Mordecai, knowing all these things he had done, tore his clothes, put on linen, covered himself in dust, and walked in the city, weeping and wailing bitterly.

Stop in front of the entrance, as those wearing linen clothes are not allowed to enter.

In all the provinces and places where the king’s decree came, the Jews mourned greatly, fasted, wept, and wailed, and many lay in sackcloth in the ashes.

Queen Esther’s palace maids and eunuchs came to tell Esther about this matter. She was very worried and sent clothes to Mordecai to wear, asking him to take off his linen clothes, but he refused.

Esther summoned one of the eunuchs appointed by the king to serve her, named Hathak, and commanded him to go to Mordecai to know what this was and why.

So Hatha went out to meet Mordecai in a spacious area in front of the court gate.

Mordecai told him what had happened to him, as well as the amount of silver Haman had promised to donate to the king’s treasury to destroy the Jews.

And he handed over the decree of the destruction of the Jews, which he had transcribed throughout the city of Shushan, to Hathak, to show it to Esther, to explain it to her, and to charge her to go in to the king and pray earnestly for her people before the king.

Hathak returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

And Esther commanded Hathak to go to Mordecai, saying,

All the servants of the king and the people of the provinces know that there is a law that if they are not called and enter the inner court without permission to see the king, both men and women shall be put to death. Unless the king extends a golden staff to him, he shall not live. It has been thirty days since I was summoned to meet the king.

And they told Mordecai these words of Esther.

Mordecai sent someone to reply to Esther, saying, Do not expect to be stronger than all the Jews in the palace, to avoid this calamity.

If you remain silent at this moment, the Jews will be liberated from elsewhere and saved, and you and your father’s house will perish. How do you know that you have obtained the position of queen, isn’t it for the current opportunity?

And Esther commanded them to report to Mordecai, saying,

Go and gather all the Jews from the city of Shushan, and fast for me three days and three nights, neither eating nor drinking. My palace maid and I must also fast like this. Then I went in violation of regulations to meet the king. If I die, I’ll die.

So Mordecai did all that Esther had commanded him to do.