⁶ So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. ⁷ Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.^{(A) 8} He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

⁹ Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰ Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, ¹¹ “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned^(B) the king has but one law:^(C) that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter^(D) to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

¹² When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, ¹³ he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴ For if you remain silent^(E) at this time, relief^(F) and deliverance^(G) for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”^(H)

¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast^(I) for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”^(J)

¹⁷ So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

Haman Impaled

7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet,^{(A) 2} and as they were drinking wine^(B) on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,^(C) it will be granted.^(D)”

³ Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor^(E) with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. ⁴ For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated.^(F) If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.^[a]”

⁵ King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

⁶ Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. ⁷ The king got up in a rage,^(G) left his wine and went out into the palace garden.^(H) But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate,^(I) stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

⁸ Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch^(J) where Esther was reclining.^(K)

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”^(L)

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.^{(M) 9} Then Harbona,^(N) one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits^[b](O) stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!”^{(P) 10} So they impaled^(Q) Haman^(R) on the pole^(S) he had set up for Mordecai.^(T) Then the king’s fury subsided.^(U)