When Mordecai perceived
all that was done
, Mordecai
rent
his clothes
, and put on
sackcloth
with ashes
, and went out
into the midst
of the city
, and cried
with a loud
and a bitter
cry
;
And came even before
the king's
gate
: for none might enter
into the king's
gate
clothed
with sackcloth
.
And in every province, whithersoever
the king's
commandment
and his decree
came
, there was great
mourning
among the Jews
, and fasting
, and weeping
, and wailing
; and many
lay
in sackcloth
and ashes
.
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.
Then called Esther
for Hatach
, one of the king's
chamberlains
, whom he had appointed
to attend
upon her, and gave him a commandment
to Mordecai
, to know
what it was , and why it was .
So Hatach went forth
to Mordecai
unto the street
of the city
, which was before
the king's
gate
.
And Mordecai told
him of all that had happened
unto him, and of the sum
of the money
that Haman
had promised
to pay
to the king's
treasuries
for the Jews
, to destroy
them.
Also he gave him the copy
of the writing
of the decree
that was given
at Shushan
to destroy
them, to shew
it unto Esther
, and to declare
it unto her, and to charge
her that she should go in
unto the king
, to make supplication
unto him, and to make request
before
him for her people
.
And Hatach came
and told
Esther
the words
of Mordecai
.
Again Esther spake
unto Hatach
, and gave him commandment
unto Mordecai
;
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
.
And they told to Mordecai
Esther's
words
.
Then Mordecai commanded
to answer
Esther
, Think
not with thyself
that thou shalt escape
in the king's
house
, more than all the Jews
.
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?
Then Esther bade
them return
Mordecai
this answer ,
Go, gather together
all the Jews
that are present
in Shushan
, and fast
ye for me, and neither eat
nor drink
three
days
, night
or day
: I also and my maidens
will fast
likewise; and so
will I go
in unto the king
, which is not according to the law
: and if I perish
, I perish
.
So Mordecai went his way
, and did
according to all that Esther
had commanded
him.