Y aconteció al tercer día que Ester se vistió con sus vestiduras reales y se puso en el atrio interior del palacio¹ del rey delante de los aposentos² del rey^a, y el rey estaba sentado en su trono real en el aposento del trono^3b, frente a la entrada del palacio. 2 Y¹ cuando el rey vio a la reina Ester de pie en el atrio, ella obtuvo gracia ante sus ojos^a; y el rey extendió hacia Ester el cetro de oro que estaba en su mano^b. Ester entonces se acercó y tocó el extremo del cetro. 3 Y el rey le dijo: ¿Qué te preocupa, reina Ester? ¿Y cuál es tu petición? Hasta la mitad del reino se te dará^a. 4 Ester respondió: Si le place al rey, venga hoy el rey con Amán al banquete que le he preparado.

5 Entonces el rey dijo: Traed pronto a Amán para que hagamos como Ester desea¹. Y el rey vino con Amán al banquete que Ester había preparado^a. 6 Y mientras bebían el vino en el banquete¹, el rey dijo a Ester: ¿Cuál es tu petición?, pues te será concedida. ¿Y cuál es tu deseo? Aun hasta la mitad del reino, se te dará^2a. 7 Respondió Ester, y dijo: Mi petición y mi deseo es: 8 si he hallado gracia ante los ojos del rey, y si le place al rey conceder mi petición y hacer lo que yo pido^1a, que venga el rey con Amán al banquete que yo les prepararé^b, y mañana haré conforme a la palabra del rey.

9 Salió Amán aquel día alegre y con corazón contento; pero cuando Amán vio a Mardoqueo en la puerta del rey^a y queeste no se levantaba ni temblaba¹ delante de él, Amán se llenó de furor contra Mardoqueo^b. 10 Amán, sin embargo, se contuvo, fue a su casa, y mandó traer a sus amigos y a su mujer Zeres^a. 11 Entonces Amán les contó la gloria de sus riquezas, la multitud de sus hijos^a, y todas las ocasiones en que el rey le había engrandecido, y cómo le había exaltado sobre los príncipes y siervos del rey^b. 12 Y Amán añadió: Aun la reina Ester no permitió que nadie, excepto yo, viniera con el rey al banquete que ella había preparado; y también para mañana estoy invitado por¹ ella junto con el rey^a. 13 Sin embargo nada de esto me satisface mientras vea al judío Mardoqueo sentado a la puerta del rey^a. 14 Su mujer Zeres y todos sus amigos le dijeron: Haz que se prepare una horca¹ de cincuenta codos² de alto, y por la mañana pide al rey que ahorquen a Mardoqueo en ella^a; entonces ve gozoso con el rey al banquete. Y el consejo³ agradó a Amán, e hizo preparar la horca⁴.

^aOn the third day of the fast Esther put on her royal robes and stood ^bin the inner court of the king’s palace opposite his throne room. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the main entrance of the palace. 2 When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, ^ashe found favor in his sight; and ^bthe king extended to her the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter. 3 Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you, ^1aup to half of the kingdom.” 4 Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

5 Then the king said, “^aBring Haman quickly so that we may do as Esther says.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. 6 As they drank their wine at the banquet, ^athe king said to Esther, “^bWhat is your ¹petition? It shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” 7 Then Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: 8 ^aif I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to do as I request, may the king and Haman come to ^bthe banquet that I will prepare for them; and tomorrow I will do as the king says and express my request.”

9 Haman went away that day joyful and in good spirits. But when he saw Mordecai ^aat the king’s gate ^brefusing to stand up or show fear before him, he was filled with rage toward Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman controlled himself and went home. There he sent for his friends and his wife ^aZeresh. 11 Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the large ^anumber of his sons, and every instance in which the king had ^bmagnified him and how he had promoted him over the officials and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the banquet she had prepared; and ^atomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all of this does not satisfy me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at ^athe king’s gate.” 14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “^aHave a gallows ¹fifty cubits high made, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully to the banquet with the king.” And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.

Now it came about ^aon the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood ^bin the inner courtyard of the king’s palace in front of the king’s ¹rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the ²throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the courtyard, ^ashe obtained favor in his sight; and ^bthe king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter. 3 Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? ^aUp to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.” 4 Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

5 Then the king said, “^aBring Haman quickly so that we may do ¹as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. 6 ¹As they drank their wine at the banquet, ^athe king said to Esther, “^bWhat is your request, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your wish? Up to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” 7 So Esther replied, “My request and my wish is: 8 ^aif I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do ¹what I wish, may the king and Haman come to ^bthe banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do ²as the king says.”

9 Then Haman went out that day joyful and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai ^aat the king’s gate and ^bthat he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. 10 Haman controlled himself, however, and went to his house. But he ¹sent for his friends and his wife ^aZeresh. 11 Then Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and his ^amany sons, and every occasion on which the king had honored him and how he had ^1bpromoted him above the officials and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one except me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and ^atomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. 13 Yet all of this ¹does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at ^athe king’s gate.” 14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “^aHave a wooden gallows ¹fifty cubits high made, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the ²advice pleased Haman, so he had the wooden gallows made.