‏ Esther 7

Haman Is Executed

1The king and Haman came to feast
Lit drink
,
b with Esther the queen.
2Once again, on the second day while drinking wine, c 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.” d

3 Queen Esther answered, “If I have obtained your approval,
Lit If I have found favor in your eyes
my king, and if the king is pleased, f spare my life – this is my request; and spare my people – this is my desire. g
4 For my people and I have been sold out h to destruction, death, and extermination. i If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, j I would have kept silent. Indeed, the trouble wouldn’t be worth burdening the king.”

5 King Ahasuerus spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?”
Lit who would fill his heart to do this
,
l

6 Esther answered, “The adversary and enemy m is this evil Haman.”Haman stood terrified n before the king and queen. 7 Angered o by this, the king arose from where they were drinking wine and went to the palace garden. p Haman remained to beg Queen Esther for his life because he realized the king was planning something terrible for him. q 8Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the house of wine drinking, Haman was falling on the couch r 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. s

9 Harbona, one of the royal eunuchs, t said: “There is a gallows 75 feet
Lit 50 cubits
tall at Haman’s house that he made for Mordecai, v who gave the report that saved
Lit who spoke good for
the king.” xThe king commanded, “Hang him on it.”

10They hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. y Then the king’s anger subsided. z
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