¹³ and told Zeresh^(A) his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.

His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall^(B) has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!”^(C)

⁸ In the morning his mind was troubled,^(A) so he sent for all the magicians^(B) and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.^(C)

¹⁹ Within three days^(A) Pharaoh will lift off your head^(B) and impale your body on a pole.^(C) And the birds will eat away your flesh.”^(D)

¹² This made the king so angry and furious^(A) that he ordered the execution^(B) of all the wise men of Babylon.

²⁶ “Here is what these words mean:

¹⁰ Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.

Calling together his friends and Zeresh,^(A) his wife, ¹¹ Haman boasted^(B) to them about his vast wealth, his many sons,^(C) and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. ¹² “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person^(D) Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. ¹³ But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.^(E)”

¹⁴ His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits,^[a](F) and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled^(G) on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.