Esther 5
1 And on the third day Ester put on her royal apparel, and stood in the court of the Kings palace within, ouer against the Kings house: and the King sate vpon his royal throne in the Kings palace ouer against the gate of the house.
Three days later Esther put on her royal robes and went and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, opposite the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the king's hall, facing the entrance.
2 And when the King saw Ester the Queene standing in the court, shee founde fauour in his sight: and the King held out the golden scepter that was in his hand: so Ester drewe neere, and touched the toppe of the scepter.
When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the inner court she won his approval so he acted favorably by holding out his scepter to her. So Esther went over and touched the end of the scepter.
3 Then saide the King vnto her, What wilt thou, Queene Ester? and what is thy request? it shall be euen giuen thee to the halfe of ye kingdome.
The king asked her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What do you want? I'll give it to you, as much as half my empire!”
4 Then saide Ester, If it please the King, let the King and Haman come this day vnto the banket, that I haue prepared for him.
Esther replied, “If it please Your Majesty, may the king and Haman come today to a dinner I have prepared for him.”
5 And the King sayd, Cause Haman to make haste that he may doe as Ester hath sayde. So the King and Haman came to the banket that Ester had prepared.
“Bring Haman here at once so we can do what Esther has requested,” the king ordered. The king and Haman went to the dinner that Esther had prepared.
6 And the King sayd vnto Ester at the banket of wine, What is thy petition, that it may be giuen thee? and what is thy request? it shall euen be performed vnto the halfe of the kingdome.
As they drank their wine, the king asked Esther, “What are you really asking for? It will be given to you. What do you want? You shall have it, as much as half my empire!”
7 Then answered Ester, and sayd, My petition and my request is,
Esther answered, “This is what I'm asking for, and this is what I want.
8 If I haue found fauour in the sight of the King, and if it please the King to giue me my petition, and to perfourme my request, let the King and Haman come to the banket that I shall prepare for them, and I will doe to morowe according to the Kings saying.
If the king looks on me favorably, and if it please Your Majesty to grant my request and do as I ask, may the king and Haman come to a dinner I will prepare for them. Tomorrow I will answer Your Majesty's question.”
9 Then went Haman forth the same day ioyfull and with a glad heart. But when Haman sawe Mordecai in the Kings gate, that he stoode not vp, nor moued for him, then was Haman full of indignation at Mordecai.
When Haman left that day he was very happy and pleased with himself. But when he saw Mordecai at the palace gate and that he didn't stand up or tremble with fear before him, Haman was furious with Mordecai.
10 Neuerthelesse Haman refrayned himselfe: and when he came home, he sent, and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.
However, Haman controlled himself and he went home. There he invited his friends over. Once they and his wife Zeresh had gathered,
11 And Haman tolde them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the King had promoted him, and how that he had set him aboue the princes and seruants of the King.
Haman went into great detail about how much money and possessions he had, and how many children, and how the king had made him so important by promoting him above all the other nobles and officials.
12 Haman sayde moreouer, Yea, Ester the Queene did let no man come in with the King to the banket that she had prepared, saue me: and to morowe am I bidden vnto her also with the King.
“Added to all that,” Haman went on, “I was the only other person Queen Esther invited to come to a dinner she had prepared for the king. I'm also invited by her to eat together with the king tomorrow.”
13 But al this doth nothing auaile me, as long as I see Mordecai ye Iewe sitting at ye Kings gate.
Then he said, “But all of this is worthless to me while I keep on seeing Mordecai the Jew sitting at the palace gate.”
14 Then sayde Zeresh his wife and all his friends vnto him, Let them make a tree of fiftie cubites hie, and to morowe speake thou vnto the King, that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then shalt thou goe ioyfully with the King vnto the banket. And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused to make the tree.
His wife Zeresh and his friends told him, “Arrange for a pole to be set up, fifty cubits high. Then, in the morning, go and ask the king to have Mordecai impaled on it. Afterwards, you'll be happy as you go with the king to the dinner.” Haman thought this was good advice, so he had the pole set up.
