1 WHEN Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
2 And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
3 And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate.
7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.
9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;
11 All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
12 And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.
13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

1When Mordecai perceiued all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the citie, and cried with a loud and a bitter crie:

2And came euen before the kings gate: for none might enter into the kings gate clothed with sackcloth.

3And in euery prouince, whithersoeuer the kings commaundement, and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Iewes, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 So Esthers maides and her chamberlaines came, and told it her: then was the Queene exceedingly grieued, and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away the sackcloth from him: but he receiued it not.

5Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the kings chamberlaines, whom he had appointed to attend vpon her, and gaue him a commaundement to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.

6So Hatach went forth to Mordecai, vnto the street of the citie, which was before the kings gate:

7And Mordecai tolde him of all that had happened vnto him, and of the summe of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the Kings treasuries for the Iewes, to destroy them.

8Also he gaue him the copie of the writing of the decree, that was giuen at Shushan to destroy them, to shewe it vnto Esther, and to declare it vnto her, and to charge her that she should goe in vnto the king, to make supplication vnto him, and to make request before him, for her people.

9And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 Againe Esther spake vnto Hatach, and gaue him commaundement vnto Mordecai;

11All the Kings seruants, and the people of the kings prouinces do know, that whosoeuer, whether man or woman, shall come vnto the King into the inner court, who is not called, there is one lawe of his to put him to death, except such to whom the King shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may liue: but I haue not beene called to come in vnto the King, these thirtie dayes.

12And they tolde to Mordecai Esthers words.

13Then Mordecai commanded to answere Esther; Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the kings house, more then all the Iewes.

14For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliuerance arise to the Iewes from another place, but thou and thy fathers house shall be destroyed: And who knoweth, whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time as this?

15 Then Esther bade them returne Mordecai this answere:

16Goe, gather together all the Iewes that are present in Shushan, and fast yee for me, and neither eate nor drinke three dayes, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will I goe in vnto the king, which is not according to the Law, and if I perish, I perish.

17So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

I == Gen 27:34 ; Josh 7:6 ; 2nd Sam 1:11 ; Ezek 27:30

 

 

 

 

III == Isa 58:5 ; Dan 9:3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VII == Esth 3:9

 

 

VIII == Esth 3:14-15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XI == Esth 5"1-2 ; 8:4 ; Dan 2:9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIV == Job 9:18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVI == Gen 43:14 ; Esth 5:1

1 When Mordecai learned all that was happening, he tore his garments, put on sackcloth and ashes, and walked through the city crying out loudly and bitterly,

2 till he came before the royal gate, which no one clothed in sackcloth might enter.

3 (Likewise in each of the provinces, wherever the king's legal enactment reached, the Jews went into deep mourning, with fasting, weeping, and lament; they all slept on sackcloth and ashes.)

4 Queen Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her. Overwhelmed with anguish, she sent garments for Mordecai to put on, so that he might take off his sackcloth; but he refused.

5 Esther then summoned Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs whom he had placed at her service, and commanded him to find out what this action of Mordecai meant and the reason for it.

6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the public square in front of the royal gate,

7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened, as well as the exact amount of silver Haman had promised to pay to the royal treasury for the slaughter of the Jews.

8 He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction which had been promulgated in Susa, to show and explain to Esther. He was to instruct her to go to the king; she was to plead and intercede with him in behalf of her people.

:8 "Remember the days of your lowly estate," Mordecai had him say, "when you were brought up in my charge; for Haman, who is second to the king, has asked for our death.

9 Invoke the Lord and speak to the king for us: save us from death." Hathach returned to Esther and told her what Mordecai had said.

10 Then Esther replied to Hathach and gave him this message for Mordecai:

11 "All the servants of the king and the people of his provinces know that any man or woman who goes to the king in the inner court without being summoned, suffers the automatic penalty of death, unless the king extends to him the golden scepter, thus sparing his life. Now as for me, I have not been summoned to the king for thirty days."

12 When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai,

13 he had this reply brought to her: "Do not imagine that because you are in the king's palace, you alone of all the Jews will escape.

14 Even if you now remain silent, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another source; but you and your father's house will perish. Who knows but that it was for a time like this that you obtained the royal dignity?"

15 Esther sent back to Mordecai the response:

16 "Go and assemble all the Jews who are in Susa; fast on my behalf, all of you, not eating or drinking, night or day, for three days. I and my maids will also fast in the same way. Thus prepared, I will go to the king, contrary to the law. If I perish, I perish!"

v 1-3. In typical Jewish manner, Mordecai tore his clothes and wore sack cloth in public to indicate great mourning. Whatever his reason for defying Haman, he was grieved that connecting his refusal with his nationality had placed all Jews in danger. Everywhere the notice went, Jewish people demonstrated their deep grief.

v 4-9. Esther was unaware of what was going on, and when she heard Mordecai was so roughly dressed, she was grieved and sent clothes for him. When they were refused, she sent her faithful eunuch attendant to find out why. Mordecai knew the exact amount Haman was paying the king, and sent a copy of the edict to show Esther and have it explained to her that all Jews were to be destroyed. Through the attendant, Hathach, Esther was urged to go before the king and make petition for her people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 10-12. She sent back word to Mordecai by Hathach, explaining the rule that if one appeared before the king without being called, they were to be killed unless he held out his golden scepter. Since she had not been called for a month, she didn’t know if she was in his favor, and her life could be at risk.

 

v 13,14. Mordecai returned word that she would have certain death, along with the others, if the decree was carried out. He had confidence that the Lord would provide a deliverer (according to His promises), but her family would be destroyed if the Lord had placed her in that position and she refused her responsibility. Note our responsibility if God calls us to a job.

v 15-16. Esther’s response was for him to gather all Jews in Shushan to fast for her for three days, which he did, and she and her maidens would do likewise. She and Mordecai don’t have deep spiritual depth recorded, but they were probably also praying. From what is recorded, we don’t know if she had faith, but she certainly had obedience and resolve as she said, “If I perish, I perish.