Estĕr (Esther) 4
4
1And Mordeḵai learned of all that had been done, and Mordeḵai tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
2And he went up to the front of the sovereign’s gate, for no one might enter the sovereign’s gate wearing sackcloth.
3And in every province where the sovereign’s command and decree came, there was great mourning among the Yehuḏim, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing. And many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4And Estĕr’s young women and eunuchs came and told her, and the sovereigness was deeply pained, and sent garments to Mordeḵai to wear, and to take away his sackcloth from him, but he refused.
5And Estĕr called Hathaḵ, one of the sovereign’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordeḵai, to learn what and why this was.
6And Hathaḵ went out to Mordeḵai, to an open space of the city, in front of the sovereign’s gate.
7And Mordeḵai told him all that befell him, and all about the silver that Haman promised to pay into the sovereign’s treasuries to destroy the Yehuḏim.
8And he gave him a copy of the written decree to destroy them, which was given at Shushan, to show it to Estĕr and explain it to her, and to command her to go in to the sovereign to make supplication to him, and plead before him for her people.
9And Hathaḵ came and told Estĕr the words of Mordeḵai.
10And Estĕr spoke to Hathaḵ, and gave him a command for Mordeḵai,
11“All the sovereign’s servants and the people of the sovereign’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the sovereign, who has not been called, he has but one law: to be put to death, except the one to whom the sovereign holds out the golden sceptre, who then shall live. But I have not been called to come in to the sovereign these thirty days.”
12And they declared to Mordeḵai the words of Estĕr.
13And Mordeḵai commanded them to answer Estĕr, “Do not think within yourself to escape in the sovereign’s palace any more than all the other Yehuḏim.
14“For if you keep entirely silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise for the Yehuḏim from another place, while you and your father’s house perish. And who knows whether you have come to the reign for such a time as this?”
15And Estĕr commanded to reply to Mordeḵai,
16“Go, gather all the Yehuḏim who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I too, and my young women shall fast in the same way, then I shall go to the sovereign, which is against the law. And if I shall perish, I shall perish!”
17Mordeḵai then went away and did according to all that Estĕr commanded him.
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Estĕr (Esther) 4: TS2009
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Esther 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.