Throughout each and every province where the king&#8217;s edict and law were announced<n id="1" /> there was considerable<n id="2" /> mourning among the Jews, along with fasting, weeping, and sorrow.<n id="3" /> Sackcloth and ashes were characteristic<n id="4" /> of many.

<p class="poetry">Because of Israel&#8217;s sins<n id="1" /> this is what the <sc>Lordsc>, the God who commands armies, the sovereign One,<n id="2" /> says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;In all the squares there will be wailing,p> <p class="poetry">in all the streets they will mourn the dead.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They will tell the field workers<n id="4" /> to lamentp> <p class="poetry">and the professional mourners<n id="5" /> to wail.p>