Ester (Est) 4
4
1When Mordekhai learned everything that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes and went out through the city, lamenting and crying bitterly. 2He stopped before entering the King’s Gate, since no one was allowed to go inside the King’s Gate wearing sackcloth. 3In every province reached by the king’s order and decree, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing, as many lay down on sackcloth and ashes.
4When the girls and officials attending Ester came and informed her of this, the queen became deeply distressed. She sent clothes for Mordekhai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he wouldn’t accept them. 5So Ester summoned Hatakh, one of the king’s officials attending her, and instructed him to go to Mordekhai and find out what this was all about and why. 6Hatakh went out to Mordekhai in the open space in front of the King’s Gate, 7and Mordekhai told him everything that had happened to him and exactly how much silver Haman had promised to put in the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 8He also gave him a copy of the decree for their destruction issued in Shushan; so that he could show it to Ester, explain it to her, and then instruct her to approach the king, intercede with him and implore his favor on behalf of her people. 9Hatakh returned and told Ester what Mordekhai had said.
10Then Ester spoke to Hatakh and gave him this message for Mordekhai: 11“All the king’s officials, as well as the people in the royal provinces, know that if anyone, man or woman, approaches the king in the inner courtyard without being summoned, there is just one law — he must be put to death — unless the king holds out the gold scepter for him to remain alive; and I haven’t been summoned to the king for the past thirty days.”
12Upon being told what Ester had said, Mordekhai 13asked them to give Ester this answer: “Don’t suppose that merely because you happen to be in the royal palace you will escape any more than the other Jews. 14For if you fail to speak up now, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from a different direction; but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows whether you didn’t come into your royal position precisely for such a time as this.”
15Ester had them return this answer to Mordekhai: 16“Go, assemble all the Jews to be found in Shushan, and have them fast for me, neither eating nor drinking for three days, night and day; also I and the girls attending me will fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17Then Mordekhai went his way and did everything Ester had ordered him to do.
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Ester (Est) 4: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish BibleEsther 4
4
Esther Agrees to Help the Jews
1When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he #2 Sam. 1:11; Esth. 3:8–10; Jon. 3:5, 6tore his clothes and put on sackcloth #Josh. 7:6; Ezek. 27:30and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He #Gen. 27:34cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. 5Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was. 6So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s gate. 7And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and #Esth. 3:9the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. 8He also gave him #Esth. 3:14, 15a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people. 9So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: 11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into #Esth. 5:1, 6:4the inner court to the king, who has not been called, #Dan. 2:9he has but one law: put all to death, except the one #Esth. 5:2, 8:4to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been #Esth. 2:14called to go in to the king these thirty days.” 12So they told Mordecai Esther’s words.
13And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
15Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for #Esth. 5:1three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; #Gen. 43:14and if I perish, I perish!”
17So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.