kings seruants and the people of the Kings prouinces doe knowe, that whosoeuer, man or woman, that commeth to the King into the inner court, which is not called, there is a law of his, that he shall dye, except him to whom the King holdeth out the golden rodde, that he may liue. Now I haue not bene called to come vnto the King these thirtie dayes.
(All the Kings servants and the people of the Kings provinces do knowe, that whosoever, man or woman, that cometh/comes to the King into the inner court, which is not called, there is a law of his, that he shall dye, except him to whom the King holdeth/holds out the golden rodde, that he may liue. Now I have not been called to come unto the King these thirty days. )

Cvdl All the kynges seruauntes, and the people in the londes of the kynge knowe, that who so euer commeth within the courte vnto ye kynge, whether it be man or woman, which is not called, the comaundement is that the same shal dye immediatly, excepte the kynge holde out the golde cepter vnto him, that he maye lyue. As for me, I haue not bene called to come in to the kynge now this thirtie dayes.
(All the kings servants, and the people in the londes of the king knowe, that who so ever cometh/comes within the courte unto ye/you_all king, whether it be man or woman, which is not called, the commandment is that the same shall dye immediately, except the king hold out the gold cepter unto him, that he may lyue. As for me, I have not been called to come in to the king now this thirty days.)

Wyc and alle prouyncis that ben vndur his lordschip, knowen, that whether a man ether a womman not clepid entrith in to the ynnere halle of the kyng, he schal be slayn anoon with outen ony tariyng, no but in hap the kyng holdith forth the goldun yerde `to hym for `the signe of merci, and he mai lyue so; therfor hou mai Y entre to the kyng, which am not clepid to hym now bi thritti daies?
(and all prouyncis that been under his lordschip, known, that whether a man ether a woman not called entrith in to the ynnere halle of the king, he shall be slain/killed anon/immediately without any tariyng, no but in hap the king holdith forth the golden yerde `to him for `the sign of merci, and he mai live so; therefore how mai I enter to the king, which am not called to him now by thirty days?)

Luth Es wissen alle Knechte des Königs und das Volk in den Landen des Königs, daß, wer zum Könige hineingehet inwendig in den Hof, er sei Mann oder Weib, der nicht gerufen ist, der soll stracks Gebots sterben, es sei denn, daß der König den güldenen Zepter gegen ihn reiche, damit er lebendig bleibe. Ich aber bin nun in dreißig Tagen nicht gerufen, zum Könige hineinzukommen.
(It wissen all servant(s) the kings and the people in the landn the kings, daß, who for_the kings/king hineingehet inwendig in the Hof, he be man or woman, the/of_the not gerufen is, the/of_the should stracks Gebots die, it be denn, that the/of_the king the güldenen Zepter gegen him/it reiche, with_it/so_that he lifedig bleibe. I but am now in thirty days not gerufen, for_the kings/king hineinzukommen.)

ClVg Omnes servi regis, et cunctæ, quæ sub ditione ejus sunt, norunt provinciæ, quod sive vir, sive mulier non vocatus, interius atrium regis intraverit, absque ulla cunctatione statim interficiatur: nisi forte rex auream virgam ad eum tetenderit pro signo clementiæ, atque ita possit vivere. Ego igitur quomodo ad regem intrare potero, quæ triginta jam diebus non sum vocata ad eum?
(All_of_them servi king, and cunctæ, which under ditione his are, norunt provinciæ, that if/or vir, if/or mulier not/no vocatus, interius atrium king intraverit, without ulla cunctatione immediately interficiatur: nisi forte king auream rod/staffm to him tetenderit for signo clementiæ, atque ita possit vivere. I igitur how to regem intrare potero, which triginta yam days not/no I_am vocata to him? )

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / merism

כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י הַ⁠מֶּ֡לֶךְ וְ⁠עַם־מְדִינ֨וֹת הַ⁠מֶּ֜לֶךְ יֽוֹדְעִ֗ים

all/each/any/every servants the=king and,people provinces the=king know

All the servants of the king refers to the royal officials in the palace. The people of the provinces refers to those living out in the empire. So this phrase means something like “those both near and far.” Esther is using a figure of speech to refer to something by speaking of two extreme parts of it in order to include everything in between those parts. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and say something like, “everyone in the whole empire knows.” Alternate translation: “all the king’s officials and all the people in the empire know this law”

כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י הַ⁠מֶּ֡לֶךְ וְ⁠עַם־מְדִינ֨וֹת הַ⁠מֶּ֜לֶךְ יֽוֹדְעִ֗ים

all/each/any/every servants the=king and,people provinces the=king know

Esther says this to show that there is no uncertainty about this being the law. You can put this information after the description of the law itself, If it would be helpful in your language, so that it can serve to emphasize how definite the law is that was just described.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / merism

כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ וְ⁠אִשָּׁ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר

all/each/any/every all/each/any/every (a)_man and,woman which/who

Here, Esther once again refers to a group by describing two parts of it. She means all of the people whom Ahasuerus rules as king. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and say something like “anyone”.

Note 3 topic: translate-symaction

יָבֽוֹא־אֶל־הַ⁠מֶּלֶךְ֩ אֶל־הֶ⁠חָצֵ֨ר הַ⁠פְּנִימִ֜ית

goes to/towards the=king to/towards the,court the,inner

As 5:1 makes clear, this refers to a courtyard right outside the room where King Ahasuerus sat on his throne. He could see out of the entrance to the room into the courtyard and tell if anyone came and stood there. Anyone who did that was asking to speak to the king. Alternate translation: “who goes into the inner courtyard of the palace, where the king can see them”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵ֗א

which/who which/who which/who not he/it_will_be_called

If it would help your readers to understand, you could say this with an active form, and you could say who did the action. Alternate translation: “when the king has not summoned that person”

אַחַ֤ת דָּת⁠וֹ֙

one(fs) law,he

If it would be helpful in your language, you could put this after the explanation of the law itself. Alternate translation: “this law applies to everyone in the kingdom”

לְ⁠הָמִ֔ית

to,put_to_death

Alternate translation: “that person must be executed” or “the guards will kill that person”

Note 5 topic: translate-symaction

לְ֠⁠בַד מֵ⁠אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֽוֹשִׁיט־ל֥⁠וֹ הַ⁠מֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־שַׁרְבִ֥יט הַ⁠זָּהָ֖ב

to/for,except to,if holds_out to=him/it the=king DOM scepter the=gold

If the king pointed his scepter toward a person, that meant that the king was accepting him. Alternate translation: “unless the king extends his golden scepter towards him”

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

שַׁרְבִ֥יט הַ⁠זָּהָ֖ב

scepter the=gold

A scepter was an ornamental staff or wand that rulers carried or held as a symbol of their authority. According to this, the scepter of King Ahasuerus was made of gold. Alternate translation: “golden scepter”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠חָיָ֑ה

and,live

This means that the guards will not kill this person and he can proceed to speak to the king. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “then the guards will not kill him and he can speak to the king”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וַ⁠אֲנִ֗י לֹ֤א נִקְרֵ֨אתי֙ לָ⁠ב֣וֹא אֶל־הַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ זֶ֖ה שְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים יֽוֹם

and,I not called to,come to/towards the=king this thirty day

Esther is saying by implication that she cannot speak to the king as Mordecai has requested because the king has not been calling for her, which would have given her an opportunity to speak to him. If she goes without being summoned, she could be put to death. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly, as in the UST.

Note 9 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

וַ⁠אֲנִ֗י

and,I

This expression indicates a contrast between Esther’s present situation and the situation she has just described.

זֶ֖ה שְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים יֽוֹם

this thirty day

The phrase means that Esther has not been called in the king’s presence for a period of at least 30 days. You could use an equivalent expression in your language that would indicate this is a long enough time that Esther has reason to believe the king is not interested in seeing her. Alternate translation: “in over a month”

Note 10 topic: translate-numbers

זֶ֖ה שְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים יֽוֹם

this thirty day

Alternate translation: “thirty days”

Parallel EST 4:11