² But he came to a halt at the entrance to the king’s gate because no one wearing sackcloth was allowed to go in. ³ (Similarly, in every province to which the king’s edict and order reached, the Jews went into great mourning, with fasting, mourning, and weeping. Many put on sackcloth and ashes.)

⁴ When Queen Esther’s maids and eunuchs went to her and told her about Mordecai, she became deeply troubled. She sent clothes for him to wear in place of the sackcloth, but he refused to do so.