Esther’s cousin Mordecai overheard a plot to kill the king. He sent word to Esther, and the king’s life was saved. The guilty parties were punished. The event was recorded. Then it was forgotten.
In the meantime, Mordecai had a dispute with Haman, the king’s official, and Haman vowed to get rid of Mordecai and all the other Jews in the land.
Haman shared with the king that there was a group of people in the kingdom who didn’t abide by the king’s commands. He recommended that a decree be issued to destroy these people.
The king went along with it, and sent out proclamations sealed with the king’s ring. On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, a year from the edict, all Jews in the land were to be destroyed.
When Mordecai heard the decree, he went into mourning. Esther heard he was going around in sackcloth, so she sent her eunuch to find out why. Mordecai told the eunuch about the decree, and encouraged Esther to go to the king and plead for the life of her people.
Esther reminded him that no one, not even the queen, could go before the king unless they’re called on.
Mordecai then gave his famous speech.
“Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)
Read about Esther in Scripture: Esther 4
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