WHEN Mordekai perceived all that was done, Mordekai 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;
And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Yahudiym, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
So Ecter's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordekai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
Then called Ecter for Hathak, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordekai, to know what it was, and why it was.
So Hathak went forth to Mordekai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.
And Mordekai told him of את all that had happened unto him, and את of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Yahudiym, to destroy them.
Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Ecter, 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.
And Hathak came and told Ecter את the words of Mordekai.
Again Ecter spoke unto Hathak, and gave him commandment unto Mordekai;
All 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.
And they told to Mordekai את Ecter's words.
Then Mordekai commanded to answer Ecter, Think not with yourself that you shall escape in the king's house, more than all the Yahudiym.
For if you altogether hold your peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Yahudiym from another place; but you and your father's house shall be destroyed: and who knows whether you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Then Ecter bade them return Mordekai this answer,
Go, gather together all the Yahudiym 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.
So Mordekai went his way, and did according to all that Ecter had commanded him.