Esther 4 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
474 BC, the days immediately after Haman's decree was published
Location
The city of Susa and the square in front of the king's gate, with messages carried back and forth into the palace
Audience
Jews of the Persian dispersion facing the question of when to speak and when to stay hidden
Situation
Mordecai puts on sackcloth and ashes and mourns publicly, and Jews across the provinces do the same. Through a messenger he presses Esther to go to the king, and she agrees, asking the Jews of Susa to fast three days before she risks approaching the throne uninvited.
Key Background
Sackcloth, a coarse goat-hair fabric, and ashes were the recognised public dress of grief and appeal throughout the ancient Near East, and mourners were barred from entering a royal gate because the court had to be kept free of any sign of misfortune. Persian protocol genuinely restricted unannounced approaches to the king, with armed guards at the throne room and the raised golden sceptre as the sign of permission, a scene depicted in reliefs at Persepolis. Esther had not been called for thirty days, which in a court with many women in the royal household signalled real uncertainty about her standing.
When Mordecai learned everything that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on and and went out into the middle of the city, crying out in loud, bitter anguish.
He went as far as the — but no further, because no one was allowed to enter the wearing sackcloth.
In every province where the king's command and decree reached, there was deep mourning among the Jewish people — fasting, weeping, and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
When Esther's attendants and eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he wouldn't accept them.
Esther called Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs who had been assigned to serve her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai and find out what was going on and why.
Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king's gate.
Mordecai told him everything that had happened — including the exact amount of silver Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jewish people.
He also gave him a copy of the written decree that had been issued in Susa for their annihilation, so he could show it to Esther and explain everything. He urged her to go to the king, for and plead with him for her people.
Hathach went back and reported Mordecai's words to Esther.
Then Esther sent Hathach back to Mordecai with this message:
"Everyone — all the king's servants and the people of the royal provinces — knows that there is one law for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned: death. The only exception is if the king extends his — then that person may live. And I haven't been called to come to the king in thirty days."
When Mordecai was told what Esther said,
Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: "Don't think that just because you're in the king's palace you'll escape this any more than the rest of the Jewish people.
Because if you stay silent right now, and will to the Jewish people from — but you and your father's family will be destroyed. And who knows? Maybe you came to your royal position for this
Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
"Go, gather all the Jewish people in Susa, and for me. Don't eat or drink for three days, night or day. My attendants and I will the same way. Then I will go to the king, even though it's against the law. And if I I
So Mordecai went and did everything Esther had instructed him to do.