Esther 5

¹And the third day Esther put on royal garments, and stood in the court of the king's house, which was the inner against the king's hall: but he sat upon his throne in the consistory of the palace, against the door of the house.

²And when he had seen Esther the queen standing, she pleased his eyes, and he put forth toward her the golden rod, which he held in his hand: who going near, kissed the top of his rod.

³And the king said to her: What wilt thou queen Esther? What is thy request? Yea if thou wilt ask the half part of the kingdom, it shall be given thee.

⁴But she answered: If it please the king, I beseech thee that thou come to me this day, and Aman with thee to a banquet, which I have prepared.

⁵And the king forthwith, Call ye Aman, quoth he, quickly, that he may obey Esther's will. The king therefore and Aman came to the banquet, which the queen had prepared for them.

⁶And the king said to her, after that he had drunk wine aboundantly. What doest thou desire to be given thee? And for what thing askest thou? Although thou ask the half part of my Kingdom, thou shalt obtain.

⁷To whom Esther answered: My petition & requests are these:

⁸If I have found grace in the king's sight, and if it please the king to give that which I ask, and to fulfill my petition: let the king and Aman come to the banquet which I have prepared them, and tomorrow I will open my will to the king.

⁹Aman therefore went forth that day joyful and merry. And when he had seen Mardocheus sitting before the doors of the palace, and not only not to have risen up to him, but not so much as to have moved from the place where he sat, he was wrath exceedingly:

¹⁰and dissembling his anger, and returning into his house, he called together unto him his friends, and Zares his wife:

¹¹and he declared to them the greatness of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and with how great glory the king had advanced him above all his princes and servants.

¹²And after these things he said: Queen Esther also hath called none other to the banquet with the king, but me: with whom tomorrow also I shall dine with the king.

¹³And whereas I have all these things, I think I have nothing, so long as I shall see Mardocheus the Jew sitting before the king's doors.

¹⁴And Zares his wife, and the rest of his friends answered him: Command a great beam to be prepared, having fifty cubits in height, and speak in the morning to the king, that Mardocheus may be hanged upon it, and so thou shalt go joyful with the king to the banquet. The counsel pleased him, and he commanded an high gallows to be prepared.