1 O n 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.

¶ Now it came to pass on the third 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 W hen 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.

And it was so, when the king saw Esther, the queen, standing in the court, that she had grace in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and touched the top of the sceptre.

3 T hen 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.”

Then the king said unto her, What wilt thou, Queen Esther? And what is thy request? It shall be given thee, even to the half of the kingdom.

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

And Esther answered, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.

5 T hen 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.

Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste that he may do as Esther has said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

6 A s 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.”

And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? And it shall be granted thee. What is thy request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.

7 S o Esther answered and said, “This is what I ask of you.

Then answered Esther and said, My petition and my request is:

8 I f 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.”

If I have found grace 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 to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has commanded.

9 T hen 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.

¶ Then Haman went forth that day joyful and with a glad heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and that he did not stand up nor move for him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.

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

Nevertheless, Haman refrained himself, and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh, his wife.

11 H aman 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.

And Haman told them of the glory of his riches and the multitude of his sons and all the things in which the king had promoted him and how he had advanced him above the princes and slaves of the king.

12 H aman 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.

Haman said, moreover, Even Esther, the queen, let no one come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself, and tomorrow I am also invited by her with the king.

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

Yet all this avails me nothing so long as I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the king’s gate.

14 T hen 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.

Then said Zeresh, his wife, and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged upon it; then go in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused the gallows to be made.