The Meaning of Esther 4:4 Explained

Esther 4:4

KJV: So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.

YLT: And young women of Esther come in and her eunuchs, and declare it to her, and the queen is exceedingly pained, and sendeth garments to clothe Mordecai, and to turn aside his sackcloth from off him, and he hath not received them.

Darby: And Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him; but he received it not.

ASV: And Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take his sackcloth from off him; but he received it not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So Esther's  maids  and her chamberlains  came  and told  [it] her. Then was the queen  exceedingly  grieved;  and she sent  raiment  to clothe  Mordecai,  and to take away  his sackcloth  from him: but he received  [it] not. 

What does Esther 4:4 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 4:4 mean?

So maids of Esther and eunuchs and told her and was distressed the queen deeply and she sent garments to clothe - Mordecai and take away his sackcloth from him but not he would accept [them]
וַ֠תָּבוֹאינָה‪‬‪‬‪‬ נַעֲר֨וֹת אֶסְתֵּ֤ר וְסָרִיסֶ֙יהָ֙ וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לָ֔הּ וַתִּתְחַלְחַ֥ל הַמַּלְכָּ֖ה מְאֹ֑ד וַתִּשְׁלַ֨ח בְּגָדִ֜ים לְהַלְבִּ֣ישׁ אֶֽת־ מָרְדֳּכַ֗י וּלְהָסִ֥יר שַׂקּ֛וֹ מֵעָלָ֖יו וְלֹ֥א קִבֵּֽל

וַ֠תָּבוֹאינָה‪‬‪‬‪‬  So 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: אֵב  
Sense: fruit, fresh, young, greening.
נַעֲר֨וֹת  maids 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: נַעֲרָה  
Sense: girl, damsel, female servant.
אֶסְתֵּ֤ר  of  Esther 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶסְתֵּר  
Sense: the queen of Persia, heroine of the book of Esther—daughter of Abihail, cousin and adopted daughter of Mordecai, of the tribe of Benjamin, made queen by king Ahasuerus to replace divorced queen, Vashti.
וְסָרִיסֶ֙יהָ֙  and  eunuchs 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: סָרִיס  
Sense: official, eunuch.
וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ  and  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לָ֔הּ  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
וַתִּתְחַלְחַ֥ל  and  was  distressed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חוּל 
Sense: to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained.
הַמַּלְכָּ֖ה  the  queen 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַלְכָּה  
Sense: queen.
מְאֹ֑ד  deeply 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
וַתִּשְׁלַ֨ח  and  she  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
בְּגָדִ֜ים  garments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
לְהַלְבִּ֣ישׁ  to  clothe 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: לָבַשׁ  
Sense: to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מָרְדֳּכַ֗י  Mordecai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָרְדֳּכַי  
Sense: cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim.
וּלְהָסִ֥יר  and  take  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
שַׂקּ֛וֹ  his  sackcloth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שַׂק  
Sense: mesh, sackcloth, sack, sacking.
מֵעָלָ֖יו  from  him 
Parse: Preposition-m, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְלֹ֥א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
קִבֵּֽל  he  would  accept  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָבַל  
Sense: to take, receive, be before.