⁴ This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

³² They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

¹⁴ So Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet^[a] tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it. When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king.” This pleased Haman, and he ordered the pole set up.

²¹ The king and his nobles thought this made good sense, so he followed Memucan’s counsel.

⁴ This plan for keeping the Passover seemed right to the king and all the people.

²¹ “The Lord bless you,” Saul said. “At last someone is concerned about me!

²⁰ In the meantime, Saul’s daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and Saul was delighted when he heard about it. ²¹ “Here’s another chance to see him killed by the Philistines!” Saul said to himself. But to David he said, “Today you have a second chance to become my son-in-law!”