THE BOOK OF
ESTHER

Esther 5 ©

Queen Esther puts on a royal apparel, and goes to the king, v. 1. Who holds out the golden scepter to her, 2. And he promises her to grant her request, 3. She invites the king and Haman to a banquet, 4. The king, being come with Haman to Esther’s banquet, 5. promises again to grant her request, 6. She invites the king and Haman the second time, 7. Haman is exceeding joyful at this, but is highly provoked to wrath when he saw that Mordecai did not honor him, 9. He relates all this to his wife and to his friends, 10. They counsel him to set up a gallows of fifty cubits high, to hang Mordecai thereon, which counsel he follows, 14.

1

NOW it came to pass on 1the third day, that Esther put on 2her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against 3the 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 was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing 4in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to 5Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and 6touched the 7top of the sceptre.

3

Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee 8to the half of the kingdom.

4

And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared 9for him.

5

Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do 10as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

6

¶And the king said unto Esther 11at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.

7

Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is;

8

If I have found favour 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 12I will do to morrow 13as the king hath said.

9

¶Then went Haman forth that day 14joyful and 15with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai 16in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor 17moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.

10

Nevertheless Haman 18refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.

11

And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and 19the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and 20how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

12

Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am 21I invited 22unto her also with the king.

13

Yet all this 23availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.

14

¶Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let 24a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And 25the thing pleased Haman; and 26he caused the gallows to be made.