The Woman and the Dragon

12 A great sign^(A) appeared in heaven:^(B) a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars^(C) on her head. ² She was pregnant and cried out in pain^(D) as she was about to give birth. ³ Then another sign appeared in heaven:^(E) an enormous red dragon^(F) with seven heads^(G) and ten horns^(H) and seven crowns^(I) on its heads. ⁴ Its tail swept a third^(J) of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.^(K) The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child^(L) the moment he was born. ⁵ She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”^[a](M) And her child was snatched up^(N) to God and to his throne. ⁶ The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.^(O)

⁷ Then war broke out in heaven. Michael^(P) and his angels fought against the dragon,^(Q) and the dragon and his angels^(R) fought back. ⁸ But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. ⁹ The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent^(S) called the devil,^(T) or Satan,^(U) who leads the whole world astray.^(V) He was hurled to the earth,^(W) and his angels with him.

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven^(X) say:

¹³ When the dragon^(AH) saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.^{(AI) 14} The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle,^(AJ) so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time,^(AK) out of the serpent’s reach. ¹⁵ Then from his mouth the serpent^(AL) spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. ¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. ¹⁷ Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war^(AM) against the rest of her offspring^(AN)—those who keep God’s commands^(AO) and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.^(AP)

Esther’s Request to the King

5 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes^(A) and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s^(B) hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. ² When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.^(C)

³ Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,^(D) it will be given you.”

⁴ “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”

⁵ “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”

So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. ⁶ As they were drinking wine,^(E) the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,^(F) it will be granted.”^(G)

⁷ Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: ⁸ If the king regards me with favor^(H) and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet^(I) I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

Haman’s Rage Against Mordecai

⁹ Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage^(J) against Mordecai.^{(K) 10} Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.

Calling together his friends and Zeresh,^(L) his wife, ¹¹ Haman boasted^(M) to them about his vast wealth, his many sons,^(N) and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. ¹² “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person^(O) Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. ¹³ But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.^(P)”

¹⁴ His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits,^[a](Q) and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled^(R) on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.

Mordecai Honored

6 That night the king could not sleep;^(S) so he ordered the book of the chronicles,^(T) the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. ² It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.^(U)

³ “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.

“Nothing has been done for him,”^(V) his attendants answered.

⁴ The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.

⁵ His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”

“Bring him in,” the king ordered.

⁶ When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”

Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” ⁷ So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, ⁸ have them bring a royal robe^(W) the king has worn and a horse^(X) the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. ⁹ Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!^(Y)’”

¹⁰ “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”

¹¹ So Haman got^(Z) the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”

¹² Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered^(AA) in grief, ¹³ and told Zeresh^(AB) his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.

His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall^(AC) has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!”^{(AD) 14} While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet^(AE) Esther had prepared.

Haman Impaled

7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet,^{(AF) 2} and as they were drinking wine^(AG) 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,^(AH) it will be granted.^(AI)”

³ Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor^(AJ) 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. ⁴ For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated.^(AK) 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.^[b]”

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

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

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

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

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

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.^{(AR) 9} Then Harbona,^(AS) one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits^[c](AT) 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!”^{(AU) 10} So they impaled^(AV) Haman^(AW) on the pole^(AX) he had set up for Mordecai.^(AY) Then the king’s fury subsided.^(AZ)