Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help

When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes,(A) put on sackcloth and ashes,(B) and went out into the city, wailing(C) loudly and bitterly. But he went only as far as the king’s gate,(D) because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

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When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on 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 Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

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Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.(A)

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And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

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13 Then they sat on the ground(A) with him for seven days and seven nights.(B) No one said a word to him,(C) because they saw how great his suffering was.

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13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

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30 They will raise their voice
    and cry bitterly over you;
they will sprinkle dust(A) on their heads
    and roll(B) in ashes.(C)
31 They will shave their heads(D) because of you
    and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep(E) over you with anguish of soul
    and with bitter mourning.(F)

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30 And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes:

31 And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.

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