< Esther 7 >

1 So the king and Haman went to dine with Esther the queen,
So the king and Haman went to feast with Queen Esther.
2 and as they drank their wine on that second day, the king asked once more, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”
On this second day, while they were serving wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It will be granted to you. What is your request? Up to half of the kingdom, and it will be granted.”
3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life as my petition, and the lives of my people as my request.
Then Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, king, and if it pleases you, let my life be given to me—this is my petition, and I request this also for my people.
4 For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as menservants and maidservants, I would have remained silent, because no such distress would justify burdening the king.”
For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated. If we had only been sold into slavery, as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, for no such distress as this would justify disturbing the king.”
5 Then King Xerxes spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?”
Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he? Where is this person to be found who has filled his heart to do such a thing?”
6 Esther replied, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked man—Haman!” And Haman stood in terror before the king and queen.
Esther said, “The hostile man, that enemy, is this evil Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.
7 In his fury, the king arose from drinking his wine and went to the palace garden, while Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king was planning a terrible fate for him.
The king got up in a rage from the wine-drinking at the feast and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther. He saw that disaster was being decided against him by the king.
8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually assault the queen while I am in the palace?” As soon as the words had left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
Then the king returned from the palace garden into the room where the wine had been served. Haman had just fallen on the couch where Esther was. The king said, “Will he assault the queen in my presence in my own house?” As soon as this sentence came out of the king's mouth, the servants covered Haman's face.
9 Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said: “There is a gallows fifty cubits high at Haman’s house. He had it built for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” “Hang him on it!” declared the king.
Then Harbona, one of the officials who served the king, said, “A gallows fifty cubits tall stands beside Haman's house. He set it up for Mordecai, the one who spoke up to protect the king.” The king said, “Hang him on it.”
10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's rage died down.

< Esther 7 >