Esther 5

1 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,

Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house.

2 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.

When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favour in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the sceptre.

3 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.”

Then the king asked her, “What would you like, queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom.”

4 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”;

Esther said, “If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

5 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.

Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that it may be done as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

6 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.”

The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.”

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

Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and my request is this.

8 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.”

If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.”

9 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.

Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.

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

Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home. There, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife.

11 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.

Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

12 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,

Haman also said, “Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am also invited by her together with the king.

13 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.”

Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

14 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.

Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet.” This pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.