Esther 7:7-10

New International Reader's Version

⁷ The king got up. He was very angry. He left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman realized that the king had already decided what he was going to do to him. So he stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

⁸ The king returned from the palace garden to the dinner hall. Just then he saw Haman falling on the couch where Esther was lying.

The king shouted, “Will he even treat the queen like this? Will he harm her while she’s right here with me in the palace?”

As soon as the king finished speaking, his men covered Haman’s face. ⁹ Then Harbona said, “There’s a pole standing near Haman’s house. He has prepared it for Mordecai. Mordecai is the one who spoke up to help you. Haman had planned to have him put to death. He was going to have the pole stuck through his body. Then he was going to set it up at a place where it would be 75 feet above the ground.” Harbona was one of the officials who attended the king.

The king said to his men, “Put Haman to death! Stick the pole through his body! Set it up where everyone can see it!” ¹⁰ So they did. And they used the pole Haman had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s anger calmed down.