Esther 5

1 And it came to pass, on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the house of the king, over against the house of the king, —and, the king, was sitting upon his royal seat, in the royal house, over against the opening of the house.

And so, on the third day, Esther had put on her royal apparel and was standing in the atrium of the king’s house, which was inside, opposite the king’s hall, while he was sitting on his throne in the council room of the palace, opposite the entrance of the house.

2 And it came to pass, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his eyes, —and the king held out to Esther, the golden sceptre which was in his hand, so Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

And when he saw Esther the queen standing there, she pleased his eyes, and he extended toward her the golden scepter, which he held in his hand, and she approached and kissed the top of his scepter.

3 Then said the king unto her, What aileth thee, Queen Esther? and what is thy request? Unto the half of the kingdom, shall it be given thee.

And the king said to her, “What do you wish, queen Esther? What is your request? Even if you ask for half of the kingdom, it will be given to you.”

4 Then said Esther, If, unto the king, it seem good, let the king with Haman come in this day, unto the banquet which I have prepared for him.

But she responded, “If it pleases the king, I beg you to come with me today, and Haman with you, to the feast that I have prepared.”

5 And the king said, Hasten ye Haman, to perform the word of Esther. So the king with Haman came in, unto the banquet which Esther had prepared,

And immediately the king said, “Call Haman quickly, so that he may obey Esther’s will. And so the king and Haman came to the feast, which the queen had prepared for them.

6 Then said the king unto Esther, during the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, that it may be granted thee?—and what is thy request—unto the half of the kingdom—that it may be performed?

And the king said to her, after he had drunk wine abundantly, “What are you asking for that should be given to you? And which things do you require? Even if you request half of my kingdom, you will obtain it.”

7 Then answered Esther, and said, —As touching my petition and my request,

Esther answered him, “My petition and prayer is this:

8 If I have found favour in the eyes of the king, and if, unto the king, it seem good, to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king with Haman come in unto the banquet which I will prepare for them, and, to-morrow, I will do according to the word of the king.

If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to give me what I ask, and to fulfill my petition, let the king and Haman come to the feast which I have prepared for them, and tomorrow I will open my mind to the king.”

9 Then went Haman forth on that day, joyful and of a merry heart, —but, when Haman saw Mordecai in the gate of the king, that he rose not up nor moved because of him, then was Haman filled with wrath against Mordecai.

And so Haman went out that day joyful and cheerful. And when he saw that Mordecai was sitting in front of the gate of the palace, and that he alone did not get up for him, but did not so much as move from the place where he sat, he was very indignant.

10 Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and came into his own house, —and sent and brought in his friends, and Zeresh his wife;

But, concealing his anger and returning into his house, he gathered to him his friends and Zeresh, his wife.

11 and Haman recounted unto them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, —and all the things wherein the king had promoted him to power, and how he had advanced him, above the rulers and the servants of the king.

And he explained to them the greatness of his riches, and the influence of his sons, and how, with such glory, the king had elevated him above all his rulers and servants.

12 And Haman said, Moreover Esther the queen did bring in no one with the king into the banquet which she had prepared, saving myself, —yea moreover, even for to-morrow, I, am invited unto her, with the king.

And after this, he said, “Also, queen Esther has called no one else to the feast with the king, except me. And I will be dining with the king again tomorrow.

13 Yet, all this, sufficeth me not, —so long as, I, see Mordecai the Jew, sitting in the gate of the king.

And though I have all these things, I consider that I have nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting in front of the king’s gate.”

14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let them make ready a gallows, of the height of fifty cubits, and, in the morning, speak thou unto the king, that they hang Mordecai thereon, then go with the king into the banquet joyfully. And the thing seemed good before Haman, and he made ready the gallows.

And Zeresh his wife and his other friends answered him, “Order a great beam to be prepared, having a height of fifty cubits, and in the morning speak to the king, so that Mordecai may be hanged from it, and so you will go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This advice pleased him, and so he ordered a high cross to be prepared.