Esther 4

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry;

he went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.

When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed; she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

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

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

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

Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and entreat him for her people, “Remembering the days of your lowliness, when you were cared for by me, because Haman, who is next to the king, spoke against us for our destruction. Beseech the Lord and speak to the king concerning us and deliver us from death.”

And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

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

“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law; all alike are to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter that he may live. And I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

And they told Mordecai what Esther had said.

Then Mordecai told them to return answer to Esther, “Think not that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.

For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai,

“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”

Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Then Mordecai prayed to the Lord, and said: “O God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, blessed are you:

“O Lord, Lord, King who rule over all things, for the universe is in your power and there is no one who can oppose you if it is your will to save Israel.

For you have made heaven and earth and every wonderful thing under heaven,

and you are Lord of all, and there is no one who can resist you.

You know all things;

you know, O Lord, that I would have been willing to kiss the soles of Haman’s feet to save Israel!

But I did not do this, lest I set the glory of man above the glory of God; I will not bow down to any one but you, O Lord, my God.

And now, O Lord God and King, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, spare your people; for the eyes of our foes are upon us to annihilate us, and they desire to destroy your inheritance.

Do not neglect your portion, which you redeemed for yourself out of the land of Egypt.

Hear my prayer, and have mercy upon your inheritance; turn our mourning into feasting, that we may live and sing praise to your name, O Lord; do not destroy the mouth of those who praise you.”

And all Israel cried out mightily, for their death was before their eyes.