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¹ Now it came to passe on the third day, that Esther put on her royall apparell, and stood in the inner court of the kings house, ouer against the kings house: and the King sate vpon his royall throne in the royall house, ouer against the gate of the house. ² And it was so, when the king saw Esther the Queene standing in the court, that shee obtained fauour in his sight: and the king helde out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand: So Esther drew neere, and touched the top of the scepter. ³ Then sayd the King vnto her, What wilt thou, Queene Esther? and what is thy request? it shall bee euen giuen thee to the halfe of the kingdome. ⁴ And Esther answered, If it seeme good vnto the King, let the King and Haman come this day vnto the banquet that I haue prepared for him. ⁵ Then the King sayd, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may doe as Esther hath said: So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. ⁶ And the king said vnto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, and it shall be granted thee? and what is thy request? euen to the halfe of the kingdome it shall be performed. ⁷ Then answered Esther, and said, My petition, and my request is, ⁸ If I haue found fauour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to performe my request, let the king, and Haman, come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I wil do to morow, as the king hath said.

⁹ Then went Haman foorth that day, ioyfull, and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the kings gate, that hee stood not vp, nor mooued for him, hee was full of indignation against Mordecai. ¹⁰ Neuerthelesse Haman refrained himselfe, and when he came home, hee 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 had promoted him, and how he had aduanced him aboue the Princes, and seruants of the king. ¹² Haman said moreouer, Yea Esther the Queene did let no man come in with the king vnto the banquet that she had prepared, but my selfe; and to morrow am I inuited vnto her also with the king. ¹³ Yet all this auaileth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Iew sitting at the kings gate. ¹⁴ Then saide Zeresh his wife, and all his friends vnto him, Let a gallous be made of fifty cubits hie, and to morrow speake thou vnto the king, that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then goe thou in merily with the king vnto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman, and hee caused the gallous to be made.