5 Mordecái giueth the Quene knowledge of the cruel decree of the King againſt the Iewes. 16 She willeth that they pray for her.

1.NOw when Mordecái perceiued all that was done, Mordecái rent his clothes, and put on ſackecloth, & aſhes, and went out into the middes of the citie, & cryed with a great crye, and a bitter.

2.And he came euẽ before the Kings ^agate, but he might not entre within the Kings gate, being clothed with ſackecloth.

3.And in euerie prouince, & place, whether the Kings charge and his commiſsion came, there was great ſorowe among the Iewes, and faſting, & weping and mournĩg, and ^"many laye in ſackecloth & in aſhes.

4.¶ Then Eſters maides and her eunuches came and tolde it her: therefore the Quene was very heauy, and ſhe ſent raiment to clothe Mordecái, and to take away his ſackecloth frõ him, but he receiued it not.

5.Then called Eſtér Hatách one of y^e Kĩgs eunuches, whome he ^"had appointed to ſerue her, and gaue him a commandement vnto Mordecái, to knowe what it was, and why it was.

6.So Hatách wẽt forthe to Mordecái vnto the ſtreat of the citie, which was before the Kings gate.

7.And Mordecái tolde hĩ of all that which had come vnto him, and of the ^"ſumme of the ſiluer that Hamán had promiſed to paye vnto the Kings treaſuries, becauſe of the Iewes, for to deſtroye them.

8.Alſo he gaue him the ^"copie of the writĩg & commiſsion that was giuen at Shuſhán, to deſtroye thẽ that he might ſhewe it vnto Eſtér and declare it vnto her, and to charge her, that ſhe ſhoulde go in to the King, & make peticion and ſupplication before him for her people.

9.¶ So when Hatách came, he tolde Eſtér the wordes of Mordecái.

10.Then Eſtér ſaid vnto Hatách, and commanded him, to ſay vnto Mordecái,

11.All the Kings ſeruants and the people of the Kings prouinces do knowe, that whoſoeuer, man or woman, that commeth to the King into the inner court, which is not called, there is a lawe of his, that he ſhal dye, except him to whome the King holdeth out the golden rod, that he may liue. Now I haue not bene called to come vnto the King theſe thirtie dayes.

12.And they certified Mordecái of Eſters wordes.

13.And Mordecái ſaid, that thei ſhulde anſwer Eſtér thus, Thinke not with thy ſelf that thou ſhalt eſcape in the Kings houſe, more then all the Iewes.

14.For if thou holdeſt thy peace at this time, ^"comfort and deliuerance ^bſhal appeare to the Iewes out of another place, but thou and thy fathers houſe ſhal periſh: and who knoweth whether thou art come to y^e kingdome for ^cſuch a time?

15.Then Eſtér commanded to anſwer Mordecái,

16.Go, & aſſemble all the Iewes that are found in Shuſhán, & faſt ye for me, & eat not, nor drinke in thre dayes, day nor night. I alſo and my maides wil faſt likewiſe, and ſo wil I go in to the King, which is not according to the Law: and if I periſh, ^dI periſh.

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

Esther 4

Notes