⁵ When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days,^(A) in the enclosed garden^(B) of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa.

⁷ The king got up in a rage,^(A) left his wine and went out into the palace garden.^(B) But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate,^(C) stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

⁸ Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch^(D) where Esther was reclining.^(E)

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”^(F)

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.^(G)

²¹ The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread^(A) for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the Lord.^[a]

²² Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the Lord. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised^[b] the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

²³ The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate^(B) the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully. ²⁴ Hezekiah king of Judah provided^(C) a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves. ²⁵ The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel^(D), including the foreigners who had come from Israel and also those who resided in Judah.

⁸ So Solomon observed the festival^(A) at that time for seven days, and all Israel^(B) with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath^(C) to the Wadi of Egypt.^{(D) 9} On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated^(E) the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival^(F) for seven days more.