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Esther 4:1
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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; |
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Esther 4:2 |
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And came even before the king's gate: for none
might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. |
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Esther 4:3 |
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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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Esther 4:4 |
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So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came
and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment
to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it
not. |
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Esther 4:5 |
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Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's
chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment
to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was. |
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Esther 4:6 |
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So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street
of the city, which was before the king's gate. |
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Esther 4:7 |
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And Mordecai told him of all that had happened
unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's
treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. |
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Esther 4:8 |
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Also he gave him the copy of the writing of
the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther,
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. |
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Esther 4:9 |
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And Hatach came and told Esther the words of
Mordecai. |
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Esther 4:10 |
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Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him
commandment unto Mordecai; |
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Esther 4:11 |
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All the king's servants, and the people of
the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come
unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his
to put 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. |
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Esther 4:12 |
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And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. |
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Esther 4:13 |
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Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think
not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the
Jews. |
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Esther 4:14 |
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For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at
this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews 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? |
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Esther 4:15 |
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Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, |
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Esther 4:16 |
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Go, gather together all the Jews that are present
in Shushan, 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 the law: and if I perish, I perish. |
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Esther 4:17 |
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So Mordecai went his way, and did according
to all that Esther had commanded him. |
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