No themes applied yet
Esther’s request to the king
1On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 2When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the sceptre.
3Then the king asked, ‘What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.’
4‘If it pleases the king,’ replied Esther, ‘let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.’
5‘Bring Haman at once,’ the king said, ‘so that we may do what Esther asks.’
So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. 6As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, ‘Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.’
7Esther replied, ‘My petition and my request is this: 8If the king regards me with favour and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfil my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.’
Haman’s rage against Mordecai
9Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. 10Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.
Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, 11Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honoured him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. 12‘And that’s not all,’ Haman added. ‘I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. 13But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.’
14His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, ‘Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits,5:14 That is, about 23 metres and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.’ This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.
Holy Bible, New International Version ® (Anglicised), NIV TM Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The “New International Version” is a trademark registered in the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. The “NIV”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission.
The Holy Bible, New International Version ® (Anglicised) text may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic or audio), up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without the express written permission of the publisher, providing the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted. For such uses, notice of copyright must appear on the title or copyright page as follows:
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version ® (Anglicised) Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
When quotations from The Holy Bible, New International Version ® (Anglicised) text are used by a local church in nonsaleable media such as church bulletins, orders of service, posters, overhead transparencies, or similar materials, a complete copyright notice is not required, but the title or the initials if it is a Registered Trade Mark (NIV) must appear at the end of each quotation. Permission requests that exceed the above General Use Guidelines must be directed to and approved in writing by Biblica, Inc. Please send permission requests through the Contact link at www.Biblica.com, or by mail to Biblica, Inc., Attn: Rights and Permissions, 1820 Jet Stream Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921-3696, USA.
Processing...