1 When Mordecai|strong="H4782" perceived|strong="H3045" all that was done|strong="H6213", Mordecai|strong="H4782" rent|strong="H7167" his clothes|strong="H0899", and put on|strong="H3847" sackcloth|strong="H8242" with ashes|strong="H0665", and went out|strong="H3318" into the midst|strong="H8432" of the city|strong="H5892", and cried|strong="H2199" with a loud|strong="H1419" and a bitter|strong="H4751" cry|strong="H2201";
2 And came|strong="H0935" even before|strong="H6440" the king’s|strong="H4428" gate|strong="H8179": for none might enter|strong="H0935" into the king’s|strong="H4428" gate|strong="H8179" clothed|strong="H3830" with sackcloth|strong="H8242".
3 And in every province|strong="H4082", whithersoever|strong="H4725" the king’s|strong="H4428" commandment|strong="H1697" and his decree|strong="H1881" came|strong="H5060", there was great|strong="H1419" mourning|strong="H0060" among the Jews|strong="H3064", and fasting|strong="H6685", and weeping|strong="H1065", and wailing|strong="H4553"; and many|strong="H7227" lay|strong="H3331" in sackcloth|strong="H8242" and ashes|strong="H0665".
4 So Esther’s|strong="H0635" maids|strong="H5291" and her chamberlains|strong="H5631" came|strong="H0935" and told|strong="H5046" it her. Then was the queen|strong="H4436" exceedingly|strong="H3966" grieved|strong="H2342"; and she sent|strong="H7971" raiment|strong="H0899" to clothe|strong="H3847" Mordecai|strong="H4782", and to take away|strong="H5493" his sackcloth|strong="H8242" from him: but he received|strong="H6901" it not.
5 Then called|strong="H7121" Esther|strong="H0635" for Hatach|strong="H2047", one of the king’s|strong="H4428" chamberlains|strong="H5631", whom he had appointed|strong="H5975" to attend|strong="H6440" upon her, and gave him a commandment|strong="H6680" to Mordecai|strong="H4782", to know|strong="H3045" what it was, and why it was.
6 So Hatach|strong="H2047" went forth|strong="H3318" to Mordecai|strong="H4782" unto the street|strong="H7339" of the city|strong="H5892", which was before|strong="H6440" the king’s|strong="H4428" gate|strong="H8179".
7 And Mordecai|strong="H4782" told|strong="H5046" him of all that had happened|strong="H7136" unto him, and of the sum|strong="H6575" of the money|strong="H3701" that Haman|strong="H2001" had promised|strong="H0559" to pay|strong="H8254" to the king’s|strong="H4428" treasuries|strong="H1595" for the Jews|strong="H3064", to destroy|strong="H0006" them.
8 Also he gave|strong="H5414" him the copy|strong="H6572" of the writing|strong="H3791" of the decree|strong="H1881" that was given|strong="H5414" at Shushan|strong="H7800" to destroy|strong="H8045" them, to shew|strong="H7200" it unto Esther|strong="H0635", and to declare|strong="H5046" it unto her, and to charge|strong="H6680" her that she should go in|strong="H0935" unto the king|strong="H4428", to make supplication|strong="H2603" unto him, and to make request|strong="H1245" before|strong="H6440" him for her people|strong="H5971".
9 And Hatach|strong="H2047" came|strong="H0935" and told|strong="H5046" Esther|strong="H0635" the words|strong="H1697" of Mordecai|strong="H4782".
10 Again Esther|strong="H0635" spake|strong="H0559" unto Hatach|strong="H2047", and gave him commandment|strong="H6680" unto Mordecai|strong="H4782";
11 All the king’s|strong="H4428" servants|strong="H5650", and the people|strong="H5971" of the king’s|strong="H4428" provinces|strong="H4082", do know|strong="H3045", that whosoever, whether man|strong="H0376" or woman|strong="H0802", shall come|strong="H0935" unto the king|strong="H4428" into the inner|strong="H6442" court|strong="H2691", who is not called|strong="H7121", there is one|strong="H0259" law|strong="H1881" of his to put him to death|strong="H4191", except|strong="H0905" such to whom the king|strong="H4428" shall hold out|strong="H3447" the golden|strong="H2091" sceptre|strong="H8275", that he may live|strong="H2421": but I have not been called|strong="H7121" to come in|strong="H0935" unto the king|strong="H4428" these thirty|strong="H7970" days|strong="H3117".
12 And they told|strong="H5046" to Mordecai|strong="H4782" Esther’s|strong="H0635" words|strong="H1697".
13 Then Mordecai|strong="H4782" commanded|strong="H0559" to answer|strong="H7725" Esther|strong="H0635", Think|strong="H1819" not with thyself|strong="H5315" that thou shalt escape|strong="H4422" in the king’s|strong="H4428" house|strong="H1004", more than all the Jews|strong="H3064".
14 For if thou altogether|strong="H2790" holdest thy peace|strong="H2790" at this time|strong="H6256", then shall there enlargement|strong="H7305" and deliverance|strong="H2020" arise|strong="H5975" to the Jews|strong="H3064" from another|strong="H0312" place|strong="H4725"; but thou and thy father’s|strong="H0001" house|strong="H1004" shall be destroyed|strong="H0006": and who knoweth|strong="H3045" whether thou art come|strong="H5060" to the kingdom|strong="H4438" for such a time|strong="H6256" as this?
15 Then Esther|strong="H0635" bade|strong="H0559" them return|strong="H7725" Mordecai|strong="H4782" this answer,
16 Go|strong="H3212", gather together|strong="H3664" all the Jews|strong="H3064" that are present|strong="H4672" in Shushan|strong="H7800", and fast|strong="H6684" ye for me, and neither eat|strong="H0398" nor drink|strong="H8354" three|strong="H7969" days|strong="H3117", night|strong="H3915" or day|strong="H3117": I also and my maidens|strong="H5291" will fast|strong="H6684" likewise; and so|strong="H3651" will I go|strong="H0935" in unto the king|strong="H4428", which is not according to the law|strong="H1881": and if I perish|strong="H0006", I perish|strong="H0006".
17 So Mordecai|strong="H4782" went his way|strong="H5674", and did|strong="H6213" according to all that Esther|strong="H0635" had commanded|strong="H6680" him.