Esther 5

1 After three days, Esther put on her royal clothes and went to stand in the courtyard of the king's palace, in front of the king's house. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance to 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 When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the courtyard, she received approval in his eyes. He held out to her the golden scepter in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

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 the king said to her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? Up to half of my kingdom, it will be given to you.”

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 Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that 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 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, to do what Esther has said.” So the king and Haman went to the feast that 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 When the wine was being served at the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be granted you. What is your request? Up to half of the kingdom, it will be granted.”

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 Esther answered, “My petition and my request is this,

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

8 if I have found favor in the eyes of the king and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to honor my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for you tomorrow and I will answer the king's question.”

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 Haman went out that day joyful and glad at heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king's gate, that Mordecai neither rose up nor trembled before him with any fear, he was filled with rage 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 went to his own house. He sent for his friends and gathered them together, with Zeresh his wife.

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

11 Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his many sons, all the promotions by which the king honored him, and how he had advanced above all the officials 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 Haman said, “Queen Esther invited no one else but me to come with the king to the feast she prepared. Even tomorrow I am again invited by her along 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 But all this is worth nothing to me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.”

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

14 Then Zeresh his wife said to Haman and all his friends, “Let them make a gallows fifty cubits high. In the morning speak to the king for them to hang Mordecai on it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This pleased Haman and he had the gallows constructed.

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.