Previous     Next       Play // Stop Sound    

          DASV: Esther 4    

1 Now when Mordecai learned about all that had happened, he
tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went out
into the city wailing with a loud and bitter cry.
2 He went up only as far as the entrance of the king's gate
for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in
sackcloth.
3 In every province, the king's commandment and decree came,
there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept
and wailed with many laying in sackcloth and ashes.
4 Esther's attendants and her eunuchs came and told her
about it. The queen was deeply distressed. She sent clothes
for Mordecai to put on, so he could take off his sackcloth,
but he refused them.

5 Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs who
had been appointed to attend her, and directed him to go to Mordecai,
to find out what was happening and why he was doing it.
6 So Hathach went to Mordecai in the open square of the city
in front of the king's gate.
7 Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him, and the
exact amount of the money Haman had promised to pay to the royal
treasuries to destroy the Jews.
8 Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the decree that was issued
from Susa for their destruction, so that it might be shown to
Esther and inform her. He also requested that she go in to
the king to beg and to make a request before him on behalf
of her people.
9 Hathach returned and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a message to take
back to Mordecai:
11 "All the king's officials, and even the people from the king's
provinces know that there is only one law for any man or woman
who comes to the king in the inner court who has not been
invited: he must be put to death, except for those to whom
the king holds out the golden scepter, that person may live.
I have not been summoned to the king for the last thirty
days."
12 When they reported Esther’s response to Mordecai,
13 Mordecai sent back the following reply to Esther: "Do not
imagine that because you are in the king’s house you alone
will escape any more than the rest of the Jews.
14 For if you are silent at a time like this, then relief and
deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but
you and your father's house will perish. Who knows whether you
have been granted royal status for such a time as this."

15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16 "Go, gather all the Jews found in Susa, and fast for me.
Do not eat or drink for three days, day or night. I also
and my attendants will fast the same way. Then I will go
in to the king, even though it is against the law. If I
perish, I perish."
17 So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had directed him.

 Previous     Next       Play // Stop Sound