1 W hen Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes. He dressed in cloth made from hair and put on ashes, and went out into the city and cried with loud cries.

Now when Mordecai learned all that was done, rent his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and went out into the midst of the city and cried with a loud and bitter cry.

2 H e went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to go through the king’s gate wearing cloth made from hair.

He came and stood before the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 T here was much sorrow among the Jews in each and every part of the nation where the king’s law was made known. They went without food and cried with sounds of sorrow. Many lay in cloth made from hair and in ashes.

And in every province, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 T hen Esther’s women and men servants came and told her, and the queen was very troubled. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear, that he might take off his clothes made from hair. But he would not take them.

When Esther’s maids and her attendants came and told it to her, the queen was exceedingly grieved and distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, with orders to take his sackcloth from off him, but he would not receive them.

5 T hen Esther called Hathach from the king’s servants whom the king had chosen to help her. She told him to go to Mordecai and find out what was wrong and why.

Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s attendants whom he had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.

6 S o Hathach went out to Mordecai at the king’s gate in the open space of the city.

So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city, which was in front of the king’s gate.

7 A nd Mordecai told him all that had happened to him. He told him just how much money Haman had promised to pay to the king’s store-houses to have the Jews destroyed.

And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews to be destroyed.

8 H e also gave him one of the letters of the law that was sent out from Susa to destroy the Jews, that he might show it to Esther and let her know. And he said that she should go in to the king and beg him to show favor to her people.

also gave him a copy of the decree to destroy them, that was given out in Shushan, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king, make supplication to him, and plead with him for the lives of her people.

9 H athach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 T hen Esther told Hathach to say to Mordecai,

Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying,

11 “ All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s nation know that he has one law for any man or woman who comes to him in his room who has not been called: They will be put to death, unless the king holds out his special golden stick to him so that he may live. And I have not been called to come to the king for these thirty days.”

All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any person, be it man or woman, who shall go into the inner court to the king without being called shall be put to death; there is but one law for him, except to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live. But I have not been called to come to the king for these thirty days.

12 T hen Mordecai was told what Esther had said.

And they told Mordecai what Esther said.

13 M ordecai answered, “Do not think that you in the king’s special house will live any more than all the other Jews.

Then Mordecai told them to return this answer to Esther, Do not flatter yourself that you shall escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.

14 F or if you keep quiet at this time, help will come to the Jews from another place. But you and your father’s house will be destroyed. Who knows if you have not become queen for such a time as this?”

For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise for the Jews from elsewhere, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion?

15 T hen Esther told them to say to Mordecai,

Then Esther told them to give this answer to Mordecai,

16 “ Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and have them all go without food so they can pray better for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my women servants will go without food in the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law. And if I die, I die.”

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me; and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I also and my maids will fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.

17 S o Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had told him.

So Mordecai went away and did all that Esther had commanded him.