Esther 5
1 And it cometh to pass on the third day, that Esther putteth on royalty, and standeth in the inner-court of the house of the king over-against the house of the king, and the king is sitting on his royal throne, 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 cometh to pass, at the king's seeing Esther the queen standing in the court, she hath received grace in his eyes, and the king holdeth out to Esther the golden sceptre that [is] in his hand, and Esther draweth near, and toucheth 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 And the king saith to her, 'What — to thee Esther, O queen? and what thy request? unto the half of the kingdom — and it is given to 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 And Esther saith, 'If unto the king [it be] good, the king doth come in, and Haman, to-day, unto the banquet that I have made 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 saith, 'Haste ye Haman — to do the word of Esther;' and the king cometh in, and Haman, unto the banquet that Esther hath made.
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 And the king saith to Esther, during the banquet of wine, 'What [is] thy petition? and it is given to thee; and what thy request? unto the half of the kingdom — and it is done.'
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 And Esther answereth and saith, 'My petition and my request [is]:
And she said, My request and my petition [are]:
8 if I have found grace in the eyes of the king, and if unto the king [it be] good, to give my petition, and to perform my request, the king doth come, and Haman, unto the banquet that I make for them, and to-morrow I 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 And Haman goeth forth on that day rejoicing and glad in heart, and at Haman's seeing Mordecai in the gate of the king, and he hath not risen nor moved for him, then is Haman full of fury 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 And Haman forceth himself, and cometh in unto his house, and sendeth, and bringeth 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 recounteth 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.
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 saith, 'Yea, Esther the queen brought none in with the king, unto the feast that she made, except myself, and also for to-morrow I am called to 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 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.'
But these things please me not, while I see Mardochæus the Jew in the court.
14 And Zeresh his wife saith 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 thou in with the king unto the banquet rejoicing;' and the thing is good before Haman, and he prepareth the tree.
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.
