Esther 4

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 went only as far as the front of the king’s gate, because no one was allowed to enter the king’s gate dressed in sackcloth. 3In every province where the king’s command and his law arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear so that he could take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had assigned to serve her, and she ordered him to go to Mordecai to find out what this was and why it was happening. 6So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate. 7Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of silver Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8He also gave him a copy of the written law issued in Susa for their destruction, to show to Esther and explain to her. He told him to instruct her to go to the king, beg him for mercy, and plead with him for her people. 9Hathach went back and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, 11“All the king’s officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king in the inner court without being summoned, there is only one law: that person is to be put to death, unless the king holds out the gold scepter to them and spares their life. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for thirty days now.” 12When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai,

13he sent back this answer to Esther: “Do not imagine that because you are in the king’s palace you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14For if you remain silent at this time, relief and rescue will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows? Perhaps you have become queen for a time like this.” 15Then Esther sent back this reply to Mordecai, 16“Go and gather all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast in the same way. Then I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” 17So Mordecai went away and did everything Esther had instructed him.