³ Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor^(A) with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request.

²⁶ then tell^(A) them, ‘I was pleading with the king not to send me back to Jonathan’s house^(B) to die there.’”

⁴ “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has^(A) for his own life.

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 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

¹³ So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life^(A) and the lives of these fifty men, your servants!

³¹ His officials said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful.^(A) Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth^(B) around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”

⁸ If the king regards me with favor^(A) and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet^(B) I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”