Esther 5

1 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.

Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on [her] royal [apparel], and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

2 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.

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, [that] she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that [was] in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

3 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.

And the king said, What wilt thou, Esther? and what is thy request? [ask] even to the half of my kingdom, and it shall be thine.

4 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.

And Esther said, To-day is my great day: if then it seem good to the king, let both him and Aman come to the feast which I will prepare this day.

5 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,

And the king said, Hasten Aman hither, that we may perform the word of Esther. So they both come to the feast of which Esther had spoken.

6 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?

And at the banquet the king said to Esther, What is [thy request], queen Esther? [speak], and thou shalt have all that thou requirest.

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

And she said, My request and my petition [are]:

8 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.

if I have found favour in the sight of the king, let the king and Aman come again to-morrow to the feast which I shall prepare for them, and to-morrow I will do the same.

9 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.

So Aman went out from the king very glad [and] merry: but when Aman saw Mardochæus the Jew in the court, he was greatly enraged.

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

And having gone into his own house, he called his friends, and his wife Zosara.

11 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.

And he shewed them his wealth, and the glory with which the king had invested him, and how he had caused him to take precedence and bear chief rule in the kingdom.

12 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.

And Aman said, The queen has called no one to the feast with the king but me, and I am invited to-morrow.

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

But these things please me not, while I see Mardochæus the Jew in the court.

14 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.

And Zosara his wife and his friends said to him, Let there be a gallows made for thee of fifty cubits, and in the morning do thou speak to the king, and let Mardochæus be hanged on the gallows: but do thou go in to the feast with the king, and be merry. And the saying pleased Aman, and the gallows was prepared.