Esther Approaches the King

1And on the third day it came to passe, that Esther put on her royall apparell, and stoode in the court of the kinges palace within, ouer against ye kinges house: and the king sat vpon his royall seate in the kinges palace ouer against the gate of the house. 2And when the king sawe Esther the queene standing in the court, she founde grace in his sight: And the king held out the golden scepter that was in his hand: So Esther stept foorth and touched the top of the scepter. 3Then saide the king vnto her: What wylt thou queene Esther? and what requirest thou? aske euen the halfe of the empire, and it shalbe geuen thee. 4And Esther aunswered: If it please the king, let the king and Haman come this day vnto the banket that I haue prepared for him.

5And the king saide: Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath saide. So the king and Haman came to the banket that Esther had prepared. 6And the king saide vnto Esther at the banket of wine: What is thy petition, that it may be geuen thee? And what requirest thou? If it be euen the halfe of the empire, it shall be done. 7Then aunswered Esther, and said: My petition and desire is, 8If I haue founde grace in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to geue me my petition, and to fulfil my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banket that I shall prepare for the: and so wyl I do to morowe, as the king hath saide.

Haman’s Plot against Mordecai

9Then went Haman foorth the same day ioyfull and mery in his minde: But when the same Haman sawe Mardocheus in the kinges gate, that he stoode not vp nor moued for him, he was ful of indignation at Mardocheus. 10Neuerthelesse, Haman refrained him selfe, and when he came home he sent and called for his friendes and Zares his wyfe. 11And Haman tolde them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the thinges wherein the king had promoted him so greatly, and how that he had set him aboue the princes and seruauntes of the king. 12Haman saide moreouer: Yea, Esther the queene did let no man come in with the king vnto the bancket that she had prepared, except me: and to morowe am I bidden vnto her also with the king. 13But in all this am I not satisfied, as long as I see Mardocheus the Iewe sitting at the kinges gate. 14Then saide Zares his wyfe and all his friendes vnto him: Let them make a galous of fiftie cubites hie, and to morowe speake thou vnto the king that Mardocheus may be hanged thereon: then go thou in meryly with the king vnto the banket. And Haman was well content withall, and caused the galous to be made.