ES-5:1  Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on

[her] royal

[apparel], and stood in the inner court of the king's house,

over against the king's

house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house,

 over against the

gate of the house.

ES-5:2  And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen

standing in the court,

[that] she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out

to Esther the golden

sceptre that [was] in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched

the top of the

sceptre.

ES-5:3  Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen

Esther? and what [is] thy

request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

ES-5:4  And Esther answered, If [it seem] good unto the king,

let the king and Haman

come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.

ES-5:5  Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he

may do as Esther hath

said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had

prepared.

ES-5:6  And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine,

What [is] thy

petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what [is] thy

request? even to the half

of the kingdom it shall be performed.

ES-5:7  Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my

request [is];

ES-5:8  If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if

it please the king

to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king

and Haman come to the

banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow

as the king hath

said.

ES-5:9  Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad

heart: but when Haman

saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved

for him, he was

full of indignation against Mordecai.

ES-5:10  Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came

home, he sent and

called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.

ES-5:11  And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the

multitude of his

children, and all [the things] wherein the king had promoted him,

 and how he had

advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

ES-5:12  Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no

man come in with the

king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to

morrow am I invited

unto her also with the king.

ES-5:13  Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see

Mordecai the Jew sitting

at the king's gate.

ES-5:14  Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him,

Let a gallows be

made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the

king that Mordecai may

be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto

the banquet. And the

thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

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