Esther Plans to Intercede

¹⁵ Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, ¹⁶ “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; ^(A)do not eat or drink for ^(B)three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” ¹⁷ So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.

Esther Plans a Banquet

5 Now it came about ^(A)on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood ^(B)in the inner court of the king’s palace in front of the king’s ^[a]rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the ^[b]throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. ² When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, ^(C)she obtained favor in his sight; and ^(D)the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. ³ Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? ^(E)Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.” ⁴ Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

⁵ Then the king said, “^(F)Bring Haman quickly that we may do ^[c]as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. ^6 [d]As they drank their wine at the banquet, ^(G)the king said to Esther, “^(H)What is your petition, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” ⁷ So Esther replied, “My petition and my request is: ^8 (I)if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and do ^[e]what I request, may the king and Haman come to ^(J)the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do ^[f]as the king says.”