Esther 7:4
What does Esther 7:4 mean?
A plain-English look at Esther 7:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Esther 7:4 means
Esther clarifies the peril: she and her people have been “sold” to be destroyed, slain, and to perish—a threefold description stressing total annihilation. “Sold” recalls the bribe offered to secure the decree, exposing the corruption at its root. With diplomatic restraint, she says she would have remained silent if it were merely enslavement, because such loss, though grievous, could be absorbed; but genocide cannot be compensated, even though the “adversary” cannot truly repay the king’s damage. She appeals both to justice and to the king’s self-interest, showing that the plot injures the realm as well as the queen, and so demands royal intervention.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s damage.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s damage.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For we are given up, I and my people, to destruction and death and to be cut off. If we had been taken as men-servants and women-servants for a price, I would have said nothing, for our trouble is little in comparison with the king's loss.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862for we have been sold, I and my people, to cut off, to slay, and to destroy; and if for men-servants and for maid-servants we had been sold I had kept silent--but the adversity is not equal to the loss of the king.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For we are given up, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. And would God we were sold for bondmen and bondwomen: the evil might be borne with, and I would have mourned in silence: but now we have an enemy, whose cruelty redoundeth upon the king.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the adversary could not compensate the king's damage.
Context
This fuller explanation follows her initial plea and precedes the king’s outrage. Esther still withholds the villain’s name, allowing the moral horror of the decree itself to register first. The king, hearing that his own queen and her people are targeted, is moved to ask the natural next question: Who is responsible, and where is he? The narrative thus progresses from problem stated, to offense described, to offender identified—an orderly unveiling that increases both tension and certainty.
v.3Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favor in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
v.4This passage
v.5Then spake the king Ahasuerus and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Esther 8:11
wherein the king granted the Jews that were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
- Genesis 37:26
And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?
- Joshua 9:23
Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall never fail to be of you bondmen, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
- Esther 4:7
And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
- Esther 3:9
If it please the king, let it be written that they be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those that have the charge of the king’s business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.
- 1 Samuel 22:23
Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.