Esther 4:1-9 ▼

1 When Mardocheus perceaued all that was done, he rent his clothes, and put on sackecloth with asshes, and went out into the middest of the citie, and cryed loude and lamentably,

2 And came before the kinges gate: but he might not enter within the kinges gate, because he had sackcloth on.

3 And in all prouinces, countries, and places, as farre as the kinges worde & commaundement extented, there was great lamentatio among the Iewes, fasting, weeping, and mourning, and many lay in sackeclothes and in asshes.

4 So Esthers maydens and her chamberlaynes, came and told it her: Then was the queene exceedingly astonied, and she sent rayment that Mardocheus shoulde put on, and lay the sackcloth from him: But Mardocheus would not take them.

5 Then called Esther Hathach one of the kinges chamberlaines which stoode before her, and gaue him a commaundement vnto Mardocheus, to know what it was wherefore he did so.

6 So Hathach went foorth to Mardocheus, vnto the streete of the citie which was before the kinges gate:

7 And Mardocheus tolde him of al that had come vnto him, & of ye summe of siluer that Haman had promised to waye downe into the kinges treasurie, because of the Iewes if he would destroy them.

8 And he gaue him the copie of the kinges commaundement that was deuised at Susan to destroy them, that he might shewe it vnto Esther, and to speake to her, and charge her that she should go in vnto the king, & make her prayer and supplication vnto him for her people.

9 And when Hathach came in, he tolde Esther the wordes of Mardocheus.