Esther 5
1 Three days later, Esther [prepared a big banquet/feast. Then she] put on the robes that showed that she was queen, and she went to the inner courtyard of the palace, across from the room where the king was. He was sitting on the throne, facing the entrance [of the room].
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.
2 When the king saw Esther standing there in the courtyard, he extended the gold scepter/staff toward her [to signal that he would be glad to talk to her]. So Esther came close and touched the tip of the scepter/staff.
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.
3 Then the king asked her, “Esther, what do you want? Tell me, and I will give you what you want, even if you ask me to give you half of my kingdom!”
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.
4 Esther replied, “[Your majesty, ] if it pleases you, you and Haman come to the banquet that I have prepared for you!”
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.
5 The king said [to his servants], “Go and tell Haman to come quickly to a banquet that Esther has prepared for the two of us!” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared for them.
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.
6 While they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Tell me what you [really] want. I will give it to you, even if [you ask for] half of my kingdom.”
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.
7 Esther replied, “[I will tell you] what I want [most of all. Your majesty], if you are pleased with me, and if you are willing to give me what I am requesting, please come [again] tomorrow to another banquet that I will prepare for the two of you. Then I will tell you [what I really want”].
And Esther answered: My petition and request is this:
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.
9 Haman was feeling very happy as he left the banquet. But then he saw Mordecai sitting at the gate of the palace. Mordecai did not stand up and tremble fearfully in front of Haman, so Haman became extremely angry.
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:
10 However, he did not show that he was angry; he [just] went home. Then he gathered together his wife Zeresh and his friends,
But dissembling his anger, and returning into his house, he called together to him his friends, and Zares his wife:
11 and he boasted to them about being very rich, and about having many children. He also boasted that the king had greatly honored him, and that the king had (promoted him/given him the second-most important job in the empire), so that [all] the other officials had to respect him.
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.
12 Then Haman added, “And that is not all! Queen Esther invited just two of us, the king and me, to a banquet she prepared for us today. And she is inviting [only] the two of us to another banquet that she will prepare tomorrow!”
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:
13 Then Haman said, “But those things (mean nothing to me/do not make me happy) while I keep seeing that Jew, Mordecai, [just] sitting there at the gate of the palace [and ignoring me]!”
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.
14 So Haman’s wife Zeresh and all his friends [who were there] suggested, “[Why don’t you quickly] set up (a gallows/posts on which to hang someone). Make it 75 feet tall. Then tomorrow morning ask the king to hang Mordecai on it. After that, you can go to the banquet with the king and be cheerful.” That idea pleased Haman [very much], so he gave [men] orders to set up the gallows/posts.
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.
