4When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail.H4782H3045H6213H4782H7167H899H3847H8242H665H3318H8432H5892H2199H1419H4751H22012He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning.H935H6440H4428H8179H935H4428H8179H3830H82423And as news of the king's decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes.H4082H4725H4428H1697H1881H5060H1419H60H3064H6685H1065H4553H7227H3331H8242H6654When Queen Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it.H635H5291H5631H935H5046H4436H3966H2342H7971H899H3847H4782H5493H8242H69015Then Esther sent for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs who had been appointed as her attendant. She ordered him to go to Mordecai and find out what was troubling him and why he was in mourning.H7121H635H2047H4428H5631H5975H6440H6680H4782H30456So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the square in front of the palace gate.H2047H3318H4782H7339H5892H6440H4428H81797Mordecai told him the whole story, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.H4782H5046H7136H6575H3701H2001H559H8254H4428H1595H3064H68Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the decree issued in Susa that called for the death of all Jews. He asked Hathach to show it to Esther and explain the situation to her. He also asked Hathach to direct her to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people.H5414H6572H3791H1881H5414H7800H8045H7200H635H5046H6680H935H4428H2603H1245H6440H59719So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai's message.H2047H935H5046H635H1697H478210Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai.H635H559H2047H6680H478211"All the king's officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days."H4428H5650H5971H4428H4082H3045H376H802H935H4428H6442H2691H7121H259H1881H4191H905H4428H3447H2091H8275H2421H7121H935H4428H7970H311712So Hathach gave Esther's message to Mordecai.H5046H4782H635H169713Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: "Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed.H4782H559H7725H635H1819H5315H4422H4428H1004H306414If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?"H2790H2790H6256H7305H2020H5975H3064H312H4725H1H1004H6H3045H5060H4438H625615Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai.H635H559H7725H478216"Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die."H3212H3664H3064H4672H7800H6684H398H8354H7969H3117H3915H3117H5291H6684H3651H935H4428H1881H6H617So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.H4782H5674H6213H635H6680
gave Esther's message to Mordecai.H5046
