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1. When Mordecai heard about all that had been done, he tore his clothes. Then he put on sackcloth, put ashes on his head, and went out into the city crying loudly.
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1. When Mordecai H4782 perceived H3045 H853 all H3605 that H834 was done H6213 , Mordecai H4782 rent H7167 H853 his clothes H899 , and put on H3847 sackcloth H8242 with ashes H665 , and went out H3318 into the midst H8432 of the city H5892 , and cried H2199 with a loud H1419 and a bitter H4751 cry H2201 ;
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2. But Mordecai went only as far as the king's gate. No one was allowed to enter the gate dressed in sackcloth.
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2. And came H935 even H5704 before H6440 the king H4428 's gate H8179 : for H3588 none H369 might enter H935 into H413 the king H4428 's gate H8179 clothed H3830 with sackcloth H8242 .
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3. In every province where the king's command had come, there was much crying and sadness among the Jews. They were fasting and crying loudly. Many Jews were lying on the ground dressed in sackcloth with ashes on their heads.
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3. And in every H3605 province H4082 H4082 , whithersoever H4725 H834 the king H4428 's commandment H1697 and his decree H1881 came H5060 , there was great H1419 mourning H60 among the Jews H3064 , and fasting H6685 , and weeping H1065 , and wailing H4553 ; and many H7227 lay H3331 in sackcloth H8242 and ashes H665 .
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4. Esther's slave women and eunuchs came to her and told her about Mordecai. This made Queen Esther very sad and upset. She sent clothes for Mordecai to put on instead of sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
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4. So Esther H635 's maids H5291 and her chamberlains H5631 came H935 and told H5046 it her . Then was the queen H4436 exceedingly H3966 grieved H2342 ; and she sent H7971 raiment H899 to clothe H3847 H853 Mordecai H4782 , and to take away H5493 his sackcloth H8242 from H4480 H5921 him : but he received H6901 it not H3808 .
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5. Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs who had been chosen to serve her. She commanded him to find out what was bothering Mordecai, and why.
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5. Then called H7121 Esther H635 for Hatach H2047 , one of the king H4428 's chamberlains H4480 H5631 , whom H834 he had appointed H5975 to attend upon H6440 her , and gave him a commandmen H6680 to H5921 Mordecai H4782 , to know H3045 what H4100 it H2088 was , and why H5921 H4100 it H2088 was .
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6. So Hathach went out to where Mordecai was in the open place of the city in front of the king's gate.
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6. So Hatach H2047 went forth H3318 to H413 Mordecai H4782 unto H413 the street H7339 of the city H5892 , which H834 was before H6440 the king H4428 's gate H8179 .
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7. Then Mordecai told Hathach everything that had happened to him. Mordecai told him about the exact amount of money Haman had promised to put into the king's treasury for killing Jews.
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7. And Mordecai H4782 told H5046 him of H853 all H3605 that H834 had happened H7136 unto him, and H853 of the sum H6575 of the money H3701 that H834 Haman H2001 had promised H559 to pay H8254 to H5921 the king H4428 's treasuries H1595 for the Jews H3064 , to destroy H6 them.
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8. Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the king's command to kill the Jews. The command had been sent out all over the city of Susa. He wanted Hathach to show it to Esther and tell her everything. And he told him to encourage Esther to go to the king and beg him for mercy for Mordecai and her people.
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8. Also he gave H5414 him the copy H6572 of the writing H3791 of the decree H1881 that H834 was given H5414 at Shushan H7800 to destroy H8045 them , to show H7200 it unto H853 Esther H635 , and to declare H5046 it unto her , and to charge H6680 her H5921 that she should go in H935 unto H413 the king H4428 , to make supplication H2603 unto him , and to make request H1245 before H4480 H6440 him for H5921 her people H5971 .
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9. Hathach went back and told Esther everything Mordecai had said.
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9. And Hatach H2047 came H935 and told H5046 Esther H635 H853 the words H1697 of Mordecai H4782 .
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10. Then Esther told Hathach to say this to Mordecai:
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10. Again Esther H635 spoke H559 unto Hatach H2047 , and gave him commandment H6680 unto H413 Mordecai H4782 ;
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11. "Mordecai, all the king's leaders, and all the people of the king's provinces know this: The king has one law for any man or woman who goes to the king without being called. That person must be put to death unless the king holds out his gold scepter to the person. If the king does this, that person's life will be saved. And I have not been called to go see the king for 30 days."
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11. All H3605 the king H4428 's servants H5650 , and the people H5971 of the king H4428 's provinces H4082 , do know H3045 , that H834 whosoever H3605 H834 , whether H834 man H376 or woman H802 , shall come H935 unto H413 the king H4428 into H413 the inner H6442 court H2691 , who H834 is not H3808 called H7121 , there is one H259 law H1881 of his to put him to death H4191 , except H905 such to whom H4480 H834 the king H4428 shall hold out H3447 H853 the golden H2091 scepter H8275 , that he may live H2421 : but I H589 have not H3808 been called H7121 to come in H935 unto H413 the king H4428 these H2088 thirty H7970 days H3117 .
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12. Then Esther's message was given to Mordecai. When he got her message, Mordecai sent his answer back: "Esther, don't think that just because you live in the king's palace you will be the only Jew to escape.
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12. And they told H5046 to Mordecai H4782 H853 Esther H635 's words H1697 .
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13. vnumber="13">
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13. Then Mordecai H4782 commanded H559 to answer H7725 H413 Esther H635 , Think H1819 not H408 with thyself H5315 that thou shalt escape H4422 in the king H4428 's house H1004 , more than all H4480 H3605 the Jews H3064 .
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14. If you keep quiet now, help and freedom for the Jews will come from another place. But you and your father's family will all die. And who knows, maybe you have been chosen to be the queen for such a time as this."
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14. For H3588 if H518 thou altogether holdest thy peace H2790 H2790 at this H2063 time H6256 , then shall there enlargement H7305 and deliverance H2020 arise H5975 to the Jews H3064 from another place H4480 H4725 H312 ; but thou H859 and thy father H1 's house H1004 shall be destroyed H6 : and who H4310 knoweth H3045 whether H518 thou art come H5060 to the kingdom H4438 for such a time H6256 as this H2063 ?
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15. Then Esther sent this answer to Mordecai: "Mordecai, go and get all the Jews in Susa together, and fast for me. Don't eat or drink for three days and nights. I and my women servants will fast too. After we fast, I will go to the king. I know it is against the law to go to the king if he didn't call me, but I will do it anyway. If I die, I die."
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15. Then Esther H635 bade H559 them return H7725 H413 Mordecai H4782 this answer ,
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16. vnumber="16">
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16. Go H1980 , gather together H3664 H853 all H3605 the Jews H3064 that are present H4672 in Shushan H7800 , and fast H6684 ye for H5921 me , and neither H408 eat H398 nor H408 drink H8354 three H7969 days H3117 , night H3915 or day H3117 : I H589 also H1571 and my maidens H5291 will fast H6684 likewise H3651 ; and so H3651 will I go in H935 unto H413 the king H4428 , which H834 is not H3808 according to the law H1881 : and if H834 I perish H6 , I perish H6 .
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17. So Mordecai went away and did everything Esther told him to do.
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17. So Mordecai H4782 went his way H5674 , and did H6213 according to all H3605 that H834 Esther H635 had commanded H6680 him H5921 .
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