‏ Esther 5

1And it came to pass on the third day, when she had ceased praying, that she put off hermean dress, and put on her glorious apparel. And being splendidly arrayed,and having called upon God the Overseer and Preserver of all things, she took her two maids,and she leaned upon one, as a delicate female, and the other followed bearing her train. And shewas blooming in the perfection of her beauty; and her facewas cheerful, andit were benevolent, but her heartwas straitened for fear. And having passed through all the doors, she stood before the king:and he was sitting upon his royal throne, and he had put on all his glorious apparel,covered all over with gold and precious stones, and was very terrible. And having raised hisface resplendent with glory, he looked with intense anger: and the queen fell, and changed her color asshe fainted; and she bowed herself upon the head of the maid that went beforeher. But God changed the spirit of the king gentleness, and in intense feeling he sprang fromoff his throne, and took her into his arms, until she recovered: and he comforted her with peaceful words,and said to her, What isthe matter, Esther? Iam your brother; be of good cheer, you shall not die, for our command is openly declaredto you, Draw near. 2And having raised the golden sceptre he laid it upon her neck, and embraced her, and said,Speak to me. And she said to him, I saw you,my lord, as an angel of God, and my heart was troubled for fear of your glory; for you,my lord, are to be wondered at, and your faceis full of grace. And while she was speaking, she fainted and fell. Then the king was troubled,and all his servants comforted her. 3And the king said, What will you, Esther? and what is your request?ask even to the half of my kingdom, and it shall be your. 4And Esther said, To-day is my great day: if then it seem good to the king, let both himand Aman come to the feast which I will prepare this day. 5And the king said, Hasten Aman hither, that we may perform the word of Esther. So theyboth come to the feast of which Esther had spoken. 6And at the banquet the king said to Esther, What isyour request, queen Esther?speak, and you shall have all that you require. 7And she said, My request and my petitionare: 8if I have found favor in the sight of the king, let the king and Aman come again to-morrowto the feast which I shall prepare for them, and to-morrow I will do the same. 9So Aman went out from the king very gladand merry: but when Aman saw Mardochaeus the Jew in the court, he was greatly enraged. 10And having gone into his own house, he called his friends, and his wife Zosara. 11And he showed them his wealth, and the glory with which the king had invested him, andhow he had caused him to take precedence and bear chief rule in the kingdom. 12And Aman said, The queen has called no one to the feast with the king but me, and I aminvited to-morrow. 13But these things please me not, while I see Mardochaeus the Jew in the court. 14And Zosara his wife and his friends said to him, Let there be a gallows made for youof fifty cubits, and in the morning do you speak to the king, and let Mardochaeus be hanged on the gallows:but do you go in to the feast with the king, and be merry. And the saying pleased Aman, and the gallowswas prepared.

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