And Mordekhay knew all that was done, and Mordekhay tore his garments, and wore sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried a great and bitter cry.

And he came even before the king's gate, for no one may enter the king's gate wearing sackcloth.

And in every province and in every place where the king's word and decree arrived, there was great mourning for the Yehudim, and fasting, and weeping, and lamenting; sackcloth and ashes were spread for the many.

And Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was greatly distressed, and she sent garments to clothe Mordekhay and to remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept.

Then Esther called for Hatakh, one of the king's eunuchs whom he had appointed to serve her, and commanded him to Mordekhay to learn what this was and why it was.

So Hatakh went out to Mordekhay, to the city square which was before the king's gate.

And Mordekhay told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had said he would weigh into the king's treasuries for the Yehudim, to destroy them.

And he gave him a copy of the written decree that was issued in Shushan for their destruction, to show to Esther and to tell her, and to command her to go in to the king to plead with him and to ask him for her people.

And Hatakh came and told Esther the words of Mordekhay.

Then Esther spoke to Hatakh and commanded him to Mordekhay,

All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who comes to the king into the inner court who has not been called, his law is one: to die, unless the king extends to him the golden scepter, that he may live. But I have not been called to come to the king these thirty days.

And they told Mordekhay the words of Esther.

Then Mordekhay said to return to Esther, 'Do not think in your soul that you will escape in the king's house more than all the Yehudim.

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Yehudim from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows if you have come to the kingdom for a time like this?'

Then Esther said to return to Mordekhay,

'Go, gather all the Yehudim who are found in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat and do not drink for three days, night and day. I also and my young women will fast likewise. And then I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law, and if I perish, I perish.'

So Mordekhay went and did according to all that Esther commanded him.