¶ ^* It came to pass on the third day, when she had ceased praying, that she took off her servant’s dress and put on her glorious apparel. Being splendidly dressed and having called upon God the Overseer and Preserver of all things, she took her two maids, and she leaned upon one, as a delicate female, and the other followed bearing her train. She was blooming in the perfection of her beauty. Her face was cheerful and looked lovely, but her heart was filled with fear. Having passed through all the doors, she stood before the king. He was sitting on his royal throne. He had put on all his glorious apparel, covered all over with gold and precious stones, and was very terrifying. And having raised his face resplendent with glory, he looked with intense anger. The queen fell, and changed her color as she fainted. She bowed herself upon the head of the maid who went before her. But God changed the spirit of the king to gentleness, and in intense feeling, he sprang from off his throne, and took her into his arms, until she recovered. He comforted her with peaceful words, and said to her, “What is the matter, Esther? I am your relative. Cheer up! You shall not die, for our command is openly declared to you: ‘Draw near.’”

¶Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house.

¶And having raised the golden sceptre, he laid it upon her neck, and embraced her. He said, “Speak to me.” ¶So she said to him, “I saw you, my lord, as an angel of God, and my heart was troubled for fear of your glory; for you, my lord, are to be wondered at, and your face is full of grace.” While she was speaking, she fainted and fell. ¶Then the king was troubled, and all his servants comforted her.

When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther came near, and touched the top of the scepter.

The king said, “What do you desire, Esther? What is your request? Ask even to the half of my kingdom, and it shall be yours.”

Then the king asked her, “What would you like, queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom.”

¶Esther said, “Today is a special day. So if it seems good to the king, let both him and Haman come to the feast which I will prepare this day.”

¶Esther said, “If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

¶The king said, “Hurry and bring Haman here, that we may do as Esther said.” So they both came to the feast about which Esther had spoken.

¶Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that it may be done as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

At the banquet, the king said to Esther, “What is your request, queen Esther? You shall have all that you require.”

¶The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.”

¶She said, “My request and my petition is:

¶Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and my request is this.

if I have found favor in the king’s sight, let the king and Haman come again tomorrow to the feast which I shall prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as I have done today.”

If I have found favor 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 will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.”

¶So Haman went out from the king very glad and merry; but when Haman saw Mordecai the Jew in the court, he was greatly enraged.

¶Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.

Having gone into his own house, he called his friends, and his wife Zeresh.

Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home. There, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife.

He showed them his wealth and the glory with which the king had invested him, and how he had promoted him to be chief ruler in the kingdom.

Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

Haman said, “The queen has called no one to the feast with the king but me, and I am invited tomorrow.

Haman also said, “Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am also invited by her together with the king.

But these things don’t please me while I see Mordecai the Jew in the court.

Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

¶Then Zeresh his wife and his friends said to him, “Let a fifty cubit tall^* gallows be made for you. In the morning you speak to the king, and let Mordecai be hanged on the gallows; but you go in to the feast with the king, and be merry.” ¶The saying pleased Haman, and the gallows was prepared.

¶Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet.” This pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.