Esther 4:1-17 NIV
Mordecai Persuades Esther to
Help
1When
Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on
sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
2But he
went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was
allowed to enter it. 3In
every province to which the edict and order of the king came,
there was great
mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in
sackcloth and ashes.
4When
Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she
was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his
sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5Then
Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and
ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.
6So
Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the
king’s gate. 7Mordecai
told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of
money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of
the Jews. 8He also
gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been
published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to
instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him
for her people.
9Hathak
went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10Then
she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11“All
the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any
man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned
the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the
gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since
I was called to go to the king.”
12When
Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13he sent
back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you
alone of all the Jews will escape. 14For if
you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from
another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.
And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
15Then
Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16“Go,
gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or
drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do.
When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law.
And if I perish, I perish.”
17So
Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.
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