Esther 5

Modern

Literal

Esther Approaches the King

¹On the third day, Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace across from the king’s quarters. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing the entrance.

¹And it came to pass on the third day that Esther clothed herself in royalty, and she stood in the inner court of the house of the king, opposite to the house of the king. And the king was sitting on the throne of his royalty in the house of royalty, opposite to the entrance of the house.

²As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his sight. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

²And it came to pass, as the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she lifted up favor in his eyes. And the king extended to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand, and Esther came near, and she touched the head of the scepter.

³“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.”

³And the king said to her, “What is it to you, Esther the queen? And what is your request? As much as half of the kingdom, and it shall be given to you.”

⁴“If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for the king.”

⁴And Esther said, “If upon the king it is good, let the king come, and Haman, today, to the feast that I have made for him.”

⁵“Hurry,” commanded the king, “and bring Haman, so we can do as Esther has requested.”

So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

⁵And the king said, “Hasten Haman, to do the word of Esther.” And the king came, and Haman, to the feast that Esther had made.

⁶And as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”

⁶And the king said to Esther at the feast of the wine, “What is your petition? And it shall be given to you. And what is your request? As much as half of the kingdom, and it shall be done.”

⁷Esther replied, “This is my petition and my request:

⁷And Esther answered and said, “My petition and my request:

⁸If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, may the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

⁸If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if upon the king it is good to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king come, and Haman, to the feast that I will make for them, and tomorrow I will do according to the word of the king.”

Haman’s Plot against Mordecai

⁹That day Haman went out full of joy and glad of heart. At the king’s gate, however, he saw Mordecai, who did not rise or tremble in fear at his presence. And Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai.

⁹And Haman went forth on that day joyful and good of heart; and as Haman saw Mordecai at the gate of the king, and he did not rise and did not tremble from him, Haman was filled with rage against Mordecai.

¹⁰Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. And calling for his friends and his wife Zeresh,

¹⁰And Haman restrained himself, and he came to his house, and he sent and brought his loved ones and Zeresh his wife.

¹¹Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.

¹¹And Haman recounted to them the glory of his wealth and the multitude of his sons and everything in which the king had made him great, and that he had lifted him up over the officials and servants of the king.

¹²“What is more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she prepared, and I am invited back tomorrow along with the king.

¹²And Haman said, “Even Esther the Queen did not bring with the king to the feast that she made, except for me. And also for tomorrow I am called to her with the king.

¹³Yet none of this satisfies me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

¹³And all this, none of it is equal to me with every time that I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the gate of the king.”

¹⁴His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows fifty cubits high,^a and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.”

The advice pleased Haman, and he had the gallows constructed.

¹⁴And Zeresh his wife said to him, and all his loved ones, “Let them make a tree fifty cubits high, and in the morning say to the king that they should hang Mordecai upon it; and go with the king to the feast joyfully.” And this word was good before the face of Haman, and he made the tree.