Esther 5

1 And on the third day Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s hall: now he sat upon his throne in the hall of the palace, over against the door of the house.

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.

2 And when he saw Esther the queen standing, she pleased his eyes, and he held out toward her the golden sceptre, which he held in his hand: and she drew near, and kissed the top of his sceptre.

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.

3 And the king said to her: What wilt then, queen Esther? what is thy request? if thou shouldst even ask one half of the kingdom, it shall be given to thee.

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.

4 But she answered: If it please the king. I beseech thee to come to me this day, and Aman with thee to the banquet which I have prepared.

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.

5 And the king said forthwith: Call ye Aman quickly, that he may obey Esther’s will. So the king and Aman came to the banquet which the queen had prepared for them.

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,

6 And the king said to her, after he had drunk wine plentifully: What dost thou desire should be given thee? and for what thing askest thou? although thou shouldst ask the half of my kingdom, thou shalt have it.

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?

7 And Esther answered: My petition and request is this:

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

8 If I have found favour in the king’s sight, and if it please the king to give me what I ask, and to fulfill my petition: let the king and Aman come to the banquet which I have prepared them, and tomorrow I will open my mind to the king.

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.

9 So Aman went out that day joyful and merry. And when he saw Mardochai sitting before the gate of the palace, and that he not only did not rise up to honour him, but did not so much as move from the place where he sat, he was exceedingly angry:

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.

10 But dissembling his anger, and returning into his house, he called together to him his friends, and Zares his wife:

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

11 And he declared to them the greatness of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and with how great glory the king had advanced him above all his princes and servants.

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.

12 And after this he said: Queen Esther also hath invited no other to the banquet with the king, but me: and with her I am also to dine tomorrow with the king:

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.

13 And whereas I have all these things, I think I have nothing, so long as I see Mardochai the Jew sitting before the king’s gate.

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

14 Then Zares his wife, and the rest of his friends answered him: Order a great beam to be prepared, fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king, that Mardochai may be hanged upon it, and so thou shalt go full of joy with the king to the banquet. The counsel pleased him, and he commanded a high gibbet to be prepared.

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.