Esther Pleads for Her People 1 Brenton So the king and Aman went in to drink with the queen. BSB BSB: So the king and Haman went to dine with Esther the queen,
2 Brenton And the king said to Esther at the banquet on the second day, What is it, queen Esther? and what is thy request, and what is thy petition? and it shall be done for thee, to the half of my kingdom. BSB BSB: and as they drank their wine on that second day, the king asked once more, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”
3 Brenton And she answered and said, If I have found favour in the sight of the king, let my life be granted to my petition, and my people to my request. BSB BSB: Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life as my petition, and the lives of my people as my request.
4 Brenton For both I and my people are sold for destruction, and pillage, and slavery; both we and our children for bondmen and bondwomen: and I consented not to it, for the slanderer is not worthy of the king's palace. BSB BSB: For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as menservants and maidservants, I would have remained silent, because no such distress would justify burdening the king.”
5 Brenton And the king said, Who is this that has dared to do this thing? BSB BSB: Then King Xerxes spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?”
6 Brenton And Esther said, The adversary is Aman, this wicked man. Then Aman was troubled before the king and the queen. BSB BSB: Esther replied, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked man—Haman!” And Haman stood in terror before the king and queen.
The Hanging of Haman 7 Brenton And the king rose up from the banquet to go into the garden: and Aman began to intreat the queen; for he saw that he was in an evil case. BSB BSB: In his fury, the king arose from drinking his wine and went to the palace garden, while Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king was planning a terrible fate for him.
8 Brenton And the king returned from the garden; and Aman had fallen upon the bed, intreating the queen. And the king said, Wilt thou even force my wife in my house? And when Aman heard it, he changed countenance. BSB BSB: Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually assault the queen while I am in the palace?” As soon as the words had left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
9 Brenton And Bugathan, one of the chamberlains, said to the king, Behold, Aman has also prepared a gallows for Mardochæus, who spoke concerning the king, and a gallows of fifty cubits high has been set up in the premises of Aman. And the king said, Let him be hanged thereon. BSB BSB: Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said: “There is a gallows fifty cubits high at Haman’s house. He had it built for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” “Hang him on it!” declared the king.
10 Brenton So Aman was hanged on the gallows that had been prepared for Mardochæus: and then the king's wrath was appeased. BSB BSB: So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.