Esther 5 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Esther Plans a Banquet

1 Now it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 on the third ^H7992 day ^H3117 that Esther ^H635 put ^H3847 on ^H3847 her royal ^H4438 robes ^H3847 and stood ^H5975 in the inner ^H6442 courtyard ^H2691 of the king’s ^H4428 palace ^H1004 in front ^H5227 of the king’s ^H4428 [fn]rooms ^H1004, and the king ^H4428 was sitting ^H3427 on his royal ^H4438 throne ^H3678 in the [fn]throne ^H4438 room ^H1004, opposite ^H5227 the entrance ^H6607 to the palace ^H1004.

2 When the king ^H4428 saw ^H7200 Esther ^H635 the queen ^H4436 standing ^H5975 in the courtyard ^H2691, she obtained ^H5375 favor ^H2580 in his sight ^H5869; and the king ^H4428 extended ^H3447 to Esther ^H635 the golden ^H2091 scepter ^H8275 which ^H834 was in his hand ^H3027. So Esther ^H635 approached ^H7126 and touched ^H5060 the top ^H7218 of the scepter ^H8275. 3 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to her, “What ^H4100 is troubling you, Queen ^H4436 Esther ^H635? And what ^H4100 is your request ^H1246? Up to half ^H2677 of the kingdom ^H4438 it shall be given ^H5414 to you.” 4 Esther ^H635 said ^H559, “If ^H518 it pleases ^H2895 the king ^H4428, may the king ^H4428 and Haman ^H2001 come ^H935 this day ^H3117 to the banquet ^H4960 that I have prepared ^H6213 for him.”

5 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559, “Bring ^H4116 Haman ^H2001 quickly ^H4116 so that we may do ^H6213 [fn]as Esther ^H635 desires ^H1697.” So the king ^H4428 and Haman ^H2001 came ^H935 to the banquet ^H4960 which ^H834 Esther ^H635 had prepared ^H6213. 6 [fn]As they drank ^H4960 their wine ^H3196 at ^H4960 the ^H4960 banquet ^H4960, the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to Esther ^H635, “What ^H4100 is your request ^H7596, for it shall be granted ^H5414 to you. And what ^H4100 is your wish ^H1246? Up to half ^H2677 of the kingdom ^H4438 it shall be done ^H6213.” 7 So Esther ^H635 replied ^H6030, “My request ^H7596 and my wish ^H1246 is: 8 if ^H518 I have found ^H4672 favor ^H2580 in the sight ^H5869 of the king ^H4428, and if ^H518 it pleases ^H2895 the king ^H4428 to grant ^H5414 my request ^H7596 and do ^H6213 [fn]what ^H1246 I wish ^H1246, may the king ^H4428 and Haman ^H2001 come ^H935 to the banquet ^H4960 which ^H834 I will prepare ^H6213 for them, and tomorrow ^H4279 I will do ^H6213 [fn]as the king ^H4428 says ^H1697.”

Haman’s Pride

9 Then Haman ^H2001 went ^H3318 out ^H3318 that day ^H3117 joyful ^H8056 and pleased ^H2896 of heart ^H3820; but when Haman ^H2001 saw ^H7200 Mordecai ^H4782 at the king’s ^H4428 gate ^H8179 and that he did not stand ^H6965 up ^H6965 or tremble ^H2111 before ^H4480 him, Haman ^H2001 was filled ^H4390 with anger ^H2534 against ^H5921 Mordecai ^H4782.

10 Haman ^H2001 controlled ^H662 himself, however, and went ^H935 to his house ^H1004. But he [fn]sent ^H7971 for his friends ^H157 and his wife ^H802 Zeresh ^H2238. 11 Then Haman ^H2001 told ^H5608 them of the glory ^H3519 of his riches ^H6239, and his many ^H7230 sons ^H1121, and every ^H3605 occasion on which ^H834 the king ^H4428 had honored ^H1431 him and how ^H834 he had [fn]promoted ^H5375 him above ^H5921 the officials ^H8269 and servants ^H5650 of the king ^H4428. 12 Haman ^H2001 also ^H637 said ^H559, “Even ^H637 Esther ^H635 the queen ^H4436 let no ^H3808 one except me come ^H935 with the king ^H4428 to the banquet ^H4960 which ^H834 she had prepared ^H6213; and tomorrow ^H4279 also ^H1571 I am invited ^H7121 by her with the king ^H4428. 13 Yet all ^H3605 of this ^H2088 [fn]does not satisfy ^H7737 me every ^H3605 time ^H6256 I see ^H7200 Mordecai ^H4782 the Jew ^H3064 sitting ^H3427 at the king’s ^H4428 gate ^H8179.” 14 Then Zeresh ^H2238 his wife ^H802 and all ^H3605 his friends ^H157 said ^H559 to him, “Have a wooden ^H6086 gallows [fn]fifty ^H2572 cubits ^H520 high ^H1364 made ^H6213, and in the morning ^H1242 ask ^H559 the king ^H4428 to have Mordecai ^H4782 hanged ^H8518 on it; then go ^H935 joyfully ^H8056 with the king ^H4428 to the banquet ^H4960.” And the [fn]advice ^H1697 pleased ^H3190 Haman ^H2001, so he had the wooden ^H6086 gallows made ^H6213.