Esther 4

Sackcloth at the king’s gate

1When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, crying out loudly and bitterly. 2He came as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one could enter the king’s gate dressed in sackcloth. 3In every province, wherever the king’s word and his decree arrived, the Jews were in deep mourning: fasting, weeping and lamentation, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was seized with anguish. She sent clothing for Mordecai to put on, so that he might take off his sackcloth; but he would not accept it. 5So Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai, to find out what this was and why. 6Hathach went out to Mordecai, to the city square in front of the king’s gate, 7and Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, and the exact sum of silver that Haman had promised to weigh out to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8He also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, to show Esther and explain to her, and to charge her to go to the king, to plead with him and to beg him for her people. 9Hathach came and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him this message for Mordecai: 11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who goes to the king in the inner court without being summoned there is one decree: death — unless the king holds out the golden scepter, and then that person lives. And I have not been summoned to the king for thirty days now.” 12They told Mordecai what Esther had said, 13and Mordecai sent back this answer to Esther: “Do not imagine that, of all the Jews, you alone will escape because you are in the king’s house. 14If you keep silent at this time, relief and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether it was for a time like this that you came to royal rank?” 15Esther sent back this answer to Mordecai: 16“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa and fast for me: do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast in the same way. Then I will go to the king, against the decree; and if I perish, I perish.” 17Mordecai went away and did everything Esther had ordered him.