Esther 7
At Esther’s second banquet she revealed her Jewish identity and accused Haman of plotting to destroy her people. The king was furious; when Haman fell on Esther’s couch pleading for mercy, the king had him hanged on the very gallows Haman had built for Mordecai.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. | So the king and Haman came to dine with Queen Esther. |
| 2 | And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. | On the second day, while they were drinking wine, the king again asked, "What is your petition, Queen Esther? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled." |
| 3 | Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: | Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition and my people as my request. |
| 4 | For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage. | For we have been sold — I and my people — to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept silent, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage." |
| 5 | Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? | Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, "Who is he? Where is the man who has dared to do this?" |
| 6 | And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. | Esther said, "A foe and an enemy — this wicked Haman!" Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. |
| 7 | And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. | The king rose in his anger from the banquet and went into the palace garden. Haman, realizing that the king had decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. |
| 8 | Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. | The king returned from the palace garden to the room where they were drinking wine, and Haman had thrown himself on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king said, "Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?" As soon as the words left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. |
| 9 | And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon. | Then Harbona, one of the chamberlains in attendance on the king, said, "Look — the gallows standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits high, which Haman himself prepared for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king." The king said, "Hang him thereon." |
| 10 | So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified. | So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's wrath subsided. |