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Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. 2 But he only went as far as the king’s gate, for no one wearing sackcloth was permitted to enter the king’s gate. 3 In every province where the king’s command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 When Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and reported the news to her about Mordecai, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent clothes for him to wear so he could take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what was happening and why.
6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree which had been issued at Susa ordering their destruction, to show Esther and explain it to her. He then told Hathach to urge Esther to go in before the king to beg for mercy and to plead with him for her people.
9 Then Hathach went back and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 When Esther heard this, she instructed Hathach to tell Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king without being summoned, on law applies: that person is to be put to death. The only exception is if the king extends the golden sceptre to him and so spares his life. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for thirty days.”
12 When Hathach went and told Mordecai what Esther had said, 13 Mordecai told them to say to Esther, “Do not think that you will escape the fate of the Jews because you are in the king’s palace. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go in before the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
17 So Mordecai went away and did everything that Esther had instructed him.