² So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that ^(A)she found favor in his sight, and ^(B)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.

⁴ And ^(A)the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king,

¹¹ “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into ^(A)the inner court to the king, who has not been called, ^(B)he has but one law: put all to death, except the one ^(C)to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been ^(D)called to go in to the king these thirty days.”

The Lord Considers the Heart

⁴ And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”

So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

¹⁰ and delivered him out of all his troubles, ^(A)and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death

⁹ Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave ^(A)beauty preparations to her, besides ^[a]her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women.

¹¹ O Lord, I pray, please ^(A)let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who ^(B)desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”

For I was the king’s ^(C)cupbearer.