Esther 4-5

Esth 4:1 When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry;

Esth 4:2 he went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

Esth 4:3 In every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.

Esth 4:4 When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed; she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth; but he would not accept them.

Esth 4:5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what was happening and why.

Esth 4:6 Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate,

Esth 4:7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.

Esth 4:8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and entreat him for her people.

Esth 4:9 Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

Esth 4:10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying,

Esth 4:11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days.”

Esth 4:12 When they told Mordecai what Esther had said,

Esth 4:13 Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.

Esth 4:14 For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.”

Esth 4:15 Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai,

Esth 4:16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”

Esth 4:17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Esth 5:1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, opposite the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne inside the palace opposite the entrance to the palace.

Esth 5:2 As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won his favor and he held out to her the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter.

Esth 5:3 The king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.”

Esth 5:4 Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet that I have prepared for the king.”

Esth 5:5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Esth 5:6 While they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”

Esth 5:7 Then Esther said, “This is my petition and request:

Esth 5:8 If I have won the king’s favor, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and then I will do as the king has said.”

Esth 5:9 Haman went out that day happy and in good spirits. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and observed that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was infuriated with Mordecai;

Esth 5:10 nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home. Then he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh,

Esth 5:11 and Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the ministers of the king.

Esth 5:12 Haman added, “Even Queen Esther let no one but myself come with the king to the banquet that she prepared. Tomorrow also I am invited by her, together with the king.

Esth 5:13 Yet all this does me no good so long as I see the Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”

Esth 5:14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go with the king to the banquet in good spirits.” This advice pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.

DMU Timestamp: November 09, 2012 05:07

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