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Esther Prepares a Feast

¹ Now it happened ^(C1)on the third day, that Esther put on her royal robes and stood ^(C2)in the inner court of the king's house in front of the king's ^(F1)rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the ^(F2)throne room, opposite the entrance to his house.² Now it happened that when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, ^(C1)she advanced in favor in his eyes; and ^(C2)the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and ^(F1)reached out and touched the top of the scepter.³ Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is ^(F1)your request? ^(C1)Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you."⁴ And Esther said, "If it seems good to the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the feast that I have prepared for him."

⁵ Then the king said, "^(C1)Bring Haman quickly that we may do the word of Esther." So the king and Haman came to the feast which Esther had prepared.⁶ Then, ^(F1)as they drank their wine at the feast, ^(C1)the king said to Esther, "^(C2)What is ^(F2)your petition? For it shall be given to you. And what is ^(F3)your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done."⁷ So Esther answered and said, "^(F1)My petition and ^(F2)my request is:^8 (C1)if I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it seems good to the king to give heed to ^(F1)my petition and to do ^(F2)my request, may the king and Haman come to ^(C2)the feast which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do according to the word of the king."

Haman Recounts His Glory

⁹ Then Haman went out that day glad and merry of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai ^(C1)in the king's gate and ^(C2)that he did not stand up or ^(F1)tremble before him, Haman was filled with wrath against Mordecai.¹⁰ But Haman controlled himself, went to his house, and sent for and brought his friends and his wife ^(C1)Zeresh.¹¹ Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches and the ^(F1)(C1)number of his sons and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had ^(F2)(C2)advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.¹² Haman also said, "Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the feast which she had prepared; and ^(C1)tomorrow also I am called to come to her with the king.¹³ "Yet all of this is worth nothing to me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at ^(C1)the king's gate."¹⁴ Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "^(C1)Have a ^(F1)gallows ^(F2)fifty cubits high made and in the morning say to the king that Mordecai should be hanged on it; then go gladly with the king to the feast." And the word was good to Haman, so he had the gallows made.