⁴ And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered ^(A)the outer court of the king's palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on ^(B)the gallows^[a] that he had prepared for him.

¹⁴ Then ^(A)his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, ^(B)“Let a gallows^[a] fifty cubits^[b] high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.

¹¹ “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside ^(A)the inner court without being called, ^(B)there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one ^(C)to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

Esther Prepares a Banquet

5 ^(A)On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in ^(B)the inner court of the king's palace, in front of the king's quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace.

¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, ^(A)do it with your might,^{[a] (B)}for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.