1 When Mordecailearned1all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailedloudly and bitterly.
2
He went as far as the king'sgate, for noone was to enter the king'sgateclothed in sackcloth.
3
In each and everyprovincewhere* the command and decree of the kingcame, there was greatmourning among the Jews, with 2fasting, weeping and wailing; and manylay on sackcloth and ashes.
4
Then Esther'smaidens and her eunuchscame and told her, and the queenwrithed in great anguish. And she sentgarments to clotheMordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them.
5
Then EsthersummonedHathach from the king'seunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learnwhatthis was and why it was.
6
So Hathachwent out to Mordecai to the citysquare in front of the king'sgate.
7
Mordecaitold him all that had happened to him, and 3the exactamount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king'streasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
8
He also gave him 4a copy of the text of the edictwhich had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might showEsther 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.
9
Hathachcame back and relatedMordecai'swords to Esther.
10
Then Estherspoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai:
11
"All the king'sservants and the people of the king'sprovincesknow that for anyman or womanwho5comes to the king to the innercourtwho is not summoned, 6he has but onelaw, that he be put to death, unless** the kingholds out 7to him the goldenscepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for thesethirtydays."
13
Then Mordecaitold them to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king'spalace can escape any morethanall the Jews.
14
"For if you remainsilent at thistime, relief and 8deliverance will arise for the Jews from anotherplace and you and your father'shouse will perish. And whoknowswhether you have not attainedroyalty for such a time as this?"
16
"Go, assembleall the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; 9do not eat or drink for 10threedays, night or day. I and my maidensalso will fast in the sameway. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish."
17
So Mordecaiwentaway and didjust* as Esther had commanded him.