Esther 4:14
New International Version
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

New Living Translation
If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

English Standard Version
For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Berean Standard Bible
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

King James Bible
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

New King James Version
For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

New American Standard Bible
For if you keep silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

NASB 1995
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

NASB 1977
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

Legacy Standard Bible
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not reached royalty for such a time as this?”

Amplified Bible
For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]?”

Christian Standard Bible
If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s family will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If you keep silent at this time, liberation and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s house will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”

American Standard Version
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house will perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
If you are silent at this time, the Jews will have relief and salvation from another place, and you and the house of your father are destroyed, and who knows if you have been called and have been brought to the kingdom for this time?”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For if thou shalt refuse to hearken on this occasion, help and protection will be to the Jews from another quarter; but thou and thy father's house will perish: and who knows, if thou hast been made queen for this very occasion?

Contemporary English Version
If you don't speak up now, we will somehow get help, but you and your family will be killed. It could be that you were made queen for a time like this!"

Douay-Rheims Bible
For if thou wilt now hold thy peace, the Jews shall be delivered by some other occasion: and thou, and thy father's house shall perish. And who knoweth whether thou art not therefore come to the kingdom, that thou mightest be ready in such a time as this?

English Revised Version
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house shall perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The fact is, even if you remain silent now, someone else will help and rescue the Jews, but you and your relatives will die. And who knows, you may have gained your royal position for a time like this."

Good News Translation
If you keep quiet at a time like this, help will come from heaven to the Jews, and they will be saved, but you will die and your father's family will come to an end. Yet who knows--maybe it was for a time like this that you were made queen!"

International Standard Version
Indeed, if you are silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. Who knows but that you were brought to the kingdom for a time like this?"

JPS Tanakh 1917
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house will perish; and who knoweth whether thou art not come to royal estate for such a time as this?'

Literal Standard Version
but if you keep entirely silent at this time, respite and deliverance remains to the Jews from another place, and you and the house of your fathers are destroyed; and who knows whether for a time like this you have come to the kingdom?”

Majority Standard Bible
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

New American Bible
Even if you now remain silent, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another source; but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows—perhaps it was for a time like this that you became queen?”

NET Bible
"Don't imagine that because you are part of the king's household you will be the one Jew who will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source, while you and your father's household perish. It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this!"

New Revised Standard Version
For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.”

New Heart English Bible
For if you remain silent now, then relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Who knows if you haven't come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

Webster's Bible Translation
For if thou shalt altogether hold thy peace at this time, then will there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house will be destroyed: and who knoweth, whether thou hast come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

World English Bible
For if you remain silent now, then relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows if you haven’t come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Young's Literal Translation
but if thou keep entirely silent at this time, respite and deliverance remaineth to the Jews from another place, and thou and the house of thy fathers are destroyed; and who knoweth whether for a time like this thou hast come to the kingdom?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Mordecai Appeals to Esther
13he sent back to her this reply: “Do not imagine that because you are in the king’s palace you alone will escape the fate of all the Jews. 14For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” 15Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:…

Cross References
Leviticus 26:42
then I will remember My covenant with Jacob and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.

2 Kings 13:5
So the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel lived in their own homes as they had before.

Esther 4:13
he sent back to her this reply: "Do not imagine that because you are in the king's palace you alone will escape the fate of all the Jews.

Esther 4:15
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:


Treasury of Scripture

For if you altogether hold your peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but you and your father's house shall be destroyed: and who knows whether you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

then shall.

Genesis 22:14
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Numbers 23:22-24
God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn…

Deuteronomy 32:26,27,36
I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men: …

enlargement.

Ezra 9:9
For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

Job 9:18
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

but thou.

Esther 2:7,15
And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter…

Judges 14:15-18
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? …

Judges 15:6
Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.

whether.

Genesis 45:4-8
And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt…

Isaiah 45:1-5
Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; …

Isaiah 49:23
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

for such a time.

1 Samuel 17:29
And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

2 Kings 19:3
And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

Nehemiah 6:11
And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

Jump to Previous
Altogether Arise Attained Deliverance Destroyed Enlargement Father's Hold Holdest House Jews Kingdom Peace Perish Quarter Relief Rise Royalty Silence Silent Time Whether
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Altogether Arise Attained Deliverance Destroyed Enlargement Father's Hold Holdest House Jews Kingdom Peace Perish Quarter Relief Rise Royalty Silence Silent Time Whether
Esther 4
1. The great mourning of Mordecai and the Jews.
4. Esther, understanding it, sends to Mordecai,
7. who shows the cause, and advises her to undertake the suit.
10. She, excusing herself, is threatened by Mordecai.
15. She, appointing a fast, undertakes the suit.














(14) Enlargement.--Literally, a breathing-space.

From another place.--Although he does not explain his meaning, and, indeed, seems to be speaking with studied reserve, still we may suppose that Mordecai here refers to Divine help, which he asserts will be vouchsafed in this extremity. It does not necessarily follow that we are to see in this declaration a proof of the earnestness of Mordecai's faith; probably had his faith been like that of many of his countrymen he would not have been in Persia at all, but with the struggling band in Judaea.

Thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed.--That is, by the hand of God, who having raised thee to this pitch of glory and power will require it from thee, if thou fail in that which it plainly devolves upon thee to do. It is clear there is a good deal of force in these last words of Mordecai. Esther's rise had been so marvellous that one might well see in it the hand of God, and if so there was clearly a very special object in view, which it must be her anxious care to work for. In the whole tone of the conversation, however, there seems a lack of higher and more noble feelings, an absence of any suggestion of turning for aid to God; and thus in return, when God carries out His purpose, and grants deliverance, it seems done indirectly, without the conferring of any special blessing on the human instruments.

Verse 14. - Then shall there enlargemt, or respiration (marg. literally, "breath"), and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place. Mordecai is confident that God will not allow the destruction of his people. Without naming his name, he implies a trust in his gracious promises, and a conviction that Haman's purpose will be frustrated; how, he knows not, but certainly in some way or other. If deliverance does not come through Esther, then it will arise from some other quarter. But thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed. A denunciation of Divine vengeance. Though the nation will be saved, it will not benefit you. On you will fall a just judgment - having endeavoured to save your life, you will lose it - and your "father's house will be involved in your ruin. We may gather from this that Esther was not Abihail's only child. Who knoweth, etc. Consider this also. Perhaps (who knows?) God has raised you up to your royal dignity for this very purpose, and none other, that you should be in a position to save your nation in this crisis.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

if
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you remain
הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ (ha·ḥă·rêš)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 2790: To cut in, engrave, plow, devise

silent
תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮ (ta·ḥă·rî·šî)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 2790: To cut in, engrave, plow, devise

at this
הַזֹּאת֒ (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

time,
בָּעֵ֣ת (bā·‘êṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

relief
רֶ֣וַח (re·waḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7305: A space, interval, respite, relief

and deliverance
וְהַצָּלָ֞ה (wə·haṣ·ṣā·lāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2020: Deliverance

for the Jews
לַיְּהוּדִים֙ (lay·yə·hū·ḏîm)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3064: Jews -- Jewish

will arise
יַעֲמ֤וֹד (ya·‘ă·mō·wḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

from another
אַחֵ֔ר (’a·ḥêr)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other

place,
מִמָּק֣וֹם (mim·mā·qō·wm)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition

but you
וְאַ֥תְּ (wə·’at)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person feminine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

and your father’s
אָבִ֖יךְ (’ā·ḇîḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 1: Father

house
וּבֵית־ (ū·ḇêṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

will perish.
תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ (tō·ḇê·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

And who
וּמִ֣י (ū·mî)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

knows
יוֹדֵ֔עַ (yō·w·ḏê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

but that
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you have come
הִגַּ֖עַתְּ (hig·ga·‘at)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike

to the kingdom
לַמַּלְכֽוּת׃ (lam·mal·ḵūṯ)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4438: Royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom

for such a time
לְעֵ֣ת (lə·‘êṯ)
Preposition-l | Noun - common singular
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when

as this?�
כָּזֹ֔את (kā·zōṯ)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,


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OT History: Esther 4:14 For if you remain silent now then (Est Esth. Es)
Esther 4:13
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