Esther 5

1And 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,

1Now on the third day, Esther put on her queen's robes, and took her place in the inner room of the king's house, facing the king's house: and the king was seated on his high seat in the king's house, facing the doorway of the house.

2and 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 <FI>is<Fi> in his hand, and Esther draweth near, and toucheth the top of the sceptre.

2And when the king saw Esther the queen waiting in the inner room, looking kindly on her he put out the rod of gold in his hand to her. So Esther came near and put her fingers on the top of the rod.

3And 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.'

3Then the king said, What is your desire, Queen Esther, and what is your request? I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom.

4And Esther saith, `If unto the king <FI>it be<Fi> good, the king doth come in, and Haman, to-day, unto the banquet that I have made for him;'

4And Esther in answer said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the feast which I have made ready for him.

5and 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.

5Then the king said, Let Haman come quickly, so that what Esther has said may be done. So the king and Haman came to the feast which Esther had made ready.

6And the king saith to Esther, during the banquet of wine, `What <FI>is<Fi> thy petition? and it is given to thee; and what thy request? unto the half of the kingdom--and it is done.'

6And while they were drinking wine the king said to Esther, What is your prayer? for it will be given to you and what is your request? for it will be done, even to the half of my kingdom.

7And Esther answereth and saith, `My petition and my request <FI>is<Fi> :

7Then Esther said in answer, My prayer and my request is this:

8if I have found grace in the eyes of the king, and if unto the king <FI>it be<Fi> 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.'

8If I have the king's approval, and if it is the king's pleasure to give me my prayer and do my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast which I will make ready for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.

9And 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.

9Then on that day Haman went out full of joy and glad in heart; but when he saw Mordecai in the king's doorway, and he did not get to his feet or give any sign of fear before him, Haman was full of wrath against Mordecai.

10And Haman forceth himself, and cometh in unto his house, and sendeth, and bringeth in his friends, and Zeresh his wife,

10But controlling himself, he went to his house; and he sent for his friends and Zeresh, his wife.

11and 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.

11And he gave them an account of the glories of his wealth, and the number of children he had, and the ways in which he had been honoured by the king, and how he had put him over the captains and servants of the king.

12And 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,

12And Haman said further, Truly, Esther the queen let no man but myself come in to the feast which she had made ready for the king; and tomorrow again I am to be her guest with the king.

13and 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.'

13But all this is nothing to me while I see Mordecai the Jew seated by the king's doorway.

14And 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.

14Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, Let a pillar, fifty cubits high, be made ready for hanging him, and in the morning get the king to give orders for the hanging of Mordecai: then you will be able to go to the feast with the king with a glad heart. And Haman was pleased with the suggestion, and he had the pillar made.