1 On the third day Esther donned [garments of] royalty and stood in the inner courtyard of the palace, facing the palace. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the palace facing the palace entrance. 2 When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard she found favor in his eyes. The king extended to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand and Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. 3 The king said to her, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? [Even if it be] half the kingdom, it will be granted you." 4 Esther said, "If it please the King, let the King and Haman come today to the feast that I have prepared for him." 5 The king said, "Tell Haman to hurry and fulfill Esther's bidding." And the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. 6 At the wine feast, the king said to Esther, "What is your plea? It will be granted you; what is your request? [Even if it be] half the kingdom it shall be fulfilled." 7 So Esther replied and said, "My plea and my request: 8 If I have found favor in the King's eyes, and if it please the King to grant my plea and fulfill my request, let the King and Haman come to the feast that I shall prepare for them, and tomorrow I shall fulfill the King's bidding." 9 That day Haman left happy and content. But when Haman saw Mordechai at the king's gate and [Mordechai] neither rose nor trembled before him, Haman was filled with wrath against Mordechai. 10 Haman restrained himself and went to his house and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 Haman told them of his glorious wealth and his many sons, and all about how the king had promoted and raised him above all the king's ministers and servants. 12 Then Haman said: "In addition, along with the king, Queen Esther invited only me to the feast that she prepared. Tomorrow, too, I am invited to her [feast] along with the king. 13 Yet all this is worthless to me whenever I see Mordechai the Jew sitting at the king's gate!" 14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have gallows erected fifty cubits high, and tomorrow tell the king to have Mordechai hanged on it. Then you will be able to go in good spirits with the king to the feast." Haman was pleased with the idea and erected the gallows.