The great mourning of Mordecai and the Jews.

1 ¶ When Mordecaiº perceivedºª² all² that² was done,ºª Mordecaiº rentºª² his clothes,º and put onºª sackclothº with ashes,º and went outºª into the midstº of the city,º and criedºª with a loudº and a bitterº cry;º 2 And cameºª even² beforeº the king'sº gate:º for² none² [might] enterºª into² the king'sº gateº clothedº with sackcloth.º 3 And in every² province,º whithersoeverº² the king'sº commandmentº and his decreeº came,ºª [there was] greatº mourningº among the Jews,º and fasting,º and weeping,º and wailing;º and manyº layºª in sackclothº and ashes.º

Esther, understanding it, sendeth to Mordecai, who sheweth the cause, and adviseth her to understand the suit.

4 ¶ So Esther'sº maidsº and her chamberlainsº cameºª and toldºª [it] her. Then was the queenº exceedinglyº grieved;ºª and she sentºª raimentº to clotheºª² Mordecai,º and to take awayºª his sackclothº from²² him: but he receivedºª [it] not.² 5 Then calledºª Estherº for Hatach,º [one] of the king'sº chamberlains,º² whom² he had appointedºª to attend¹ upon² her, and gave him a commandmentºª to² Mordecai,º to knowºª what² it² [was], and why²² it² [was]. 6 So Hatachº went forthºª to² Mordecaiº unto² the streetº of the city,º which² [was] beforeº the king'sº gate.º 7 And Mordecaiº toldºª him of² all² that² had happenedºª unto him, and² of the sumº of the moneyº that² Hamanº had promisedºª to payºª to² the king'sº treasuriesº for the Jews,º to destroyºª them. 8 Also he gaveºª him the copyº of the writingº of the decreeº that² was givenºª at Shushanº to destroyºª them, to shewºª [it] unto² Esther,º and to declareºª [it] unto her, and to chargeºª her² that she should go inºª unto² the king,º to make supplicationºª unto him, and to make requestºª beforeº² him for² her people.º 9 And Hatachº cameºª and toldºª Estherº² the wordsº of Mordecai.º

She excusing herself is threatened by Mordecai.

10 ¶ Again Estherº spakeºª unto Hatach,º and gave him commandmentºª unto² Mordecai;º 11 All² the king'sº servants,º and the peopleº of the king'sº provinces,º do know,ºª that² whosoever,²² whether² manº or woman,º shall comeºª unto² the kingº into² the innerº court,º who² is not² called,ºª [there is] oneº lawº of his to put [him] to death,ºª exceptº such to whom²² the kingº shall hold outºª² the goldenº sceptre,º that he may live:ºª but I² have not² been calledºª to come inºª unto² the kingº these² thirtyº days.º 12 And they toldºª to Mordecaiº² Esther'sº words.º 13 Then Mordecaiº commandedºª to answerºª² Esther,º Thinkºª not² with thyselfº that thou shalt escapeºª in the king'sº house,º more than all²² the Jews.º 14 For² if² thou altogether¹ª holdest thy peaceºª at this² time,º [then] shall there enlargementº and deliveranceº ariseºª to the Jewsº from another¹ place;º²² but thou² and thy father'sº houseº shall be destroyed:ºª and who² knowethºª whether² thou art comeºª to the kingdomº for [such] a timeº as this?²

She appointing a fast undertaketh the suit.

15 ¶ Then Estherº badeºª [them] returnºª² Mordecaiº [this answer], 16 Go,¹ª² gather togetherºª² all² the Jewsº that are presentºª in Shushan,º and fastºª ye for² me, and neither² eatºª nor² drinkºª threeº days,º nightº or day:º I² also² and my maidensº will fastºª likewise;² and soº will I go¹ª in² unto² the king,º which² [is] not² according to the law:º and if² I perish,ºª I perish.ºª 17 So Mordecaiº went his way,ºª and didºª according to all² that² Estherº had commandedºª him.²