Esther Agrees to Help the Jews

When Mordecai learned all that had happened, [a]he (A)tore his clothes and put on sackcloth (B)and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He (C)cried out with a loud and bitter cry. He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

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Footnotes

  1. Esther 4:1 Lit. Mordecai

(A)Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;
He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

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Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, (A)and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

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