Esther 4

1 When Mordecai ascertained all that had been done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth [strewed] with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry;

Now when Mardochai had heard these things, he rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, strewing ashes on his head: and he cried with a loud voice in the street in the midst of the city, shewing the anguish of his mind.

2 And thus he came up to the front of the king's gate; for none dared to enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

And he came lamenting in this manner even to the gate of the palace: for no one clothed with sackcloth might enter the king’s court.

3 And in each and every province, in every place whither the king's decree and his law had reached, there was great mourning for the Jews, with fasting and weeping and wailing; and a sackcloth [strewed] with ashes became the bed of the great.

And in all provinces, towns, and places, to which the king’s cruel edict was come, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, wailing, and weeping, many using sackcloth and ashes for their bed.

4 Then came the maidens of Esther with her chamberlains and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly terrified; and she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, and to remove his sackcloth from him, but he accepted them not.

Then Esther’s maids and her eunuchs went in, and told her. And when she heard it she was in a consternation: and she sent a garment, to clothe him, and to take away the sackcloth: but he would not receive it.

5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a charge for Mordecai to know what this was, and why this was.

And she called for Athach the eunuch, whom the king had appointed to attend upon her, and she commanded him to go to Mardochai, and learn of him why he did this.

6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.

And Athach going out went to Mardochai, who was standing in the street of the city, before the palace gate:

7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened unto him, and of the fixed sum of money which Haman had promised to weigh out into the treasuries of the king for the Jews, to destroy them.

And Mardochai told him all that had happened, how Aman had promised to pay money into the king’s treasures, to have the Jews destroyed.

8 Also the copy of the writing of the law that had been given out in Shushan to destroy them he gave to him, to show it unto Esther, and to tell her [all], and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, and to make supplication unto him, and to present a request before him for her people.

He gave him also a copy of the edict which was hanging up in Susan, that he should shew it to the queen, and admonish her to go in to the king, and to entreat him for her people.

9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

And Athach went back and told Esther all that Mardochai had said.

10 And Esther said unto Hatach, and gave him a charge unto Mordecai,

She answered him, and bade him say to Mardochai:

11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that every one, whether man or woman, who should come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is but one law for him, to put him to death, except the one to whom the king should hold out the golden sceptre, for he will be suffered to live; but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

All the king’s servants, and all the provinces that are under his dominion, know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, cometh into the king’s inner court, who is not called for, is immediately to be put to death without any delay: except the king shall hold out the golden sceptre to him, in token of clemency, that so he may live. How then can I go in to the king, who for these thirty days now have not been called unto him?

12 And they told Mordecai the words of Esther.

And when Mardochai had heard this,

13 Then said Mordecai to bring this answer back to Esther, Imagine not in thy soul to be able to escape in the king's house out of all the Jews.

He sent word to Esther again, saying: Think not that thou mayst save thy life only, because thou art in the king a house, more than all the Jews:

14 For if thou do indeed maintain silence at this time, enlargement and deliverance will arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house will perish: and who knoweth whether thou hast not for a time like this attained to the royal dignity?

For if thou wilt now hold thy peace, the Jews shall be delivered by some other occasion: and thou, and thy father’s house shall perish. And who knoweth whether thou art not therefore come to the kingdom, that thou mightest be ready in such a time as this?

15 Then said Esther to bring this answer back to Mordecai,

And again Esther sent to Mardochai in these words:

16 Go, assemble together all the Jews who are now present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, so that ye neither eat nor drink three days, either night or day; also I myself with my maidens will fast in like manner; and then will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; and if I then perish, I perish.

Go, and gather together all the Jews whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger.

17 And Mordecai went about, and did in accordance with all that Esther had charged him.

So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him.