5:1 Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner courtyard 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.
▷ ①Lit house ②Lit royal house
5:2 When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the courtyard, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter.
5:3 Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Up to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.”
5:4 Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”
5:5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly so that we may do ①as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
▷ ①Lit the word of Esther
5:6 ①As they drank their wine at the banquet, the king said to Esther, “What is your request, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your wish? Up to half of the kingdom it shall be done.”
▷ ①Lit At the banquet of wine
5:7 So Esther replied, “My request and my wish is:
5:8 if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do ①what I wish, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do ②as the king says.”
▷ ①Lit my wish ②Lit according to the word of the king
5:9 Then Haman went out that day joyful and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai.
5:10 Haman controlled himself, however, and went to his house. But he ①sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.
▷ ①Lit sent and brought
5:11 Then Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and his many sons, and every occasion on which the king had honored him and how he had ①promoted him above the officials and servants of the king.
▷ ①Lit lifted
5:12 Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one except me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king.
5:13 Yet all of this ①does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
▷ ①Lit is not suitable to me
5:14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a wooden gallows ①fifty 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 wooden gallows made.
▷ ①About 75 ft. or 23 m ②Lit word