Esther 3:12-Esther 4:3 - Haman Prepares To Kill The Jews
12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month, the king's scribes were summoned. They put in writing Haman's orders to all the king's captains and the rulers of every division of his kingdom and the chiefs of every people. It was to be for every division of the kingdom in the writing commonly used there, and to every people in the language which was theirs. It was signed in the name of King Ahasuerus and stamped with the king's ring. 13 Runners delivered letters to every division of the kingdom. They ordered the death and destruction of all Jews, young and old, little children and women, on the same day, even the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar, and the taking of all their goods by force.
14 A copy of the writing, to be made public in every part of the kingdom, was sent out to all the peoples, so that they might be ready when that day came. 15 The runners went out quickly with the king's order. A public statement was made in Shushan. The king and Haman took wine together, but the town of Shushan was troubled.
1 When Mordecai learned what had been done, he tore his clothes in anguish. Then he dressed in sackcloth, covered his head with ashes, and walked through the city, wailing loudly and bitterly, 2 until he came to the entrance of the palace. He did not go in because no one wearing sackcloth was allowed inside. 3 Throughout all the provinces, wherever the king's proclamation was made known, there was loud mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, wailed, and most of them put on sackcloth and lay in ashes.