King James Version

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;

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Hebrew

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וּמָרְדֳּכַ֗יumaredokhayand Mordecaiמׇרְדְּכַיconjunction, noun, proper name — “and Mordecai”H4782Mordecai, an IsraeliteMordecai.יָדַע֙yadaknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “all”, the ordinary formH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).אֲשֶׁ֣רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…נַעֲשָׂ֔הnaasahdoעָשָׂהverb, niphal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “do”, a completed actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…וַיִּקְרַ֤עvayiqraand rendקָרַעconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and rend”, the next action in the storyH7167to rend, literally or figuratively (revile, paint the eyes, as if enlarging them)cut out, rend, [idiom] surely, tear.מָרְדֳּכַי֙maredokhayMordecaiמׇרְדְּכַיnoun, proper name — “Mordecai”H4782Mordecai, an IsraeliteMordecai.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).בְּגָדָ֔יוbegadayvapparelבֶּגֶדnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “apparel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH899a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillageapparel, cloth(-es, ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, [idiom] very (treacherously), vesture, wardrobe.וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁvayilbashand clotheלָבַשׁconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and clothe”, the next action in the storyH3847properly, wrap around, i.e. (by implication) to put on agarment or clothe (oneself, or another), literally or figuratively(in) apparel, arm, array (self), clothe (self), come upon, put (on, upon), wear.שַׂ֖קsaqsackשַׂקnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “sack”, the ordinary formH8242properly, a mesh (as allowing a liquid to run through), i.e. coarse loose cloth or sacking (used in mourning and for bagging); hence, a bag (for grain, etc.)sack(-cloth, -clothes).וָאֵ֑פֶרvaeferand ashesאֵפֶרconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and ashes”, the ordinary formH665ashesashes.וַיֵּצֵא֙vayetseand bring forthיָצָאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and bring forth”, the next action in the storyH3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.[idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail…בְּת֣וֹךְbetokhein amongתָּוֶךְpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in among”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8432a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centreamong(-st), [idiom] between, half, [idiom] (there-, where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), [idiom] out (of), [idiom] through, [idiom] with(-in).הָעִ֔ירhairthe cityעִירdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the city”, the ordinary formH5892a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.וַיִּזְעַ֛קvayizaqand assembleזָעַקconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and assemble”, the next action in the storyH2199to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publiclyassemble, call (together), (make a) cry (out), come with such a company, gather (together), cause to be proclaimed.זְעָקָ֥הzeaqahcryזַעַקnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “cry”, the ordinary formH2201a shriek or outcrycry(-ing).גְדֹלָ֖הgedolahgreatגָּדוֹלadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “great”, the ordinary formH1419great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent[phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very.וּמָרָֽהumarahand bitterמַרconjunction, adjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “and bitter”, the ordinary formH4751bitter (literally or figuratively); also (as noun) bitterness, or (adverbially) bitterly[phrase] angry, bitter(-ly, -ness), chafed, discontented, [idiom] great, heavy.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

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;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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;

Young’s Literal Translation

And Mordecai hath known all that hath been done, and Mordecai rendeth his garments, and putteth on sackcloth and ashes, and goeth forth into the midst of the city and crieth — a cry loud and bitter,

World English Bible

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.

Darby Translation

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,

Douay-Rheims

Now when Mardochai had heard these things, he rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, strewing ashes on his head: and he cried with a loud voice in the street in the midst of the city, shewing the anguish of his mind.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

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;

American Standard Version (1901)

Young’s Literal Translation

World English Bible

Darby Translation

Douay-Rheims

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

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