Esther

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;

1When Mordecai found out everything that had happened, he tore his clothes. He put on sackcloth and ashes. He went into the middle of the city and cried out loudly and bitterly.

NoteSackcloth was rough, scratchy cloth. Wearing it, and putting ashes on yourself, was a public way of showing deep grief.

2And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

2He came only as far as the king's gate. No one dressed in sackcloth was allowed to go through that gate.

3And 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.

3In every province the king's order and law reached, the Jews mourned deeply. They went without food. They wept and wailed, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4So 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.

4Esther's servant girls and palace officials came and told her about Mordecai. The queen was very upset. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of the sackcloth, but he would not take them.

5Then 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.

5Then Esther called for Hatach, one of the king's officials chosen to serve her. She sent him to Mordecai to find out what was wrong and why.

NoteThe KJV word "chamberlains" means palace officials who served the king's household and were trusted with private business.

6So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate.

6So Hatach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city, in front of the king's gate.

7And 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.

7Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him. He even told him the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasury to have the Jews destroyed.

8Also 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.

8He also gave Hatach a copy of the written order issued in Shushan to destroy the Jews. Hatach was to show it to Esther and explain it. He was to urge her to go to the king, beg him for mercy, and plead for her people.

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

9Hatach went back and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

10Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;

10Then Esther spoke to Hatach again and gave him this message for Mordecai:

11All 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.

11"All the king's servants and the people in his provinces know the law. Any man or woman who goes to the king in the inner court without being called must be put to death. The one exception is when the king holds out his gold scepter to them. Then that person lives. And the king has not called for me in thirty days."

NoteA scepter is a decorated rod a king carries as a sign of his power. Holding it out was his signal that a visitor could live.

12And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.

12Esther's words were carried back to Mordecai.

13Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.

13Then Mordecai sent this answer to Esther: "Do not think that living in the king's palace will save you when no other Jew is saved.

14For 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?

14If you say nothing at this time, help and rescue for the Jews will come from somewhere else. But you and your father's family will die. And who knows? Maybe you became queen for a moment just like this one."

15Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

15Then Esther sent Mordecai this answer:

16Go, 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.

16"Go and gather all the Jews in Shushan. Fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My servant girls and I will fast the same way. Then I will go to the king, even though it breaks the law. And if I die, I die."

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

17So Mordecai went away and did everything Esther had told him to do.