Esther 5

1 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.

And it comes to pass on the third day, that Esther puts on royalty, and stands in the inner-court of the house of the king in front of the house of the king, and the king is sitting on his royal throne, in the royal-house, opposite the opening of the house,

2 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.

and it comes to pass, at the king’s seeing Esther the queen standing in the court, she has received grace in his eyes, and the king holds out to Esther the golden scepter that [is] in his hand, and Esther draws near, and touches the top of the scepter.

3 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.”

And the king says to her, “What do you [want], Esther, O queen? And what [is] your request? To the half of the kingdom—and it is given to you.”

4 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.”

And Esther says, “If to the king [it be] good, the king comes in, and Haman, today, to the banquet that I have made for him”;

5 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.

and the king says, “Hurry Haman—to do the word of Esther”; and the king comes in, and Haman, to the banquet that Esther has made.

6 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.”

And the king says to Esther, during the banquet of wine, “What [is] your petition? And it is given to you; and what [is] your request? To the half of the kingdom—and it is done.”

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

And Esther answers and says, “My petition and my request [is]:

8 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.”

if I have found grace in the eyes of the king, and if to the king [it be] good, to give my petition, and to perform my request, the king comes, and Haman, to the banquet that I make for them, and tomorrow I do according to the word of the king.”

9 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.

And Haman goes forth on that day rejoicing and glad in heart, and at Haman’s seeing Mordecai in the gate of the king, and he has not risen nor moved for him, then is Haman full of fury against Mordecai.

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

And Haman forces himself, and comes into his house, and sends, and brings in his friends, and his wife Zeresh,

11 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.

and Haman recounts to them the glory of his wealth, and the abundance of his sons, and all that with which the king made him great, and with which he lifted him up above the heads and servants of the king.

12 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.

And Haman says, “Indeed, Esther the queen brought none in with the king, to the feast that she made, except myself, and also for tomorrow I am called to her, with the king,

13 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.”

and all this is not profitable to me, during all the time that I am seeing Mordecai the Jew sitting in the gate of the king.”

14 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.

And his wife Zeresh says to him, and all his friends, “Let them prepare a tree, in height fifty cubits, and in the morning speak to the king, and they hang Mordecai on it, and go in with the king to the banquet rejoicing”; and the thing is good before Haman, and he prepares the tree.