Esther 5
English Standard Version
Esther Prepares a Banquet
5 (A)On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in (B)the inner court of the king's palace, in front of the king's quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, (C)she won favor in his sight, (D)and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. 3 And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even (E)to the half of my kingdom.” 4 And Esther said, “If it please the king,[a] let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king.” 5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked.” So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. 6 (F)And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, (G)“What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? (H)Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”[b] 7 Then Esther answered, “My wish and my request is: 8 (I)If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king[c] to grant my wish and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to (J)the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”
Haman Plans to Hang Mordecai
9 And Haman went out that day (K)joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai (L)in the king's gate, (M)that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and (N)his wife Zeresh. 11 And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, (O)the number of his sons, all the promotions with which (P)the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. 12 Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting (Q)at the king's gate.” 14 Then (R)his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, (S)“Let a gallows[d] fifty cubits[e] high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.
Footnotes
- Esther 5:4 Hebrew If it is good to the king
- Esther 5:6 Or done
- Esther 5:8 Hebrew if it is good to the king
- Esther 5:14 Or wooden beam; twice in this verse (see note on 2:23)
- Esther 5:14 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
Esther 5
New American Standard Bible
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 courtyard 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 courtyard, (C)she obtained favor in his sight; and (D)the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther approached 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)Up 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 so 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 request, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your wish? Up to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” 7 So Esther replied, “My request and my wish is: 8 (I)if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do [e]what I wish, 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.”
Haman’s Pride
9 Then Haman went out that day joyful and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai (K)at the king’s gate and (L)that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. 10 Haman controlled himself, however, and went to his house. But he [g]sent for his friends and his wife (M)Zeresh. 11 Then Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and his (N)many sons, and every occasion on which the king had honored him and how he had [h](O)promoted him above the officials and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one except me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and (P)tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. 13 Yet all of this [i]does not satisfy 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 wooden gallows [j]fifty cubits high made, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the [k]advice pleased Haman, so he had the wooden gallows made.
Footnotes
- Esther 5:1 Lit house
- Esther 5:1 Lit royal house
- Esther 5:5 Lit the word of Esther
- Esther 5:6 Lit At the banquet of wine
- Esther 5:8 Lit my wish
- Esther 5:8 Lit according to the word of the king
- Esther 5:10 Lit sent and brought
- Esther 5:11 Lit lifted
- Esther 5:13 Lit is not suitable to me
- Esther 5:14 About 75 ft. or 23 m
- Esther 5:14 Lit word
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
