Now it came about aon the third
day
that Esther
put
on her royal
robes
and stood
bin the inner
court
of the king's
palace
in front
of the king's
1rooms
, and the king
was sitting
on his royal
throne
in the 2throne
room
, opposite
the entrance
to the palace
.
When the king saw
Esther
the queen
standing
in the court
, ashe obtained
favor
in his sight
; and bthe king
extended
to Esther
the golden
scepter
which
was in his hand
. So Esther
came
near
and touched
the top
of the scepter
.
Then the king said
to her, "What
is troubling you, Queen
Esther
? And what
is your request
? aEven
to half
of the kingdom
it shall be given
to you."
Esther said
, "If
it pleases
the king
, may the king
and Haman
come
this day
to the banquet
that I have prepared
for him."
Then the king said
, " aBring
Haman
quickly
that we may do
1as Esther
desires
." So the king
and Haman
came
to the banquet
which
Esther
had prepared
.
1As they drank their wine
at the banquet
, athe king
said
to Esther
, " bWhat
is your petition
, for it shall be granted
to you. And what
is your request
? Even
to half
of the kingdom
it shall be done
."
So Esther replied
, "My petition
and my request
is:
aif I have found
favor
in the sight
of the king
, and if
it pleases
the king
to grant
my petition
and do
1what
I request
, may the king
and Haman
come
to bthe banquet
which
I will prepare
for them, and tomorrow
I will do
2as the king
says
."
Then Haman went
out that day
glad
and pleased
of heart
; but when Haman
saw
Mordecai
ain the king's
gate
and bthat he did not stand
up or 1tremble
before
him, Haman
was filled
with anger
against
Mordecai
.
Haman controlled
himself, however, went
to his house
and 1sent
for his friends
and his wife
aZeresh
.
Then Haman recounted
to them the glory
of his riches
, and the 1 anumber
of his sons
, and every
instance where
the king
had magnified
him and how
he had 2 bpromoted
him above
the princes
and servants
of the king
.
Haman also
said
, "Even
Esther
the queen
let no
one but me come
with the king
to the banquet
which
she had prepared
; and atomorrow
also
I am 1invited
by her with the king
.
"Yet all of this
1does not satisfy
me every
time
I see
Mordecai
the Jew
sitting
at athe king's
gate
."
Then Zeresh his wife
and all
his friends
said
to him, " aHave a 1gallows
fifty
cubits
high
made
and in the morning
ask
the king
to have Mordecai
hanged
on it; then go
joyfully
with the king
to the banquet
." And the 2advice
pleased
Haman
, so he had the gallows
made
.