Ester 5

¹ Now it came to pass on the thirdThat is, after the Jews had begun to fast.day, that Esther put on [her] royal [apparel], and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the 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 in the court, [that] she obtained favour in his sight: and the kingWhich was a sign that her coming was agreeable to him, (Est_4:11).held out to Esther the golden sceptre that [was] in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

³ Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what [is] thy request? it shall be evenMeaning by this that whatever she asked would be granted as in (Mar_6:23).given thee to the half of the kingdom.

⁴ Then saide Ester, If it please the King, let the King & Haman come this day vnto the banket, that I haue prepared for him.

⁵ And the King sayd, Cause Haman to make haste that he may doe as Ester hath sayde. So the King and Haman came to the banket that Ester had prepared.

⁶ And the king said unto Esther at the banquet ofBecause they used to drink excessively in their banquets they called the banquet by that which was most in use or esteemed.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 Ester, and sayd, 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 I will do to morrow as the king hathI will declare what I demand.said.

⁹ Then went Haman forth the same day ioyfull and with a glad heart. But when Haman sawe Mordecai in the Kings gate, that he stoode not vp, nor moued for him, then was Haman full of indignation at Mordecai.

¹⁰ Neuerthelesse Haman refrayned himselfe: 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 the multitude of his children, and all [the things] wherein the king hadThus the wicked when they are promoted instead of acknowledging their charge and humbling themselves, wax ambitious, disdainful and cruel.promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

¹² Haman sayde moreouer, Yea, Ester the Queene did let no man come in with the King to the banket that she had prepared, saue me: and to morowe am I bidden vnto her also with the King.

¹³ But al this doth nothing auaile me, as long as I see Mordecai ye Iewe sitting at ye Kings gate.

¹⁴ Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fiftyMeaning, the highest that could be found.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 the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.