Mordecai Appeals to Esther 1 AKJV When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; BSB BSB: When Mordecai learned of all that had happened, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
2 AKJV And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. BSB BSB: But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering that gate.
3 AKJV And in every province, wherever 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. BSB BSB: In every province to which the king’s command and edict came, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: When Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, the queen was overcome with distress. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
5 AKJV Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend on her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was. BSB BSB: Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to her, and she dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what was troubling him and why.
6 AKJV So Hatach went forth to Mordecai to the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate. BSB BSB: So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate,
7 AKJV And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to 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. BSB BSB: and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury in order to destroy the Jews.
8 AKJV Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it to Esther, and to declare it to her, and to charge her that she should go in to the king, to make supplication to him, and to make request before him for her people. BSB BSB: Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther, urging her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead before him for her people.
9 AKJV And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. BSB BSB: So Hathach went back and relayed Mordecai’s response to Esther.
10 AKJV Again Esther spoke to Hatach, and gave him commandment to Mordecai; BSB BSB: Then Esther spoke to Hathach and instructed him to tell Mordecai,
11 AKJV All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to 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 scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days. BSB BSB: “All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”
12 AKJV And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words. BSB BSB: When Esther’s words were relayed to Mordecai,
13 AKJV Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with yourself that you shall escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. BSB BSB: he sent back to her this reply: “Do not imagine that because you are in the king’s palace you alone will escape the fate of all the Jews.
14 AKJV For if you altogether hold your peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but you and your father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knows whether you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this? BSB BSB: For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
15 AKJV Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, BSB BSB: Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16 AKJV Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast you 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 to the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. BSB BSB: “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”
17 AKJV So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. BSB BSB: So Mordecai went and did all that Esther had instructed him.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.