³ Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,^(A) it will be given you.”

²³ And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”^(A)

² and as they were drinking wine^(A) on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,^(B) it will be granted.^(C)”

¹² The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”^(A)

⁶ As they were drinking wine,^(A) the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,^(B) it will be granted.”^(C)

⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared^(A) to Solomon during the night in a dream,^(B) and God said, “Ask^(C) for whatever you want me to give you.”

A Mother’s Request^(A)

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons^(B) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,^(C) asked a favor of him.

²¹ “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”^(D)

²² “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup^(E) I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

²⁰ “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”

The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”

⁴¹ “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.