Esther 7

New International Version

Haman Impaled

7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet,^(A) ²and as they were drinking wine^(B) on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,^(C) it will be granted.^(D)”

³Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor^(E) 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. ⁴For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated.^(F) If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.^[a]”

⁵King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

⁶Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. ⁷The king got up in a rage,^(G) left his wine and went out into the palace garden.^(H) But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate,^(I) stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

⁸Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch^(J) where Esther was reclining.^(K)

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”^(L)

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.^(M) ⁹Then Harbona,^(N) one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits^[b]^(O) stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!”^(P) ¹⁰So they impaled^(Q) Haman^(R) on the pole^(S) he had set up for Mordecai.^(T) Then the king’s fury subsided.^(U)

Footnotes

Esther 7:4 Or quiet, but the compensation our adversary offers cannot be compared with the loss the king would suffer
Esther 7:9 That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters

Psalm 135:1-12

New International Version

Psalm 135^(A)

¹Praise the Lord.^[a]

Praise the name of the Lord;
praise him, you servants^(B) of the Lord,
²you who minister in the house^(C) of the Lord,
in the courts^(D) of the house of our God.

³Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;^(E)
sing praise to his name,^(F) for that is pleasant.^(G)
⁴For the Lord has chosen Jacob^(H) to be his own,
Israel to be his treasured possession.^(I)

⁵I know that the Lord is great,^(J)
    that our Lord is greater than all gods.^(K)
⁶The Lord does whatever pleases him,^(L)
    in the heavens and on the earth,^(M)
    in the seas and all their depths.
⁷He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
    he sends lightning with the rain^(N)
    and brings out the wind^(O) from his storehouses.^(P)

⁸He struck down the firstborn^(Q) of Egypt,
    the firstborn of people and animals.
⁹He sent his signs^(R) and wonders into your midst, Egypt,
    against Pharaoh and all his servants.^(S)
¹⁰He struck down many^(T) nations
    and killed mighty kings—
¹¹Sihon^(U) king of the Amorites,^(V)
    Og king of Bashan,^(W)
    and all the kings of Canaan^(X)—
¹²and he gave their land as an inheritance,^(Y)
    an inheritance to his people Israel.

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Footnotes

Psalm 135:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verses 3 and 21

2 John

New International Version

¹The elder,^(A)

To the lady chosen by God^(B) and to her children, whom I love in the truth^(C)—and not I only, but also all who know the truth^(D)— ²because of the truth,^(E) which lives in us^(F) and will be with us forever:

³Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,^(G) the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

⁴It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,^(H) just as the Father commanded us. ⁵And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning.^(I) I ask that we love one another. ⁶And this is love:^(J) that we walk in obedience to his commands.^(K) As you have heard from the beginning,^(L) his command is that you walk in love.

⁷I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ^(M) as coming in the flesh,^(N) have gone out into the world.^(O) Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.^(P) ⁸Watch out that you do not lose what we^[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.^(Q) ⁹Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ^(R) does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.^(S) ¹⁰If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.^(T) ¹¹Anyone who welcomes them shares^(U) in their wicked work.

¹²I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face,^(V) so that our joy may be complete.^(W)

¹³The children of your sister, who is chosen by God,^(X) send their greetings.