Esther
5* And on the third day Esther put on royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s house opposite the king’s house, while the king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal house opposite the door of the house. 2 And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court he admired her; and the king held out for Esther the golden scepter he had in his hand, and Esther came up and touched the head of the scepter. 3 And the king said to her “What is the matter, Queen Esther? what is the boon you want? up to half the empire, it shall be given you.”
4 And Esther said “If the king thinks best, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have got up for him.”
5 And the king said “Hurry up with Haman to do as Esther says.” And the king and Haman went in to the banquet Esther had got up. 6* And the king said to Esther over the wine “What have you to ask for? it shall be given you; what is the boon you want? up to half the empire, it shall be given you.”
7 And Esther answered “What I have to ask for, and the boon I want, is—please, 8 if the king thinks best to give what I have to ask for and to take action for the boon I want, let the king and Haman come to the banquet I have got up, and tomorrow I will do as the king says.”
9 And Haman went out merry and jolly that day; but when Haman saw Mordocai in the king’s gate and he did not stand up nor tremble for him, Haman was filled with ire at Mordocai. 10 But Haman repressed his feelings, and went into his house and sent for his intimate friends and his wife Zeresh; 11 and Haman gave them an account of his imposing wealth and the number of his sons, and all that the king had done in making him a great man and elevating him above the princes and officials; 12 and Haman said “Besides, Queen Esther did not let in with the king to the banquet she had got up anybody but me; and tomorrow too I am invited to her with the king. 13 But all this does me no good anytime I see the Jew Mordocai sitting in the king’s gate.”
14 And his wife Zeresh and all his intimate friends said to him “Have them make a stake seventy feet high, and in the morning tell the king to have them impale Mordocai on it, and go in merrily with the king to the banquet.” And Haman liked the idea and made the stake.