| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The king and Haman went in to have a drink with Queen Esther. | 1The king and Haman came to feast with Esther the queen. |
| 2On the second day the king again told Esther as they drank wine, "What's your petition, Queen Esther? It will be given to you. What's your request? Up to half of the kingdom, and it will be done." | 2Once again, on the second day while drinking wine, the king asked Esther, "Queen Esther, whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you seek, even to half the kingdom, will be done." |
| 3Queen Esther answered: "If I've found favor with you, your majesty, and if it seems good to the king, let my life be given to me as my petition and my people as my request. | 3Queen Esther answered, "If I have obtained your approval, my king, and if the king is pleased, spare my life--this is my request; and spare my people--this is my desire. |
| 4Indeed, I and my people have been sold to be annihilated, killed, and destroyed. If we had just been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because the trouble wouldn't have been sufficient to bother the king." | 4For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and extermination. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept silent. Indeed, the trouble wouldn't be worth burdening the king." |
| 5Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, "Who is this, and where is the person who would dare do this?" | 5King Ahasuerus spoke up and asked Queen Esther, "Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?" |
| 6Esther replied, "An adversary and an enemy—it's this wicked Haman!" So Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. | 6Esther answered, "The adversary and enemy is this evil Haman." Haman stood terrified before the king and queen. |
| 7The king got up from the banquet in anger and went out to the palace garden, while Haman stood there begging Queen Esther to spare his life, because he realized that the king intended to harm him. | 7Angered by this, the king arose from where they were drinking wine and went to the palace garden. Haman remained to beg Queen Esther for his life because he realized the king was planning something terrible for him. |
| 8When the king returned to the banquet hall from the palace garden, Haman was prostrate on the couch where Esther was. The king asked, "Will this man even assault the queen with me in the house?" The king had no sooner spoken than they covered Haman's face. | 8Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the house of wine drinking, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, "Would he actually violate the queen while I am in the palace?" As soon as the statement left the king's mouth, Haman's face was covered. |
| 9Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, observed, "Look there! A pole is standing 50 cubits high at Haman's house that he prepared for Mordecai, whose report benefitted the king!" The king said, "Hang him on it." | 9Harbona, one of the royal eunuchs, said: "There is a gallows 75 feet tall at Haman's house that he made for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king." The king commanded, "Hang him on it." |
| 10So they hanged Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and then the king's anger subsided. | 10They hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's anger subsided. |
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