Greek Esther 7

⁷So the king and Haman went in to drink with the queen. ²And the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king said, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your petition, and what is your request? It shall be granted to you, even to half of my kingdom.”^{* 3}She answered and said, “If I have found favor with the king, let my life be granted me at my petition and my people at my request.^{* 4}For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, plundered, and made slaves—we and our children—male and female slaves. I took no heed, but now our adversary brings shame on^z the king’s court.”^{* 5}Then the king said, “Who is the person who would dare to do this thing?” ⁶Esther said, “Our enemy is this evil man Haman!” At this, Haman was terrified in the presence of the king and queen.^*

Punishment of Haman

⁷The king rose from the banquet and went into the garden, and Haman began to beg for his life from the queen, for he saw that he was in serious trouble. ⁸When the king returned from the garden, Haman had thrown himself on the couch, pleading with the queen. The king said, “Will you dare even assault my wife in my own house?” Haman, when he heard, turned away his face. ⁹Then Bugathan, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, “Look, Haman has even prepared a pole for Mordecai, who gave information of concern to the king; it is standing at Haman’s house, a pole fifty cubits high.” So the king said, “Let Haman be executed on that.”^{* 10}So Haman was hung on the pole that had been prepared for Mordecai. With that the anger of the king abated.^*