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The Mourning of the Jews
v. 1. When Mordecai perceived, found out about, all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, in token of his deep grief, and put on sackcloth, a garment of haircloth next to his skin, with ashes, which he strewed over his head and clothing, and went out into the midst of the city, openly in the streets, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry, concealing his deep distress from no one, but rather proclaiming it publicly;
v. 2. and came even before the king's gate, to the open place before the royal palace; for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth, while bearing the dress and the disfigurements of mourning.
v. 3. And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing, for according to the decree of the king there seemed to be no escape from the threatened doom; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes, for they felt just as Mordecai did.
v. 4. So Esther's maids and her chamberlains, the eunuchs in charge of the royal harem, came and told it her, they brought her the news, Mordecai's behavior, with which he had purposely drawn attention to himself, probably suggesting to them that he desired them to do so. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved, filled with great anxiety, although her nationality had not yet been revealed in the palace; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, proper clothes, in which he might enter the palace grounds, and to take away his sackcloth from him; but he received it not, chiefly because he wanted to communicate with her in private, lest she divulge her secret.
v. 5. Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, a eunuch set apart for her service alone, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai to know what it was and why it was, she wanted detailed information explaining his strange behavior.
v. 6. So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city which was before the king's gate.
v. 7. And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, the entire plan of Haman with its motive, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews to destroy them, emphasizing this despicable sordidness in order to arouse the indignation of Esther all the more.
v. 8. Also, he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, as it was posted in the city, to show it unto Esther and to declare it unto her, give her an explanation of its import and significance, 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, to entreat or petition relief and deliverance for her people, if necessary, by revealing her nationality. Mordecai's plan depended upon the depth of the king's fondness for Esther, of which he felt sure.
v. 9. And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. It is in times of great distress and anxiety that the believers turn to the Lord with sighing and entreaty, begging Him for deliverance from all their enemies. And the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much.