In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate, two of the king's servants, who guarded the entrance of the palace, plotted to kill King Ahasuerus. Mordecai learned of the plot and told it to Queen Esther; and she told the king in Mordecai's name. When the truth was known, the men who plotted against the king were both hanged on a tree. And the incident was written down in the daily record of events that was kept before the king.

The Man Who Didn't Bow
Now, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the Agagite, and gave him a place above all the princes who were with him. All the king's servants who were in the king's gate bowed down before Haman, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai did not bow down before Haman. Haman was very angry. He decided to plot to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Haman told King Ahasuerus:
"There is a certain people in the provinces of your kingdom; and their laws differ from those of every other people; and they do not keep the king's laws. Let an order be given to destroy them, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury."
The king took up his ring and gave it to Haman, and said:
"The money is yours and the people also, to do with them as you wish."

Messages then were sent to all the king's provinces, to destroy all the Jews on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is Adar.

Trouble in Shushan
When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes and put ashes on his head as a sign of mourning, and went out into the city and raised a loud and bitter cry of sorrow. He went as far as the king's gate.

When Esther's maids and servants told her about it, she was greatly troubled. She sent Hatach, one of the king's servants, to learn what this meant.

Hatach went to Mordecai, who told him all that had happened and told him to urge Esther to go to the king and plead with him for her people.

When Hatach came and told Esther what Mordecai had said, she commanded Hatach to go and say to Mordecai: "Death is the punishment for any man or woman who goes to the king into the inner court without being called, except for the one to whom the king may hold out the golden scepter, which -means that he may live. Now for thirty days I have not been called to go in to the king."