1 O n the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the royal or inner court of the king’s palace opposite his. The king was sitting on his throne, facing the main entrance of the palace.

On the third day Esther put on her queen’s clothing and stood in the open space inside the king’s special house in front of his throne room. The king was sitting on his throne in the throne room looking toward the door of his house.

2 A nd when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight, and he held out to the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and touched the tip of the scepter.

When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the open space, she found favor in his eyes. The king held his special golden stick in his hand toward Esther. So Esther came near and touched the top of the special stick.

3 T hen the king said to her, What will you have, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of the kingdom.

Then the king said to her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What do you ask of me? You would be given even as much as half the nation.”

4 A nd Esther said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the dinner that I have prepared for the king.

Esther said, “If it please the king, may the king and Haman come today to the special supper I have made ready for him.”

5 T hen the king said, Cause Haman to come quickly, that what Esther has said may be done.

Then the king said, “Be quick to bring Haman, that we may do as Esther wants.” So the king and Haman came to the special supper that Esther had made ready.

6 S o the king and Haman came to the dinner that Esther had prepared.

As they drank their wine at the supper, the king said to Esther, “What is it that you want? For it will be given to you. What do you ask of me? You would be given as much as half the nation.”

7 A nd during the serving of wine, the king said to Esther, What is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom, it shall be performed.

So Esther answered and said, “This is what I ask of you.

8 T hen Esther said, My petition and my request is: If I have found favor in the sight of the king and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the dinner that I shall prepare for them; and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.

If I have found favor in the king’s eyes, and if it please the king to give me what I ask of him, may the king and Haman come to the special supper that I will make ready for them. And tomorrow I will tell you what I want.”

9 H aman went away that day joyful and elated in heart. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate refusing to stand up or show fear before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.

Then Haman went out that day glad and with joy in his heart. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, and when he did not stand up or show any fear in front of him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai.

10 N evertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. There he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife.

But Haman kept himself from doing anything at that time, and went home. There he sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.

11 A nd Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the abundance of his sons, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

Haman told them about the greatness of his riches and the number of his sons. He told them how the king had raised him to a place of honor, and how he had made him more important than the princes and the king’s servants.

12 H aman added, Yes, and today Queen Esther did not let any man come with the king to the dinner she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king.

Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the special supper that she had made ready. She has asked me to come with the king tomorrow also.

13 Y et all this benefits me nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.

Yet all of this is not enough to please me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

14 T hen Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king, that Mordecai may be hanged on it; then you go in merrily with the king to the dinner. And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused the gallows to be made.

Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a tower made ready for hanging him. Let it be thirteen times taller than a man. And in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go with joy to the special supper with the king.” These words pleased Haman, so he had the tower built.