Esther 5

1On the third day Esther put on royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's house, in front of the king's house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, in front of the house entrance.

2When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his eyes, and the king extended the golden scepter in his hand to her; Esther approached and touched its top.

3The king said to her, “What do you seek, Queen Esther? What is your request? Up to half the kingdom, it shall be given to you.”

4Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him."

5The king said, “Quickly bring Haman to carry out Esther’s request.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had made.

6The king said to Esther at the wine banquet, "What is your petition? It shall be given you. What is your request? Even to half the kingdom it shall be done."

7Esther replied, "My petition and my request."

8If I have found favor in the king's sight, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.

9Haman went out that day joyful with a glad heart, but when he saw Mordecai in the king's gate neither rising nor moving for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.

10Haman controlled himself and went home. He sent and brought his friends and Zeresh his wife.

11Haman told them of his glorious wealth, the abundance of his children, all the ways the king had exalted him, and how he had raised him above the princes and servants of the king.

12Haman said, “Even Esther the queen brought no one with the king to the banquet she had prepared except me, and tomorrow I am also called to her with the king.”

13Yet all this is worth nothing to me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.

14His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Let them make a fifty-cubit gallows, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it; then come with the king to the banquet glad." The matter was good before Haman, and he made the gallows.