¶ When Mardocheus perceived all that was done, he rent his clothes, and put on sack cloth, and ashes, and went out into the middes of the city, and cried loud and lamentably,
and came before the king's gate: for there might no man enter within the king's gate, that hath sack cloth on.
And in all lands and places, as far as the king's word and commandment extended, there was great lamentation among the Iews and many fasted, wept, mourned and lay in sack clothes and in ashes.
So Esther's damsels and her chamberlains, came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly astonied. And she sent raiment, that Mardocheus should put them on, and lay the sackcloth from him. But Mardocheus would not take them.
¶ Then called Esther Hathath one of the king's chamberlains (which stood before her) and gave him a commandment to Mardocheus, that he might know what it were, and wherefore he did so.
So Hathath went forth to Mardocheus unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.
And Mardocheus told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of silver that Haman had promised to weigh down in the king's chamber because of the Iews, for to destroy them.
and he gave him the copy of the commandment, that was devised at Susan to destroy them, that he might shew it unto Esther, and to speak to her and charge her, that she should go into the king, and make her prayer and supplication unto him for her people.
And when Hathath came in, and told Esther the words of Mardocheus,
Esther spake unto Hathath, and commanded him to say unto Mardocheus:
All the king's servants, and the people in the lands of the king know, that whosoever cometh within the court unto the king, whether it be man or woman, which is not called, the commandment is that the same shall die immediately, except the king hold out the golden scepter unto him, that he may live. As for me, I have not been called to come in to the king now this thirty days.
And when Mardocheus was certified of Esther's words,
Mardocheus bade say again unto Esther: think not to save thine own life, while thou art in the king's house before all Iews:
for if thou holdest thy peace at this time, then shall the Iews have help and deliverance out of another place, and thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed. And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom, for this time's sake?
Esther bade, give Mardocheus this answer:
Go thou thy way then, and gather together all the Iews that are found at Susan, and fast ye for me, that ye eat not and drink not in three days, neither day nor night. I and my damsels will fast likewise, and so will I go in to the king contrary to the commandment: if I perish, I perish.
So Mardocheus went his way, and did all that Esther had commanded him.
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Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.