Esther 5
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 5
Esther’s Request to the King. [1 [a]On the third day, Esther donned her royal garments and positioned herself in the inner courtyard in front of the king’s hall. The king was seated on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 2 When he spotted Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, he made her welcome by holding out the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter.]
3 Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even if it should be half of my kingdom,[b] it will be given to you.”
4 “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “I would like you and Haman to be my guests today at a banquet that I have prepared for you.”
5 Thereupon the king exclaimed, “Hurry, bring Haman here so that we may do what Esther wishes.” With that, the king and Haman went to Esther’s banquet.
6 As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now, what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even if it is up to half of my kingdom, it will be granted.”
7 Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: 8 If I have found favor with the king and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to another banquet that I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”
Haman’s Rage against Mordecai. 9 When Haman left that day he was happy and in a good mood. But when he caught sight of Mordecai at the king’s gate and noted that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was consumed with rage toward Mordecai. 10 Nonetheless, he was able to control himself and go home.
Then he invited his friends to his house and asked his wife, Zeresh, to join them. 11 Haman boasted to them about his great wealth, his many sons, and about the honor the king had paid him by promoting him above the other nobles and officials. 12 “And even more than this,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited me as the only one to the banquet with the king today, and tomorrow I am again invited to be her guest with the king. 13 Yet I get no pleasure out of any of this as long as I see that Jew Mordecai seated at the king’s gate.”
14 Then his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Why not have a gibbet set up, fifty cubits high,[c] and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” Haman liked the idea, and he had the gibbet built.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 5:1 The Hebrew text in these verses is a condensed form of the account already given in the Greek text.
- Esther 5:3 Even . . . half of my kingdom: a customary hyperbole (see Mk 6:23).
- Esther 5:14 Fifty cubits high: the height of the gallows (seventy-five feet) is certainly a hyperbole for effect.
Esther 5
New King James Version
Esther’s Banquet
5 Now it happened (A)on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in (B)the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the [a]house. 2 So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that (C)she found favor in his sight, and (D)the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.
3 And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? (E)It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!”
4 So Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”
5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
6 At the banquet of wine (F)the king said to Esther, (G)“What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!”
7 Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and request is this: 8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and [b]fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the (H)banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”
Haman’s Plot Against Mordecai
9 So Haman went out that day (I)joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and (J)that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless Haman (K)restrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 Then Haman told them of his great riches, (L)the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had (M)advanced him above the officials and servants of the king.
12 Moreover Haman said, “Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her, along with the king. 13 Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a (N)gallows[c] be made, [d]fifty cubits high, and in the morning (O)suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.”
And the thing pleased Haman; so he had (P)the gallows made.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 5:1 LXX adds many extra details in vv. 1, 2
- Esther 5:8 Lit. to do
- Esther 5:14 Lit. tree or wood
- Esther 5:14 About 75 feet
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
