Chapter 5

¹Now it happened on the third day, that Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, over against the entrance of the house. ²It was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter. ³Then said the king to her, What will you, queen Esther? and what is your request? it shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom. ⁴Esther said, If it seem good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him. ⁵Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that it may be done as Esther has said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. ⁶The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, What is your petition? and it shall be granted you: and what is your request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. ⁷Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is: ⁸if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said. ⁹Then went Haman forth that day joyful and glad of heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. ¹⁰Nevertheless Haman refrained himself, and went home; and he sent and fetched his friends and Zeresh his wife. ¹¹Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. ¹²Haman said moreover, Yes, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow also am I invited by her together with the king. ¹³Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate. ¹⁴Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends to him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak you to the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go you in merrily with the king to the banquet. The thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.