Esther:4

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* When Mordecai perceived all that was done , Mordecai rent his clothes , and put on sackcloth with ashes , and went out into the midst of the city , and cried with a loud and a bitter cry za #aq #; * And came even before the kings gate sha #ar #: for none might enter into the kings gate clothed with sackcloth . * And in every province , whithersoever the kings commandment and his decree came , there was great mourning among the Jews , and fasting , and weeping , and wailing ; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes . * So Esthers maids and her chamberlains came and told it her . Then was the queen exceedingly grieved ; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai , and to take away his sackcloth from him : but he received it not . * Then called Esther for Hatach , one of the kings chamberlains , whom he had appointed to attend upon her , and gave him a commandment to Mordecai , to know what it was , and why it was . * So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city , which was before the kings gate sha #ar #. * And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him , and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the kings treasuries for the Jews , to destroy them . * Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them , to shew it unto Esther , and to declare it unto her , and to charge her that she should go in unto the king , to make supplication unto him , and to make request before him for her people . * And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai . * Again Esther spake unto Hatach , and gave him commandment unto Mordecai ; * All the kings servants , and the people of the kings provinces , do know , that whosoever , whether man or woman , shall come unto the king into the inner court , who is not called , there is one law of his to put him to death , except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre , that he may live : but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days . * And they told to Mordecai Esthers words . * Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther , Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the kings house , more than all the Jews . * For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time , then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place ; but thou and thy fathers house shall be destroyed : and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this ? * Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer , * Go , gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan , and fast ye for me , and neither eat nor drink three days , night or day : I also and my maidens will fast likewise ; and so will I go in unto the king , which is not according to the law : and if I perish , I perish . * So Mordecai went his way , and did according to all that Esther had commanded him .

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