Esther Approaches the King

1  וַיְהִ֣י׀ (And it came to pass) בַּיּ֣וֹם (on the day) הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י (the third) וַתִּלְבַּ֤שׁ (that clothed) אֶסְתֵּר֙ (Esther in) מַלְכ֔וּת (royalty) וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֞ד (and she stood) בַּחֲצַ֤ר (in the court) בֵּית־ (of the house) הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (of the king) הַפְּנִימִ֔ית (inner), נֹ֖כַח (opposite to) בֵּ֣ית (the house) הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (of the king). וְ֠הַמֶּלֶךְ (And the king) יוֹשֵׁ֞ב (was sitting) עַל־ (on) כִּסֵּ֤א (the throne) מַלְכוּתוֹ֙ (of his royalty) בְּבֵ֣ית (in the house) הַמַּלְכ֔וּת (of royalty), נֹ֖כַח (opposite to) פֶּ֥תַח (the entrance) הַבָּֽיִת׃ (of the house).

2  וַיְהִי֩ (And it came to pass) כִרְא֨וֹת (as saw) הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ (the king) אֶת־ (-) אֶסְתֵּ֣ר (Esther) הַמַּלְכָּ֗ה (the queen) עֹמֶ֙דֶת֙ (standing) בֶּֽחָצֵ֔ר (in the court), נָשְׂאָ֥ה (she lifted up) חֵ֖ן (favor) בְּעֵינָ֑יו (in his eyes). וַיּ֨וֹשֶׁט (And extended) הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ (the king) לְאֶסְתֵּ֗ר (to Esther) אֶת־ (-) שַׁרְבִ֤יט (the scepter) הַזָּהָב֙ (of gold) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) בְּיָד֔וֹ (was in his hand), וַתִּקְרַ֣ב (and came near) אֶסְתֵּ֔ר (Esther) וַתִּגַּ֖ע (and she touched) בְּרֹ֥אשׁ (the head) הַשַּׁרְבִֽיט׃ס (of the scepter).

3  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) לָהּ֙ (to her) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (the king) מַה־ (What is it) לָּ֖ךְ (to you), אֶסְתֵּ֣ר (Esther), הַמַּלְכָּ֑ה (the queen) וּמַה־ (and what is) בַּקָּשָׁתֵ֛ךְ (your request)? עַד־ (As much as) חֲצִ֥י (half) הַמַּלְכ֖וּת (of the kingdom), וְיִנָּ֥תֵֽן (and it shall be given) לָֽךְ׃ (to you).

4  וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) אֶסְתֵּ֔ר (Esther), אִם־ (If) עַל־ (upon) הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (the king) ט֑וֹב (it is good), יָב֨וֹא (let come) הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ (the king) וְהָמָן֙ (and Haman) הַיּ֔וֹם (today) אֶל־ (to) הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה (the feast) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשִׂ֥יתִי (I have made) לֽוֹ׃ (for him).

5  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (the king), מַהֲרוּ֙ (Hasten) אֶת־ (-) הָמָ֔ן (Haman), לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת (to do) אֶת־ (-) דְּבַ֣ר (the word) אֶסְתֵּ֑ר (of Esther).

וַיָּבֹ֤א (And came) הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (the king) וְהָמָ֔ן (and Haman) אֶל־ (to) הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה (the feast) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשְׂתָ֥ה (had made) אֶסְתֵּֽר׃ (Esther). 6  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ (the king) לְאֶסְתֵּר֙ (to Esther) בְּמִשְׁתֵּ֣ה (at the feast) הַיַּ֔יִן (of the wine), מַה־ (What is) שְּׁאֵלָתֵ֖ךְ (your petition)? וְיִנָּ֣תֵֽן (And shall it be given) לָ֑ךְ (to you). וּמַה־ (And what is) בַּקָּשָׁתֵ֛ךְ (your request)? עַד־ (As much as) חֲצִ֥י (half) הַמַּלְכ֖וּת (of the kingdom), וְתֵעָֽשׂ׃ (and it shall be done).

7  וַתַּ֥עַן (And answered) אֶסְתֵּ֖ר (Esther) וַתֹּאמַ֑ר (and said), שְׁאֵלָתִ֖י (My petition) וּבַקָּשָׁתִֽי׃ (and my request): 8  אִם־ (If) מָצָ֨אתִי (I have found) חֵ֜ן (favor) בְּעֵינֵ֣י (in the eyes) הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ (of the king), וְאִם־ (and if) עַל־ (upon) הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (the king) ט֔וֹב (it is good) לָתֵת֙ (to grant) אֶת־ (-) שְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔י (my petition) וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹת (and to perform) אֶת־ (-) בַּקָּשָׁתִ֑י (my request), יָב֧וֹא (let come) הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (the king) וְהָמָ֗ן (and Haman) אֶל־ (to) הַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙ (the feast) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֣ה (I will make) לָהֶ֔ם (for them), וּמָחָ֥ר (and tomorrow) אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה (I will do) כִּדְבַ֥ר (according to the word) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (of the king).

Haman’s Plot against Mordecai

9  וַיֵּצֵ֤א (And went forth) הָמָן֙ (Haman) בַּיּ֣וֹם (on the day) הַה֔וּא (that) שָׂמֵ֖חַ (joyful) וְט֣וֹב (and good) לֵ֑ב (of heart); וְכִרְאוֹת֩ (and as saw) הָמָ֨ן (Haman) אֶֽת־ (-) מָרְדֳּכַ֜י (Mordecai) בְּשַׁ֣עַר (at the gate) הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ (of the king), וְלֹא־ (and not) קָם֙ (did he rise) וְלֹא־ (and not) זָ֣ע (did tremble) מִמֶּ֔נּוּ (from him). וַיִּמָּלֵ֥א (And was filled) הָמָ֛ן (Haman) עַֽל־ (against) מָרְדֳּכַ֖י (Mordecai) חֵמָֽה׃ (with rage).

10  וַיִּתְאַפַּ֣ק (And restrained himself) הָמָ֔ן (Haman) וַיָּב֖וֹא (and he came) אֶל־ (to) בֵּית֑וֹ (his house), וַיִּשְׁלַ֛ח (and he sent) וַיָּבֵ֥א (and brought) אֶת־ (-) אֹהֲבָ֖יו (his loved ones) וְאֶת־ (and) זֶ֥רֶשׁ (Zeresh) אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃ (his wife). 11  וַיְסַפֵּ֨ר (And recounted) לָהֶ֥ם (to them) הָמָ֛ן (Haman) אֶת־ (-) כְּב֥וֹד (the glory) עָשְׁר֖וֹ (of his wealth) וְרֹ֣ב (and the multitude) בָּנָ֑יו (of his sons) וְאֵת֩ (and) כָּל־ (everything) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (in which) גִּדְּל֤וֹ (had made him great) הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (the king) וְאֵ֣ת (and), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) נִשְּׂא֔וֹ (he had lifted him up) עַל־ (over) הַשָּׂרִ֖ים (the officials) וְעַבְדֵ֥י (and servants) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (of the king).

12  וַיֹּאמֶר֮ (And said) הָמָן֒ (Haman) אַ֣ף (Even), לֹא־ (not) הֵבִיאָה֩ (did bring) אֶסְתֵּ֨ר (Esther) הַמַּלְכָּ֧ה (the Queen) עִם־ (with) הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ (the king) אֶל־ (to) הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֥ה (the feast) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשָׂ֖תָה (she made), כִּ֣י (except) אִם־ (for) אוֹתִ֑י (me). וְגַם־ (And also) לְמָחָ֛ר (for tomorrow) אֲנִ֥י (I) קָֽרוּא־ (am called) לָ֖הּ (to her) עִם־ (with) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (the king). 13  וְכָל־ (And all) זֶ֕ה (this) אֵינֶ֥נּוּ (none of it) שֹׁוֶ֖ה (is equal) לִ֑י (to me) בְּכָל־ (with every) עֵ֗ת (time) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) אֲנִ֤י (I) רֹאֶה֙ (see) אֶת־ (-) מָרְדֳּכַ֣י (Mordecai) הַיְּהוּדִ֔י (the Jew) יוֹשֵׁ֖ב (sitting) בְּשַׁ֥עַר (at the gate) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (of the king).

14  וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) לוֹ֩ (to him) זֶ֨רֶשׁ (Zeresh) אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ (his wife) וְכָל־ (and all) אֹֽהֲבָ֗יו (his loved ones), יַֽעֲשׂוּ־ (Let them make) עֵץ֮ (a tree) גָּבֹ֣הַּ (high) חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים (fifty) אַמָּה֒ (cubits), וּבַבֹּ֣קֶר׀ (and in the morning) אֱמֹ֣ר (say) לַמֶּ֗לֶךְ (to the king) וְיִתְל֤וּ (that they should hang) אֶֽת־ (-) מָרְדֳּכַי֙ (Mordecai) עָלָ֔יו (upon it). וּבֹֽא־ (And go) עִם־ (with) הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ (the king) אֶל (to) הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה (the feast) שָׂמֵ֑חַ (joyfully).

וַיִּיטַ֧ב (And was good) הַדָּבָ֛ר (this word) לִפְנֵ֥י (before the face) הָמָ֖ן (of Haman), וַיַּ֥עַשׂ (and he made) הָעֵֽץ׃פ (the tree).