Esther
Esther 4
King James Version · tap any highlighted word for context
Esther 4 — Scripture text (King James Version)
When perceived all that was done, rent his clothes, and 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 , and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. So ’s maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe , and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. Then called for , one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to , to know what it was, and why it was. So went forth to unto the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate. And told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the , to destroy them. Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at to destroy them, to shew it unto , 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 came and told the words of . Again spake unto , and gave him commandment unto ; 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 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 ’s words. Then commanded to answer , Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the . For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Then bade them return this answer, Go, gather together all the that are present in , 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 : and if I perish, I perish. So went his way, and did according to all that had commanded him.