ULT EST Chapter 4

4 Now when Mordecai knew about all that had been done, Mordecai tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes. And he went out into the midst of the city and cried out a great and bitter outcry. 2 And he came only as far as before the face of the gate of the king because no one was to come into the gate of the king while wearing sackcloth. 3 And in every province by province, any place where the decree of the king and his law reached, there was great mourning by the Jews, and fasting and weeping and lamenting; sackcloth and ashes were laid out by the multitudes. 4 When the young female attendants of Esther came with her eunuchs and they told her, even the queen was seized with extreme fear. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and to take off his sackcloth from upon him, but he did not accept.

5 And Esther called for Hathak, from the eunuchs of the king whom he had caused to stand before her face. She commanded him concerning Mordecai to know what this was and on account of what this was. 6 And Hathak went out to Mordecai, to the open place of the city that was before the face of the gate of the king. 7 And Mordecai reported to him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of silver that Haman had said to weigh out into the treasuries of the king against the Jews to destroy them. 8 Also he gave to him a copy of the writing of the law that had been given in Susa to annihilate them, in order to show Esther and to inform her and to lay a charge upon her to go to the king to implore his favor and to seek from before his face concerning her people. 9 And Hathak went and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 And Esther spoke to Hathak and commanded him to say to Mordecai: 11 “All the servants of the king and the people of the provinces of the king are knowing that for any man or woman who goes to the king, to the inner court, who has not been called, his law is one: to cause to die, apart from when the king holds out to him the scepter of gold; then he will live. But as for me, I have not been called to come to the king these 30 days.” 12 And they told to Mordecai the words of Esther.

13 And Mordecai said to return to Esther: “Do not think to yourself to escape in the palace of the king, different from all the Jews. 14 For if you indeed remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and the house of your father will perish. And who knows if you have arrived at royalty for such a time as this?”

15 And Esther said to return to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa. And fast on account of me, neither eating nor drinking for three days, both night and day. Also, I myself and my young female attendants will fast likewise. Then, in such circumstances, I will go to the king, which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish.” 17 And Mordecai went and did according to the whole charge that Esther had laid upon him.

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