Greek Esther 5

^5yThe king said to her, “What do you wish, Esther? What is your request? It shall be yours, even to half of my kingdom.”^{* 4}And Esther said, “Today is a special day for me. If it pleases the king, let him and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare today.” ⁵Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther desires.” So they both came to the banquet that Esther had spoken about. ⁶While they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “What is it, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you.”^{* 7}She said, “My petition and request is: ⁸if I have found favor in the sight of the king, let the king and Haman come again tomorrow to the banquet that I shall prepare them, and tomorrow I will do the same.”^*

Haman’s Plot against Mordecai

⁹So Haman went out from the king joyful and glad of heart. But when he saw Mordecai the Jew in the courtyard, he was filled with anger.^{* 10}Nevertheless, he went home and summoned his friends and his wife Zosara. ¹¹And he told them about his riches and the honor that the king had bestowed on him and how he had advanced him to be the first in the kingdom.^{* 12}And Haman said, “The queen did not invite anyone to the banquet with the king except me, and I am invited again tomorrow. ¹³But these things give me no pleasure as long as I see Mordecai the Jew in the courtyard.”^{* 14}His wife Zosara and his friends said to him, “Let a pole be cut, fifty cubits high, and in the morning tell the king and have Mordecai hung on it. Then, go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This advice pleased Haman, so the pole was prepared.^*