Mordecai Appeals to Esther 1 ULT Now when Mordecai knew about all that had been done, Mordecai tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes. And he went out into the midst of the city and cried out a great and bitter outcry. 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 ULT And he came only as far as before the face of the gate of the king because no one was to come into the gate of the king while wearing 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 ULT And in every province by province, any place where the decree of the king and his law reached, there was great mourning by the Jews, and fasting and weeping and lamenting; sackcloth and ashes were laid out by the multitudes. 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 ULT When the young female attendants of Esther came with her eunuchs and they told her, even the queen was seized with extreme fear. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and to take off his sackcloth from upon him, but he did not accept. 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 ULT And Esther called for Hathak, from the eunuchs of the king whom he had caused to stand before her face. She commanded him concerning Mordecai to know what this was and on account of what this 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 ULT And Hathak went out to Mordecai, to the open place of the city that was before the face of the gate of the king. BSB BSB: So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate,
7 ULT And Mordecai reported to him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of silver that Haman had said to weigh out into the treasuries of the king against 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 ULT Also he gave to him a copy of the writing of the law that had been given in Susa to annihilate them, in order to show Esther and to inform her and to lay a charge upon her to go to the king to implore his favor and to seek from before his face concerning 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 ULT And Hathak went and told Esther the words of Mordecai. BSB BSB: So Hathach went back and relayed Mordecai’s response to Esther.
10 ULT And Esther spoke to Hathak and commanded him to say to Mordecai: BSB BSB: Then Esther spoke to Hathach and instructed him to tell Mordecai,
11 ULT “All the servants of the king and the people of the provinces of the king are knowing that for any man or woman who goes to the king, to the inner court, who has not been called, his law is one: to cause to die, apart from when the king holds out to him the scepter of gold; then he will live. But as for me, I have not been called to come to the king these 30 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 ULT And they told to Mordecai the words of Esther. BSB BSB: When Esther’s words were relayed to Mordecai,
13 ULT And Mordecai said to return to Esther:“Do not think to yourself to escape in the palace of the king, different from 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 ULT For if you indeed remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and the house of your father will perish. And who knows if you have arrived at royalty 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 ULT And Esther said to return to Mordecai: BSB BSB: Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16 ULT “Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa. And fast on account of me, neither eating nor drinking for three days, both night and day. Also, I myself and my young female attendants will fast likewise. Then, in such circumstances, I will go 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 ULT And Mordecai went and did according to the whole charge that Esther had laid upon 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.