Book 34 : KETUVIM - MEGILOT - ESTHER - Chapter 004
04:001
Now 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
04:002
and he came even before the king's gate; for none might
enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth
04:003
And 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
04:004
And Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and told it
her; and the queen was exceedingly pained; and she sent raiment to clothe
Mordecai; and to take his sackcloth from off him; but he accepted it not
04:005
Then 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
04:006
So Hathach went forth to Mordecai unto the broad place of
the city, which was before the king's gate
04:007
And 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
04:008
Also 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
04:009
And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai
04:010
Then Esther spoke unto Hathach, and gave him a message
unto Mordecai
04:011
'All 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 such 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.
04:012
And they told to Mordecai Esther's words
04:013
Then Mordecai bade them to return answer unto Esther:
'Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than
all the Jews
04:014
For 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
royal estate for such a time as this?
04:015
Then Esther bade them return answer unto Mordecai
04:016
'Go, 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.
04:017
So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that
Esther had commanded him
Book 34 : KETUVIM - MEGILOT - ESTHER - Chapter 004
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