The Meaning of Esther 4:11 Explained

Esther 4:11

KJV: 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.

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.'

Darby: 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.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Esther 4:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Esther 4:1-17 - Opportunity For Patriotic Devotion
It seemed as if the whole nation would suddenly be cut off to satisfy the hatred of Haman, and Mordecai knew that he had been the cause of the plot. Esther was evidently living in close sympathy with her uncle, though now separated from him. In reply to the demand that she should hazard her life for the people, there was at first a natural reluctance. Was her love for her people greater than her love for herself? In her resolve there was surely something of the great love of Christ. We may be quite sure that God will carry out His plans-with us, if possible; if not, in spite of us, to our utter loss. We should look upon our position as a sacred trust to be used for others. We are created for good works, which God hath prepared for us to walk in. There can be no presumption in action which is preceded by prayer and heart-searching. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Esther 4:11 mean?

all servants of the king and the people of provinces know that any man or woman who goes to the king into the court the inner who not has been called [he has but] one law put [all] to death except the one holds out to whom the king - scepter the golden that he may live And yet I not have been called to go in the king this [is] thirty days
כָּל־ עַבְדֵ֣י הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ וְעַם־ מְדִינ֨וֹת יֽוֹדְעִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּל־ אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָבֽוֹא־ אֶל־ הַמֶּלֶךְ֩ אֶל־ הֶחָצֵ֨ר הַפְּנִימִ֜ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־ יִקָּרֵ֗א אַחַ֤ת דָּתוֹ֙ לְהָמִ֔ית לְ֠בַד מֵאֲשֶׁ֨ר יֽוֹשִׁיט־ ל֥וֹ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־ שַׁרְבִ֥יט הַזָּהָ֖ב וְחָיָ֑ה וַאֲנִ֗י לֹ֤א נִקְרֵ֙אתי֙‪‬‪‬‪‬ לָב֣וֹא הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ זֶ֖ה שְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים יֽוֹם

עַבְדֵ֣י  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וְעַם־  and  the  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מְדִינ֨וֹת  of  provinces 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מְדִינָה  
Sense: province, district.
יֽוֹדְעִ֗ים  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
כָּל־  any 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אִ֣ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וְאִשָּׁ֡ה  or  woman 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
יָבֽוֹא־  goes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַמֶּלֶךְ֩  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הֶחָצֵ֨ר  the  court 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: חָצֵר 
Sense: court, enclosure.
הַפְּנִימִ֜ית  the  inner 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: פְּנִימִי  
Sense: inner.
יִקָּרֵ֗א  has  been  called 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אַחַ֤ת  [he  has  but]  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
דָּתוֹ֙  law 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּת  
Sense: decree, law, edict, regulation, usage.
לְהָמִ֔ית  put  [all]  to  death 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
לְ֠בַד  except 
Parse: Preposition, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּד 
Sense: alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone.
מֵאֲשֶׁ֨ר  the  one 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יֽוֹשִׁיט־  holds  out 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁט  
Sense: (Hiphil) to hold out, extend.
ל֥וֹ  to  whom 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שַׁרְבִ֥יט  scepter 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁרְבִיט  
Sense: sceptre.
הַזָּהָ֖ב  the  golden 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
וְחָיָ֑ה  that  he  may  live 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
וַאֲנִ֗י  And  yet  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
נִקְרֵ֙אתי֙‪‬‪‬‪‬  have  been  called 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לָב֣וֹא  to  go  in 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
זֶ֖ה  this  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
שְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים  thirty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: שְׁלֹשִׁים  
Sense: thirty, thirtieth.
יֽוֹם  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.