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 favour in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the sceptre.

Esther Received by the King

^2a And it happened on the third day, when she finished praying, she took off the garments of service and put on her glory.

^2b Then, majestically adorned, after invoking the aid of the all-seeing God and Savior, she took her two maids with her,

^2c leaning daintily on one,

^2d while the other followed carrying her train.

^2e She was radiant with perfect beauty, and she looked happy, as if beloved, but her heart was frozen with fear.

^2f When she had gone through all the doors, she stood before the king. He was seated on his royal throne, clothed in the full array of his majesty, all covered with gold and precious stones. And he was most terrifying.

^2g Lifting his face, flushed with splendor, he looked at her in fierce anger. And the queen faltered and turned pale and faint and collapsed upon the head of the maid who went before her.

^2h Then God changed the spirit of the king to gentleness, and in alarm he sprang from his throne and took her in his arms until she came to herself. And he comforted her with soothing words and said to her,

²ⁱ “What is it, Esther? I am your brother. Take courage;

^2k you shall not die, for our law applies only to the common person. Come near.”

^2l Then he raised the golden rod and touched it to her neck;

^2m and he embraced her and said, “Speak to me.”

²ⁿ And she said to him, “I saw you, my lord, like an angel of God, and my heart was shaken with fear at your glory.

^2o For you are wonderful, my lord, and your face is full of grace.”

^2p But as she was speaking, she fell fainting.

^2q And the king was agitated, and all his servants sought to comfort her.

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 favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my wish and fulfil 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 him self and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh.

¹¹ And Haman recounted to them the splendour of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honoured 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.