1Now when Mordecai knew all that was done , Mordecai rent his clothes , and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city , and cried with a loud and a bitter cry ; 2and he came even before the king ’s gate : for none might enter within the king ’s gate clothed with sackcloth . 3And in every province , whithersoever the king ’s commandment and his decree came , there was great mourning among the Jews , and fasting , and weeping , and wailing ; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Esther's Dilemma and Mordecai's Challenge
4And Esther’s maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her ; and the queen was exceedingly grieved : and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai , and to take his sackcloth from off him ; but he received it not . 5Then called Esther for Hathach , one of the king ’s chamberlains , whom he had appointed to attend upon her , and charged him to go to Mordecai , to know what this was , and why it was . 6So Hathach went forth to Mordecai unto the broad place of the city , which was before the king ’s gate . 7And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him , and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king ’s treasuries for the Jews , to destroy them . 8Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them , to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her , and to charge her that she should go in unto the king , to make supplication unto him , and to make request before him , for her people .
The Call to Action and Divine Providence
9And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai . 10Then Esther spake unto Hathach , and gave him a message unto Mordecai , saying : 11All the king ’s servants , and the people of the king ’s provinces , do know , that whosoever , whether man or woman , shall come unto the king into the inner court , who is not called , there is one law for him , that he be put to death , except those to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre , that he may live : but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days . 12And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words . 13Then Mordecai bade them return answer unto Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king ’s house , more than all the Jews . 14For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time , then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place , but thou and thy father’s house will perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this ? 15Then Esther bade them return answer unto Mordecai , 16Go , gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan , and fast ye for me , and neither eat nor drink three days , night or day : I also and my maidens will fast in like manner ; and so will I go in unto the king , which is not according to the law : and if I perish, I perish. 17So Mordecai went his way , and did according to all that Esther had commanded him .