| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his garments and clothed himself in sackcloth and ashes. He went into the middle of the city and cried out with a loud and bitter cry. | 1When Mordecai learned all that had occurred, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, went into the middle of the city, and cried loudly and bitterly. |
| 2He came as far as the front of the king's gate, because no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth. | 2He only went as far as the King's Gate, since the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering the King's Gate. |
| 3In every province where the order of the king and his edict reached, among the Jewish people there was great mourning, fasting, weeping, and lamenting, and many lay down on sackcloth and ashes. | 3There was great mourning among the Jewish people in every province where the king's command and edict came. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay on sackcloth and ashes. |
| 4When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was greatly distressed. She sent clothes for Mordecai to put on so he could take off the sackcloth that he had on, but he would not take them. | 4Esther's female servants and her eunuchs came and reported the news to her, and the queen was overcome with fear. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear so he could take off his sackcloth, but he did not accept them. |
| 5Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, whom he had assigned to her, and she ordered him to go to Mordecai to find out what was happening and why it was happening. | 5Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs assigned to her, and dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what he was doing and why. |
| 6Hathach went to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king's gate. | 6So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the King's Gate. |
| 7Mordecai told him everything that had happened and the exact amount of money that Haman had said he would pay into the king's treasury in order to destroy the Jewish people. | 7Mordecai told him everything that had happened as well as the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay the royal treasury for the slaughter of the Jews. |
| 8Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the written decree ordering the Jews' destruction that had been issued in Susa. Mordecai wanted him to show it to Esther, to explain it to her, and then to instruct her to go in to the king to seek his favor and plead with him for her people. | 8Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa ordering their destruction, so that Hathach might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and command her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead with him personally for her people. |
| 9Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. | 9Hathach came and repeated Mordecai's response to Esther. |
| 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach, instructing him to go back to Mordecai with this message: | 10Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to tell Mordecai, " |
| 11"Every servant of the king and every person in the king's provinces knows that for any man or woman who goes to the king in the inner court without being summoned there is only one law—that he be put to death—unless the king holds out the golden scepter to him. Only then he will live. For these last 30 days I've not been summoned to come to the king." | 11All the royal officials and the people of the royal provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard and who has not been summoned--the death penalty. Only if the king extends the gold scepter will that person live. I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the last 30 days." |
| 12They reported Esther's message to Mordecai. | 12Esther's response was reported to Mordecai. |
| 13Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Don't suppose that because you are in the palace, you will escape any more than the other Jewish people. | 13Mordecai told the messenger to reply to Esther, "Don't think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king's palace. |
| 14Indeed, if you are silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. Who knows but that you were brought to the kingdom for a time like this?" | 14If you keep silent at this time, liberation and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father's house will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this." |
| 15Then Esther replied to Mordecai, | 15Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: " |
| 16"Go and gather all the Jewish people who are in Susa and fast for me. Don't eat or drink for three days, night or day. Both I and my young women will also fast in the same way, and then I'll go in to the king, even though it's against the law. And if I perish, I perish." | 16Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don't eat or drink for three days, day or night. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish." |
| 17Then Mordecai left and did everything that Esther had ordered him. | 17So Mordecai went and did everything Esther had ordered him. |
|
