the king, into the inner court, who is not called, shall be put to death, except such unto whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre that he may live. And I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. Go, say unto Mordecai, 'Go gather together all the Jews, and fast ye for me; I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so I will go in unto the king. And if I perish, I perish.'

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And Mordecai did as Esther commanded; and on the third day Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king's house. And the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house facing the door of the house. And when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her, "What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom." And Esther answered, "If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the king said, "Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said." So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, "What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed." Then answered Esther, and said, "My petition and my request is: If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king

to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to-morrow as the king hath said."

Then went Haman forth that day joyful, and with a glad heart but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. Haman said moreover, "Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to-morrow am I invited unto her also with the king. Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate." Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, "Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to-morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet." And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

On that night the king could not sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles: and they were read before the king. And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king

Ahasuerus. And the king said, "What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, "There is nothing done for him." And the king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. And the king's servants said unto him, "Behold, Haman standeth in the court." And the king said, "Let him come in.” So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, "What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor?" Now Haman thought in his heart, "To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself?" And Haman answered the king, "Let the royal apparel be brought, which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: and let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honor, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor."" Then the king said to Haman, "Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken." Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, "Thus shall it be

done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor." And Mordecai came again to the king's gate.

But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered. And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him.

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And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared. So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, "What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom." Then Esther the queen answered and said, "If I have found favor in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. If we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue." Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, "Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?" And Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman." Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. And the king arose from the banquet of wine in his wrath. And they covered Haman's face. And one of the chamberlains said before the king, "Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman." Then the king

said, "Hang him thereon." So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman, the Jew's enemy, unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told him what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai.

Then Esther fell down at the king's feet and besought him with tears to put away the mischief which Haman had devised against the Jews. Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther, and said to her, " Haman have they hanged upon the gallows because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write ye also for the Jews as it liketh you, and seal it with the king's ring; for the writing which is sealed with the king's ring may no man reverse." So a decree was made in Shushan the palace, according as it pleased Esther and Mordecai. And the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened by the king's commandment.

And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple. And the city of Shushan rejoiced, and was glad. And the Jews had light, and gladness, and joy and honor. And in every province, and in every city whithersoever the king's commandment and decree came, the Jews had joy, and gladness, a feast, and a good