1 On|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" third|strong="H7992" day|strong="H3117", Esther|strong="H0635" put|strong="H3847" on|strong="H5921" her|strong="H5921" special robes|strong="H4438". Then|strong="H1961" she|strong="H0635" stood|strong="H5975" in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H5921" inside|strong="H1004" area of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H5921" king’s|strong="H4428" palace|strong="H1004", in|strong="H3427" front|strong="H5227" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H5921" king’s|strong="H4428" hall|strong="H1004". The|strong="H5921" king|strong="H4428" was|strong="H1961" sitting|strong="H3427" on|strong="H5921" his|strong="H5921" throne|strong="H3678" in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H5921" hall|strong="H1004", facing the|strong="H5921" place|strong="H1961" where|strong="H5921" people|strong="H3427" enter|strong="H5975" the|strong="H5921" throne|strong="H3678" room|strong="H1004".
2 When|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" saw|strong="H7200" Queen|strong="H4436" Esther|strong="H0635" standing|strong="H5975" in|strong="H4428" the|strong="H0853" court|strong="H2691", he|strong="H0834" was|strong="H1961" very pleased|strong="H5869". He|strong="H0834" held|strong="H1961" out|strong="H7200" to|strong="H1961" her|strong="H7200" the|strong="H0853" gold|strong="H2091" scepter|strong="H8275" that|strong="H0834" was|strong="H1961" in|strong="H4428" his|strong="H5375" hand|strong="H3027". So|strong="H1961" Esther|strong="H0635" went|strong="H1961" in|strong="H4428" to|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" room and|strong="H3027" went|strong="H1961" near|strong="H7126" the|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428". Then|strong="H1961" she|strong="H0834" touched|strong="H5060" the|strong="H0853" end of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H0853" king’s|strong="H4428" gold|strong="H2091" scepter|strong="H8275".
3 Then|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0559" king|strong="H4428" asked|strong="H0559", “What|strong="H4100" is|strong="H4100" bothering you|strong="H5414" Queen|strong="H4436" Esther|strong="H0635"? What|strong="H4100" do|strong="H4100" you|strong="H5414" want to|strong="H0559" ask|strong="H0559" me|strong="H5414"? I|strong="H5414" will|strong="H4428" give|strong="H5414" you|strong="H5414" anything|strong="H4100" you|strong="H5414" ask|strong="H0559" for|strong="H4428", even|strong="H5704" half|strong="H2677" my|strong="H5414" kingdom|strong="H4438".”
4 Esther|strong="H0635" said|strong="H0559", “I|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" prepared|strong="H6213" a|strong="H0518" party for|strong="H5921" you|strong="H0834" and|strong="H0935" Haman|strong="H2001". Will|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0834" and|strong="H0935" Haman|strong="H2001" please|strong="H2895" come|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" party today|strong="H3117"?”
5 Then|strong="H0853" the|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559", “Bring|strong="H0935" Haman|strong="H2001" quickly|strong="H4116" so|strong="H6213" that|strong="H0834" we|strong="H0834" may|strong="H0834" do|strong="H6213" what|strong="H0834" Esther|strong="H0635" asks|strong="H0559".”
6 While|strong="H5704" they|strong="H5704" were|strong="H4428" drinking|strong="H4960" wine|strong="H3196", the|strong="H0559" king|strong="H4428" asked|strong="H0559" her|strong="H5414" again, “Now|strong="H5414" Esther|strong="H0635", what|strong="H4100" do|strong="H6213" you|strong="H5414" want to|strong="H0559" ask|strong="H0559" for|strong="H4960"? Ask|strong="H0559" for|strong="H4960" anything|strong="H4100", I|strong="H5414" will|strong="H4428" give|strong="H5414" it|strong="H5414" to|strong="H0559" you|strong="H5414". So|strong="H6213" what|strong="H4100" is|strong="H4100" it|strong="H5414" you|strong="H5414" want? I|strong="H5414" will|strong="H4428" give|strong="H5414" you|strong="H5414" anything|strong="H4100" you|strong="H5414" want, up|strong="H5704" to|strong="H0559" half|strong="H2677" my|strong="H5414" kingdom|strong="H4438".”
7 Esther|strong="H0635" answered|strong="H0559", “This is|strong="H0559" what|strong="H1246" I|strong="H0559" want to|strong="H0559" ask|strong="H0559" for|strong="H0559":
8 If|strong="H0518" the|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" is|strong="H0834" pleased|strong="H5869" with|strong="H0413" me|strong="H0413" and|strong="H0935" thinks it|strong="H5414" good|strong="H2895" to|strong="H0413" give|strong="H5414" me|strong="H0413" what|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0834" ask|strong="H4428" for|strong="H5921", let|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" and|strong="H0935" Haman|strong="H2001" come|strong="H0935" tomorrow|strong="H4279". I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" prepare|strong="H6213" another party for|strong="H5921" them|strong="H0413". Then|strong="H0853" I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" tell|strong="H0413" what|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0834" really want.”
9 Haman|strong="H2001" left|strong="H3318" the|strong="H0853" king’s|strong="H4428" palace that|strong="H3117" day|strong="H3117" very happy|strong="H8056" and|strong="H6965" in|strong="H5921" a|strong="H7200" good|strong="H2896" mood. But|strong="H3808" when|strong="H3117" he|strong="H1931" saw|strong="H7200" Mordecai|strong="H4782" at|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0853" king’s|strong="H4428" gate|strong="H8179", he|strong="H1931" became|strong="H7200" very angry|strong="H2534". Haman|strong="H2001" was|strong="H1931" very mad at|strong="H5921" him|strong="H5921" because|strong="H5921" Mordecai|strong="H4782" didn’t|strong="H3808" show|strong="H7200" any|strong="H4480" respect|strong="H5921" when|strong="H3117" Haman|strong="H2001" walked by|strong="H5921". Mordecai|strong="H4782" was|strong="H1931" not|strong="H3808" afraid of|strong="H4428" Haman|strong="H2001", and|strong="H6965" this|strong="H1931" made Haman|strong="H2001" mad.
10 But|strong="H0935" Haman|strong="H2001" controlled|strong="H0662" his|strong="H7971" anger and|strong="H0935" went|strong="H0935" home|strong="H1004". Then|strong="H0853" Haman|strong="H2001" called together his|strong="H7971" friends|strong="H0157" and|strong="H0935" his|strong="H7971" wife|strong="H0802", Zeresh|strong="H2238".
11 Haman|strong="H2001" started bragging about|strong="H5921" how|strong="H0834" rich|strong="H1431" he|strong="H0834" was|strong="H0834". He|strong="H0834" was|strong="H0834" bragging to|strong="H5921" his|strong="H3605" friends about|strong="H5921" his|strong="H3605" many|strong="H7230" sons|strong="H1121", and|strong="H1121" about|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" ways the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" had|strong="H0834" honored him|strong="H5921". And|strong="H1121" he|strong="H0834" was|strong="H0834" bragging about|strong="H5921" how|strong="H0834" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" had|strong="H0834" promoted|strong="H1431" him|strong="H5921" higher than|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" other|strong="H3605" leaders|strong="H8269".
12 “And|strong="H0935" that’s|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" all|strong="H0637",” Haman|strong="H2001" added|strong="H0559". “I’m the|strong="H0853" only|strong="H0518" one|strong="H3808" Queen|strong="H4436" Esther|strong="H0635" invited|strong="H7121" to|strong="H0413" be|strong="H3808" with|strong="H5973" the|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" at|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0853" party she|strong="H0834" gave|strong="H0559". And|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0853" Queen|strong="H4436" also|strong="H1571" has|strong="H0834" invited|strong="H7121" me|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" be|strong="H3808" with|strong="H5973" the|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" again tomorrow|strong="H4279".
13 But|strong="H7200" all|strong="H3605" this|strong="H2088" means nothing|strong="H0369" to|strong="H0369" me|strong="H7200". I|strong="H0589" cannot|strong="H0369" be|strong="H4428" happy as|strong="H0834" long as|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0589" see|strong="H7200" that|strong="H0834" Jew|strong="H3064" Mordecai|strong="H4782" sitting|strong="H3427" at|strong="H3427" the|strong="H3605" king’s|strong="H4428" gate|strong="H8179".”
14 Then|strong="H0853" Haman’s|strong="H2001" wife|strong="H0802" Zeresh|strong="H2238" and|strong="H0935" all|strong="H3605" his|strong="H3605" friends|strong="H0157" had|strong="H4428" a|strong="H0935" suggestion. They|strong="H5921" said|strong="H0559", “Tell|strong="H0559" someone to|strong="H0413" build a|strong="H0935" post to|strong="H0413" hang|strong="H8518" him|strong="H0413" on|strong="H5921". Make|strong="H6213" it|strong="H5921" 75 feet|strong="H0520" tall. In|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" morning|strong="H1242" ask|strong="H0559" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" to|strong="H0413" hang|strong="H8518" Mordecai|strong="H4782" on|strong="H5921" it|strong="H5921". Then|strong="H0853" go|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H3605" party with|strong="H5973" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" and|strong="H0935" you|strong="H3605" can|strong="H6213" be|strong="H1697" happy|strong="H8056".”