Esther Plans a Banquet
5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly so that we may do [c]as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. 6 [d]As they drank their wine at the banquet, the king said to Esther, “What is your request, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your wish? Up to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” 7 So Esther replied, “My request and my wish is: 8 if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do [e]what I wish, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do [f]as the king says.”
Haman’s Pride
9 Then Haman went out that day joyful and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. 10 Haman controlled himself, however, and went to his house. But he [g]sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 Then Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and his many sons, and every occasion on which the king had honored him and how he had [h]promoted him above the officials and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one except me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. 13 Yet all of this [i]does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” 14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a wooden gallows [j]fifty cubits high made, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the [k]advice pleased Haman, so he had the wooden gallows made.
Footnotes
- Esther 5:1 Lit house
- Esther 5:1 Lit royal house
- Esther 5:5 Lit the word of Esther
- Esther 5:6 Lit At the banquet of wine
- Esther 5:8 Lit my wish
- Esther 5:8 Lit according to the word of the king
- Esther 5:10 Lit sent and brought
- Esther 5:11 Lit lifted
- Esther 5:13 Lit is not suitable to me
- Esther 5:14 About 75 ft. or 23 m
- Esther 5:14 Lit word