Ester 5 | New International Reader’s Version

Esther asks the king for a favour

1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes. She stood in the inner courtyard of the palace. It was in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall. He was facing the entrance. 2 He saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard. He was pleased with her. So he reached out towards her the gold sceptre that was in his hand. Then Esther approached him. She touched the tip of the sceptre. 3 The king asked, ‘What is it, Queen Esther? What do you want? I’ll give it to you. I’ll even give you up to half of my kingdom.’ 4 Esther replied, ‘King Xerxes, if it pleases you, come to a feast today. I’ve prepared it for you. Please have Haman come with you.’ 5 ‘Bring Haman at once,’ the king said to his servants. ‘Then we’ll do what Esther asks.’ So the king and Haman went to the feast Esther had prepared. 6 As they were drinking wine, the king asked Esther the same question again. He said, ‘What do you want? I’ll give it to you. What do you want me to do for you? I’ll even give you up to half of my kingdom.’ 7 Esther replied, ‘Here is what I want. Here is my appeal to you. 8 I hope you will be pleased to give me what I want. And I hope you will be pleased to listen to my appeal. If you are, I’d like you and Haman to come tomorrow to the feast I’ll prepare for you. Then I’ll answer your question.’

Haman is very angry with Mordecai

9 That day Haman was happy. So he left the palace in a good mood. But then he saw Mordecai at the palace gate. He noticed that Mordecai didn’t stand up when he walked by. In fact, Mordecai didn’t have any respect for him at all. So he was very angry with him. 10 But Haman was able to control himself. He went on home. Haman called together his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 He boasted to them about how rich he was. He talked about how many sons he had. He spoke about all the ways the king had honoured him. He boasted about how the king had given him a high position. It was higher than the position of any of the other nobles and officials. 12 ‘And that’s not all,’ Haman added. ‘I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to come with the king to the feast she gave. Now she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. 13 But even all of that doesn’t satisfy me. I won’t be satisfied as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the palace gate.’ 14 Haman’s wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, ‘Get a pole. In the morning, ask the king to have Mordecai put to death. Have the pole stuck through his body. Set it up at a place where it will be 25 metres above the ground. Everyone will be able to see it there. Then go to the feast with the king. Have a good time.’ Haman was delighted with that suggestion. So he got the pole ready.

English Standard Version

Esther Prepares a Banquet

1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. 3 And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” 4 And Esther said, “If it please the king,* let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king.” 5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked.” So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. 6 And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”* 7 Then Esther answered, “My wish and my request is: 8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king* to grant my wish and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”

Haman Plans to Hang Mordecai

9 And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. 12 Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” 14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows* fifty cubits* high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.

Ester 5 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version

Esther asks the king for a favour

Haman is very angry with Mordecai

Esther Prepares a Banquet

Haman Plans to Hang Mordecai