Esther:4

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* When , Mordecai , came to know all that had been done , Mordecai rent his garments , and put on sackcloth , and ashes , and went forth into the midst of the city , and cried out with an outcry loud and bitter ; * and went in as far as before the gate of the king , for , none , might enter into the gate of the king , clothed with sackcloth . * And , throughout every province , whithersoever the word of the king and his edict came , was great mourning to the Jews , and fasting and weeping , and lamentation , sackcloth and ashes , were spread out for many . * So the maidens of Esther and her eunuchs went in and told her , and the queen writhed in great anguish , and sent garments to clothe Mordecai , and to remove his sackcloth from off him , but he accepted them not . * Then called Esther for Hathach , one of the eunuchs of the king whom he had stationed before her , and charged him , concerning Mordecai , to get to know what this was , and why this was . * So Hathach went forth unto Mordecai , in the broadway of the city , which was before the gate of the king . * And Mordecai told him all that had befallen him , and an exact statement of the silver , that Haman had promised to weigh out unto the treasuries of the king , for the Jews , to destroy them . * Also , a copy of the writing of the edict which had been given in Shusan to destroy them , gave he unto him , to shew unto Esther , and to tell her , and to lay charge upon her , to go in unto the kingto make supplication unto him , and to make request before him , for her people . * And Hathach came in and told Esther , the words of Mordecai . * Then spake Esther unto Hathach , and gave him charge , unto Mordecai : * All the servants of the king , and the people of the provinces of the king , do know , that , whatsoever man or woman shall go in unto the kinginto the inter courtwho hath not been called , one , is his law , to put him to death , saving any to whom the king may hold out the golden sceptre , who then shall live , but , I , have not been called to go in unto the king , these thirty days . * And they told Mordecai , the words of Esther . * Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther , Do not think in thine own soul , to escape in the house of the king from among all the Jews . * But , if thou , do indeed hold thy peace , at this time , respite and deliverance , will be appointed for the Jews , from another place , but , thou , and thy fathers house , will perish , and who knoweth whether , for a time such as this , thou hast attained unto the royal estate ? * Then Esther commanded , to answer Mordecai : * Go ! gather ye together all the Jews who are to be found in Shusan , and fast ye for meand neither eat nor drinkthree days , night nor day , and , I and my maidens , will fast so , and , in this manner , will I go in unto the king , though it is not according to the law , and , when I have perished , I have perished ! * So Mordecai departed , and did according to all that Esther had charged upon him .

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