Sitting in Sackcloth and Ashes

                When Mordecai heard of the decree to kill all the Jews, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and went out into the middle of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry. He came before the king’s gate; for there was no entering into the gate clothed with sackcloth.

          In every province there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, weeping and wailing. Sackcloth and ashes were spread on many.

          Queen Esther’s maids and the king’s servants told her that Mordecai was weeping at the gate. Esther was exceedingly grieved and sent clothing to clothe Mordecai and to take away his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept. Esther called for Hatach, her servant, and commanded him to find out why Mordecai was upset. He went to Mordecai, and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and of Haman’s decree to destroy all his people. Mordecai gave Hatach a copy of the writing to show to Esther. He told him to tell Esther to go in to the king and persuade him to save his people.

          Hatach told Esther the words of Mordecai. Again, she spoke to Hatach and ordered him to go to Mordecai saying, “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that whoever comes to the king without being called, will be killed. If the king holds out the golden scepter to the person, then he may live. But I have not been called to come into the king for thirty days.”

          Hatach told Mordecai Esther’s words. Mordecai then sent word to Esther saying, “Do not imagine within yourself that you will save yourself by being in the kings house. If you are silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise up to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows if you have been chosen as queen for such a time as this?”

          Esther told Mordecai, “Go, gather together all the Jews being found in Shushan and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days and nights. My maidens and I will also fast in the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law and if I die, I die.”

          Mordecai did according to all that Queen Esther commanded him.

1. Where did Mordecai sit while in sackcloth and ashes? ______________

2. What did Queen Esther ask her people to do for her?  ______________

3. How many days and nights did the Jews fast? _____________________