Esther
5:1-6:14
On the
third day Esther put on her royal robes. She stood in the courtyard of the
king's palace, facing the king's throne room. The king was sitting on the royal
throne inside the palace, facing the entrance.
When
the king saw Queen Esther standing in the entrance, she won his favor. So the
king held out the golden scepter that was in his hand to Esther. Esther went up
to him and touched the top of the scepter.
Then
the king asked her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? What would you
like? Even if it is up to half of the kingdom, it will be granted to you."
So
Esther answered, "If it pleases you, Your Majesty, come today with Haman
to a dinner I have prepared for you."
The
king replied, "Bring Haman right away, and do whatever Esther asks."
So the king and Haman came to the dinner that Esther had prepared.
While
they were drinking wine, the king asked Esther, "What is your request? It
will be granted to you. What would you like? Even if it is up to half of the
kingdom, it will be granted."
Esther
answered, "My request? What would I like? Your Majesty, come with Haman to
a dinner I will prepare for you. And tomorrow I will answer you, Your Majesty.
If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, Your
Majesty, may you {then} grant my request and do what I would like."
When
Haman left that day, he was happy and feeling good. But when Haman saw Mordecai
at the king's gate, neither getting up nor trembling in his presence, Haman was
furious with Mordecai. However, Haman controlled himself. He went home and sent
for his friends and his wife Zeresh.
Then
Haman began to relate in detail to them how very rich he was, the many sons he
had, and all about how the king promoted him to a position over the officials
and the king's advisers. Haman went on to say, "What's more, Queen Esther
allowed no one except me to come with the king to the dinner she had prepared.
And again tomorrow I am her invited guest together with the king. Yet, all this
is worth nothing to me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's
gate."
Then
his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have a pole set up, 75 feet high, and in the
morning ask the king to have Mordecai's {dead body} hung on it. Then go with
the king to the dinner in good spirits."
Haman
liked the idea, so he had the pole set up.
That
night the king could not sleep. So he told {a servant} to bring the official
daily records, and they were read to the king. The records showed how Mordecai
had informed him that Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs who guarded
the entrance, had plotted a rebellion against King Xerxes.
The
king asked, "How did I reward and promote Mordecai for this?"
The
king's personal staff replied, "Nothing was done for him."
The
king asked, "Who is in the courtyard?" At that moment, Haman came
through the courtyard to the king's palace to ask the king about hanging Mordecai
on the pole he had prepared for him.
The
king's staff answered him, "Haman happens to be standing in the
courtyard."
"Let
him come in," the king said.
So
Haman came in. The king then asked him, "What should be done for the man
whom the king wishes to reward?"
Haman
thought to himself, "Whom would the king wish to reward more than
me?" So Haman told the king, "This is what should be done: {The
servants} should bring a royal robe that the king has worn and a horse that the
king has ridden, one that has a royal crest on its head. Give the robe and the
horse to one of the king's officials, who is a noble. Put the robe on the man
whom the king wishes to reward and have him ride on the horse in the city
square. The king's servants are also to shout ahead of him, 'This is what is
done for the man whom the king wishes to reward.' "
The
king told Haman, "Hurry, take the robe and the horse as you said. Do this
for Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king's gate. Do not omit anything you have
said."
So
Haman took the robe and the horse. He put the robe on Mordecai and had him ride
in the city square, shouting ahead of him, "This is what is done for the
man whom the king wishes to reward."
After
that, Mordecai returned to the king's gate, but Haman hurried home. He was in
despair and covered his head. There, Haman began to relate in detail to his
wife Zeresh and to all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then
his counselors and his wife Zeresh told him, "You are starting to lose power
to Mordecai. If Mordecai is of Jewish descent, you will never win out over him.
He will certainly lead to your downfall."
While
they were still speaking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and quickly took
Haman to the dinner Esther had prepared. (GWT)
This
reading is taken from 30 Scripture Readings
God’s
Word® Translation. Copyright © 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations. Published by
Baker Book House. Used by permission.
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