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Esther 4:16
"Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish."
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Interpretation

Scripture forms a fast for me that is practiced in daily practice in Esther 4:16—consider "go" and "fast". Keep fast for me in conversations that test patience—keep zeal yoked to love.

Context

This passage belongs to Esther, a law/history witness, developing fast for me. Read in Esther 4, its force becomes clearer. Listen for “go” alongside “fast”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Early attribution points to Mordecai (trad.) for Esther. A common scholarly view of Esther: Diaspora narrative; court tale genre.. Date: Persian/early Hellenistic period.. Genre emphasis: law/history.

More details
Traditional:Mordecai (trad.)
Modern scholarship:Diaspora narrative; court tale genre.
Date:Persian/early Hellenistic period.
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Hebrew text is preserved in the Masoretic tradition with remarkable accuracy. The the Dead Sea Scrolls (found 1947-1956) confirm the Hebrew text's reliability, showing minimal variation over 1000+ years of transmission.