Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: “All the king’s officials and even the people of the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king olds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.” So Hathach gave Esther’s message to Mordecai.
Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps your were made queen for such a time as this?”
Then Ester sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, , I must die.” So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordred him. (vv. 10-17, NLT)