Esther 4

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, crying out with a loud and bitter cry. He came as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one could enter the king's gate wearing sackcloth. In every province, wherever the king's command and decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and lamenting. Sackcloth and ashes were spread out as bedding for many. Esther's attendants and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. She sent clothes for Mordecai to put on in place of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Esther called Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs whom he had appointed to serve her, and sent him to find out from Mordecai what this meant and why it was happening. Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king's gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of silver Haman had promised to weigh out for the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, to show Esther and explain it to her, and to command her to go to the king to plead with him and appeal to him for her people. Hathach came back and reported Mordecai's words to Esther. Then Esther spoke to Hathach and instructed him to tell Mordecai: “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who enters the king's inner courtyard without being summoned is subject to one law: death. Only the one to whom the king holds out the gold scepter may live. And I have not been summoned to go to the king for thirty days.” They reported Esther's words to Mordecai. Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Do not imagine that you alone of all the Jews will escape because you are in the king's house. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather all the Jews who are in Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night and day. My attendants and I will fast in the same way. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went away and did everything Esther had commanded him.

Rights and attribution