When Mordecai learned
aall
that had been done
, 1he tore
his clothes
, put
on sackcloth
and ashes
, and went
out into the midst
of the city
and wailed
loudly
and bitterly
.
He went as far
as the king's
gate
, for no
one
was to enter
the king's
gate
clothed
in sackcloth
.
In each and every
province
where
the command
and decree
of the king
came
, there was great
mourning
among the Jews
, with afasting
, weeping
and wailing
; and many
lay
on sackcloth
and ashes
.
Then Esther's maidens
and her eunuchs
came
and told
her, and the queen
writhed
in great
anguish. And she sent
garments
to clothe
Mordecai
that he might remove
his sackcloth
from him, but he did not accept
them.
Then Esther summoned
Hathach
from the king's
eunuchs
, whom
1the king had appointed
to attend
her, and ordered
him to go to Mordecai
to learn
what
this
was and why
it was.
So Hathach went
out to Mordecai
to the city
square
in front
of the king's
gate
.
Mordecai told
him all
that had happened
to him, and athe exact
amount
of money
that Haman
had promised
to pay
to the king's
treasuries
for the destruction
of the Jews
.
He also gave him aa copy
of the text
of the edict
which
had been issued
in Susa
for their destruction
, that he might show
Esther
and inform
her, and to order
her to go
in to the king
to implore
his favor
and to plead
with him for her people
.
Hathach came
back and related
Mordecai's
words
to Esther
.
Then Esther spoke
to Hathach
and ordered
him to reply to Mordecai
:
"All the king's
servants
and the people
of the king's
provinces
know
that for any
man
or woman
who
acomes
to the king
to the inner
court
who
is not summoned
, bhe has but one
law
, that he be put
to death
, unless
the king
holds
out cto him the golden
scepter
so that he may live
. And I have not been summoned
to come
to the king
for these
thirty
days
."
They related Esther's
words
to Mordecai
.
Then Mordecai told
them to reply
to Esther
, "Do not imagine
that you in the king's
palace
can escape
any more
than
all
the Jews
.
"For if you remain
silent
at this
time
, relief
and adeliverance
will arise
for the Jews
from another
place
and you and your father's
house
will perish
. And who
knows
whether
you have not attained
royalty
for such a time
as this
?"
Then Esther told
them to reply
to Mordecai
,
"Go, assemble
all
the Jews
who are found
in Susa
, and fast
for me; ado not eat
or drink
for bthree
days
, night
or day
. I and my maidens
also
will fast
in the same
way
. And thus
I will go
in to the king
, which
is not according to the law
; and if
I perish
, I perish
."
So Mordecai went
away
and did
just
as Esther
had commanded
him.