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Esther acts

Three days later, Esther put on royal clothes and stood in the inner courtyard of the palace, facing the palace itself. At that moment the king was inside sitting on his royal throne and facing the palace doorway. When the king noticed Queen Esther standing in the entry court, he was pleased. The king held out to Esther the gold scepter in his hand, and she came forward and touched the scepter’s tip.

Then the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What do you want? I’ll give you anything—even half the kingdom.”

Esther answered, “If the king wishes, please come today with Haman for the feast that I have prepared for him.”

“Hurry, get Haman,” the king ordered, “so we can do what Esther says.” So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. As they sipped wine, the king asked, “Now what is it you wish? I’ll give it to you. What do you want? I’ll do anything—even give you half the kingdom.”

Esther answered, “This is my wish and this is what I want: If I please the king, and if the king wishes to grant my wish and my desire, I’d like the king and Haman to come to another feast that I will prepare for them. Tomorrow I will answer the king’s questions.”

Haman boasts, complains, and acts

That day Haman left Esther’s place happy, his spirits high, but then he saw Mordecai in the King’s Gate. Mordecai neither stood up nor seemed the least bit nervous around him, so Haman suddenly felt great rage toward Mordecai. 10 But Haman held himself back and went on home. He sent word that his friends and his wife Zeresh should join him there. 11 Haman boasted to them about his great wealth and his many sons. He told all about how the king had honored him by promoting him over the officials and high royal workers. 12 “Best of all,” Haman said, “Queen Esther has invited no one else but me to join the king for food and drinks that she has prepared. In fact, I’ve been called to join the king at her place tomorrow! 13 But all this loses its meaning every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King’s Gate.”

14 So his wife Zeresh and all his friends told him: “Have people prepare a pointed pole seventy-five feet high. In the morning, tell the king to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then you can go with the king to the feast in a happy mood.” Haman liked the idea and had the pole prepared.

以斯帖為王和哈曼設宴

第三天,以斯帖身穿朝服進入王宮內院,面對大殿站立,王在殿裡正面朝宮門坐在寶座上。 王見以斯帖王后站在院內,就施恩給她,向她伸出手中的金杖,以斯帖便上前摸杖頭。 王問道:「以斯帖王后啊,你有什麼事?你有何要求?就是半壁江山,也必賜給你!」 以斯帖回答說:「王若願意,就請王今天帶哈曼來赴我預備的宴席。」 王說:「快召哈曼來,我們好照以斯帖的話做。」於是王帶著哈曼赴以斯帖預備的宴席。 席間,王對以斯帖說:「你要什麼?我必賜給你。你有何要求?就是半壁江山,也必為你成就。」 以斯帖回答說:「王啊,我所要、我所求的就是, 我若得到王的恩寵,王若願意賜我所要所求的,就請王明天帶哈曼再來赴我預備的宴席,到時我一定向王稟明。」

哈曼圖謀殺末底改

那天哈曼出來,心中歡喜快樂。但他看見末底改在宮門前既不起身,也不對他表示畏懼,心中十分惱火。 10 哈曼忍怒回到家中,把朋友和妻子細利斯叫來, 11 向他們誇耀自己的榮華富貴和兒孫滿堂,以及王怎樣擢升他,使他位極人臣。 12 哈曼又說:「還有,以斯帖王后只請了我隨王赴她預備的宴席。她還請我明天隨王赴宴。 13 但只要我看見猶太人末底改坐在宮門口,這一切對我都毫無意義。」 14 他妻子細利斯和他所有的朋友對他說:「你可以叫人做一個二十三米高的木架,明天早上求王將末底改吊在上面,然後你可以快樂地隨王去赴宴。」哈曼喜歡這個提議,就叫人做了木架。

Esther Prepares a Feast

Now it happened (A)on the third day, that Esther put on her royal robes and stood (B)in the inner court of the king’s house 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 his house. Now it happened that when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, (C)she advanced in favor in his eyes; and (D)the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and [c]reached out and touched the top of the scepter. Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is [d]your request? (E)Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.” And Esther said, “If it seems good to the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the feast that I have prepared for him.”

Then the king said, “(F)Bring Haman quickly that we may do the word of Esther.” So the king and Haman came to the feast which Esther had prepared. Then, [e]as they drank their wine at the feast, (G)the king said to Esther, “(H)What is [f]your petition? For it shall be given to you. And what is [g]your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” So Esther answered and said, “[h]My petition and [i]my request is: (I)if I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it seems good to the king to give heed to [j]my petition and to do [k]my request, may the king and Haman come to (J)the feast which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do according to the word of the king.”

Haman Recounts His Glory

Then Haman went out that day glad and merry of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai (K)in the king’s gate and (L)that he did not stand up or [l]tremble before him, Haman was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 But Haman controlled himself, went to his house, and sent for and brought his friends and his wife (M)Zeresh. 11 Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches and the [m](N)number of his sons and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had [n](O)advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the feast which she had prepared; and (P)tomorrow also I am called to come to her with the king. 13 Yet all of this is worth nothing to me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at (Q)the king’s gate.” 14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “(R)Have a [o]gallows [p]fifty cubits high made and in the morning say to the king that Mordecai should be hanged on it; then go gladly with the king to the feast.” And the word was good to Haman, so he had the gallows made.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 5:1 Lit house
  2. Esther 5:1 Lit royal house
  3. Esther 5:2 The Heb root for touched, in a variant form, is translated as reached in Esth 2:12, 15; 4:3, 14; 6:14; 8:17; 9:26
  4. Esther 5:3 Or that which you seek
  5. Esther 5:6 Lit at the banquet of wine
  6. Esther 5:6 Or that which you ask for
  7. Esther 5:6 Or that which you seek
  8. Esther 5:7 Or What I ask for
  9. Esther 5:7 Or what I seek
  10. Esther 5:8 Or what I ask for
  11. Esther 5:8 Or what I am seeking
  12. Esther 5:9 Or move for
  13. Esther 5:11 Lit multitude
  14. Esther 5:11 Lit lifted
  15. Esther 5:14 Lit tree, cf. Deut 21:22-23
  16. Esther 5:14 Approx. 75 ft. or 23 m, a cubit was approx. 18 in. or 45 cm