Esther, adventuring on the king's favour, obtaineth the grace of the golden sceptre, and inviteth the king and Haman to a banquet.

1 ¶ Now it came to pass² on the thirdº day,º that Estherº put onºª [her] royalº [apparel], and stoodºª in the innerº courtº of the king'sº house,º over againstº the king'sº house:º and the kingº satºª upon² his royalº throneº in the royalº house,º over againstº the gateº of the house.º 2 And it was² so, when the kingº sawºª² Estherº the queenº standingºª in the court,º [that] she obtainedºª favourº in his sight:º and the kingº held outºª to Estherº² the goldenº sceptreº that² [was] in his hand.º So Estherº drew near,ºª and touchedºª the topº of the sceptre.º 3 Then saidºª the kingº unto her, What² wilt thou, queenº Esther?º and what² [is] thy request?º it shall be even givenºª thee to² the halfº of the kingdom.º 4 And Estherº answered,ºª If² [it seem] goodºª unto² the king,º let the kingº and Hamanº comeºª this dayº unto² the banquetº that² I have preparedºª for him. 5 Then the kingº said,ºª Cause² Hamanº to make haste,ºª that he may doºª² as Estherº hath said.º So the kingº and Hamanº cameºª to² the banquetº that² Estherº had prepared.ºª

She, being encouraged by the king in her suit, inviteth them to another banquet the next day.

6 ¶ And the kingº saidºª unto Estherº at the banquetº of wine,º What² [is] thy petition?º and it shall be grantedºª thee: and what² [is] thy request?º even to² the halfº of the kingdomº it shall be performed.ºª 7 Then answeredºª Esther,º and said,ºª My petitionº and my requestº [is]; 8 If² I have foundºª favourº in the sightº of the king,º and if² it pleaseºª² the kingº to grantºª² my petition,º and to performºª² my request,º let the kingº and Hamanº comeºª to² the banquetº that² I shall prepareºª for them, and I will doºª to morrowº as the kingº hath said.º

Haman, proud of his advancement, repineth at the contempt of Mordecai.

9 ¶ Then went¹ª Haman¹ forthºª² that² dayº joyfulº and with a gladº heart:º but when Hamanº sawºª² Mordecaiº in the king'sº gate,º that he stood not up,ºª² nor² movedºª for² him,² heº was fullºª of indignationº against² Mordecai.º 10 Nevertheless Hamanº refrained¹ª himself:² and when he cameºª² home,º he sentºª and calledºª for² his friends,ºª and Zereshº his wife.º 11 And Hamanº toldºª them of² the gloryº of his riches,º and the multitudeº of his children,º and all² [the things] wherein² the kingº had promotedºª him, and how² he had advancedºª him above² the princesº and servantsº of the king.º 12 Hamanº saidºª moreover,² Yea, Estherº the queenº did let no² man come inºª with² the kingº unto² the banquetº that² she had preparedºª but²² myself; and to morrowº am I² invitedºª unto her also² with² the king.º 13 Yet all² this² availethºª me nothing,² so long²² as¹ I² seeºª² Mordecaiº the Jewº sittingºª at the king'sº gate.º

By the counsel of Zeresh he buildeth for him a pair of gallows.

14 ¶ Then saidºª Zereshº his wifeº and all² his friendsºª unto him, Let a gallowsº be madeºª of fiftyº cubitsº high,º and to morrowº speakºª thou unto the kingº that² Mordecaiº may be hangedºª thereon:² then goºª thou in merrilyº with² the kingº unto² the banquet.º And the thingº pleasedººª Haman;º and he caused¹ª the gallowsº to be made.ºª