Esther 5

1 On the third day, Esther put on her regalia and stood in the inner court of the royal palace opposite the king’s house. The king was sitting on his throne in the palace, opposite the entrance.

And it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and placed herself in the inner court of the king's house, opposite the king's apartment; and the king was sitting upon his royal throne in the royal apartment, opposite to the entrance of the house.

2 When he saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she won his favour, and he held out to her the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the top of the sceptre.

And it happened, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained grace in his eyes; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand; and Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

3 Then the king said to her, ‘What is it, Queen Esther? Whatever your request is, it will be granted, even if it is the half of the kingdom.’

Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? if it be equal to half of the kingdom it shall still be given thee.

4 ‘If it seems best to the king,’ Esther said, ‘let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.’

And Esther said, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet which I have prepared for him.

5 Then the king ordered, ‘Bring Haman quickly, so that Esther’s wish may be gratified.’ So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Then said the king, Bring Haman quickly hither to fulfill the word of Esther: so came the king with Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

6 While they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, ‘Whatever your petition is, it will be granted. Your request, it will be done – even if it takes half of my kingdom.’

And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even if it be equal to half of the kingdom, it shall still be done.

7 Esther answered,

Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request are,

8 ‘If I have won the king’s favour and if it seems best to the king to grant my petition and to accede to my request, my petition and my request are that the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them. Tomorrow I will answer the king’s question as he wishes.’

If I have found grace in the eyes of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to fulfill my request, that the king may come with Haman to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow will I do according to the word of the king.

9 Haman went out that day joyful and elated, but when he saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and noticed that he neither stood up nor moved for him, he was furiously angry with Mordecai.

And Haman went forth on that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, who did not rise up, nor move out of the way for him, then was Haman filled against Mordecai with fury.

10 Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home. He called together his friends and Zeresh his wife

Nevertheless Haman refrained himself, and went to his house: he then sent and had his friends brought in with Zeresh his wife.

11 and recounted to them the greatness of his wealth, how many children he had, and all the ways in which the king had honoured him, and how he had promoted him above the officials and the royal courtiers.

And Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had made him great, and how he had advanced him above the princes and the servants of the king.

12 ‘What is more,’ Haman said, ‘Queen Esther brought no one in with the king to the banquet which she had prepared except me, and tomorrow also I am invited by her along with the king.

And Haman said [farther], Yea, Esther the queen did not let any one come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself: and also for tomorrow am I invited unto her with the king.

13 Yet all this does not satisfy me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.’

Yet all this profiteth me nothing, every time that I see Mordecai the Jew sitting in the king's gate.

14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, ‘Let a gallows seventy-five feet high be erected, and in the morning speak to the king and let Mordecai be hanged on it. Then go merrily with the king to the banquet.’ The advice pleased Haman, and so he had the gallows erected.

Then said unto him Zeresh his wife with all his friends, Let them make a gallows of fifty cubits high, and in the mourning speak unto the king that they may hang Mordecai thereon; and then go thou in with the king unto the banquet joyfully. And the thing pleased Haman; and he had the gallows made.