Esther 4

Revised Geneva Translation

4 Now when Mordecai perceived all that was done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city and cried with a great and bitter cry.

² And he came as far as the king’s gate; but he could not enter, being clothed with sackcloth.

³ And in every province and place where the king’s charge and his commission came, there was great sorrow among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and mourning. And many lay in sackcloth and in ashes.

⁴ Then, Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told it to her. Therefore, the queen was very troubled; and she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so he could remove his sackcloth. But he refused it.

⁵ Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to serve her and gave him a commandment to go and ask Mordecai what this was and why it was.

⁶ So, Hathach went out to Mordecai, into the street which was before the king’s gate.

⁷ And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and of the sum of the silver that Haman had promised to pay into the King’s treasuries, to destroy the Jews.

⁸ Also, he gave him the copy of the edict that was given at Shushan (to destroy them), so that he might show it to Esther and inform her, and to charge her that she should go and petition the king and make supplication for her people before him.

⁹ So, when Hathach came, he told Esther the words of Mordecai.

¹⁰ Then, Esther said to Hathach, and commanded him to say to Mordecai,

¹¹ “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know of the king’s law stating that whoever, man or woman, comes to the king (into the inner court) who has not been called there, shall die. The only exception is him to whom the king holds out the golden rod. He may live. Now I have not been called to come to the king in the last thirty days.”

¹² And they told Mordecai of Esther’s words.

¹³ And Mordecai sent word to Esther, saying, “Don’t think you shall escape any more than the rest of the Jews just because you live in the king’s house.

¹⁴ For if you remain silent at this time, comfort and deliverance shall appear to the Jews out of another place. And you and your father’s house shall perish. And who knows whether you have come to power for such a time as this?”

¹⁵ Then, Esther commanded an answer to Mordecai,

¹⁶ “Go and assemble all the Jews who are found in Shushan, and fast for me. And do not eat or drink for three days and nights. I and my maids will also fast. Then I will go in to the King, which is not according to the law. And if I die, I die.”

¹⁷ So, Mordecai went his way and did everything that Esther had commanded him.