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¹ When, Mordecai, came to know all that had been done, Mordecai rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, and ashes, - and went forth into the midst of the city, and cried out with an outcry loud and bitter;² and went in as far as before the gate of the king, - for, none, might enter into the gate of the king, clothed with sackcloth.³ And, throughout every province, whithersoever the word of the king and his edict came, was great mourning to the Jews, and fasting and weeping, and lamentation, - sackcloth and ashes, were spread out for many.⁴ So the maidens of Esther and her eunuchs went in and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish, - and sent garments to clothe Mordecai, and to remove his sackcloth from off him, but he accepted them not.

⁵ Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the eunuchs of the king whom he had stationed before her, and charged him, concerning Mordecai, - to get to know what this was, and why this was.⁶ So Hathach went forth unto Mordecai, - in the broadway of the city, which was before the gate of the king.⁷ And Mordecai told him all that had befallen him, - and an exact statement of the silver, that Haman had promised to weigh out unto the treasuries of the king, for the Jews, to destroy them.⁸ Also, a copy of the writing of the edict which had been given in Shusan to destroy them, gave he unto him, to shew unto Esther, and to tell her, - and to lay charge upon her, to go in unto the king - to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her people.⁹ And Hathach came in and told Esther, the words of Mordecai.¹⁰ Then spake Esther unto Hathach, - and gave him charge, unto Mordecai: - ¹¹ All the servants of the king, and the people of the provinces of the king, do know, that, whatsoever man or woman shall go in unto the king - into the inter court - who hath not been called, one, is his law, to put him to death, saving any to whom the king may hold out the golden sceptre, who then shall live, - but, I, have not been called to go in unto the king, these thirty days.¹² And they told Mordecai, the words of Esther.¹³ Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, - Do not think in thine own soul, to escape in the house of the king from among all the Jews.¹⁴ But, if thou, do indeed hold thy peace, at this time, respite and deliverance, will be appointed for the Jews, from another place, but, thou, and thy father's house, will perish, - and who knoweth whether, for a time such as this, thou hast attained unto the royal estate?¹⁵ Then Esther commanded, to answer Mordecai: - ¹⁶ Go! gather ye together all the Jews who are to be found in Shusan, and fast ye for me - and neither eat nor drink - three days, night nor day, and, I and my maidens, will fast so, - and, in this manner, will I go in unto the king, though it is not according to the law, and, when I have perished, I have perished!¹⁷ So Mordecai departed, - and did according to all that Esther had charged upon him.