The Book of Esther

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- Kapitel 5 -

Esther's banquet

And so, on the third day, Esther had put on her royal apparel and was standing in the atrium of the king’s house, which was inside, opposite the king’s hall, while he was sitting on his throne in the council room of the palace, opposite the entrance of the house.(a)

And when he saw Esther the queen standing there, she pleased his eyes, and he extended toward her the golden scepter, which he held in his hand, and she approached and kissed the top of his scepter.

And the king said to her, “What do you wish, queen Esther? What is your request? Even if you ask for half of the kingdom, it will be given to you.”

But she responded, “If it pleases the king, I beg you to come with me today, and Haman with you, to the feast that I have prepared.”

And immediately the king said, “Call Haman quickly, so that he may obey Esther’s will. And so the king and Haman came to the feast, which the queen had prepared for them.

And the king said to her, after he had drunk wine abundantly, “What are you asking for that should be given to you? And which things do you require? Even if you request half of my kingdom, you will obtain it.”

Esther answered him, “My petition and prayer is this:

If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to give me what I ask, and to fulfill my petition, let the king and Haman come to the feast which I have prepared for them, and tomorrow I will open my mind to the king.”

Haman's plot against Mordecai

And so Haman went out that day joyful and cheerful. And when he saw that Mordecai was sitting in front of the gate of the palace, and that he alone did not get up for him, but did not so much as move from the place where he sat, he was very indignant.

But, concealing his anger and returning into his house, he gathered to him his friends and Zeresh, his wife.

And he explained to them the greatness of his riches, and the influence of his sons, and how, with such glory, the king had elevated him above all his rulers and servants.(b)

And after this, he said, “Also, queen Esther has called no one else to the feast with the king, except me. And I will be dining with the king again tomorrow.

And though I have all these things, I consider that I have nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting in front of the king’s gate.”

And Zeresh his wife and his other friends answered him, “Order a great beam to be prepared, having a height of fifty cubits, and in the morning speak to the king, so that Mordecai may be hanged from it, and so you will go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This advice pleased him, and so he ordered a high cross to be prepared.(c)

Fußnoten

(a)9:17 Verses 17-18, alternate text from the Hebrew is a shorter form of verses 1-15 in the Latin.(Conte)

(b)9:27 The word turbam means a disturbance or a commotion. It can also refer to a large crowd or a large number of persons. However, in this context, Haman is boasting about his life. It is not much of a boast to say that ones sons cause a commotion, nor to say merely that one has many sons. Rather, Haman is boasting that his sons are influential, in that they can stir things up when they wish.(Conte)

(c)9:30 The word crucem means cross. Elsewhere in the text the word patibulo is used, meaning gallows. Both words refer to the same “T” shaped wooden structure used for hangings. This is not the type of cross used by the Romans for executions.(Conte)

Esther's banquet

Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house.

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 scepter that was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter.

Then the king asked her, “ What would you like, queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom.”

Esther said, “If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

Then the king said, “ Bring Haman quickly, so that it may be done as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, “ What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.”

Then Esther answered and said, “ My petition and my request is this.

If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.”

Haman's plot against Mordecai

Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.

Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home. There, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife.

Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

Haman also said, “ Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am also invited by her together with the king.

Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “ Let a gallows be made fifty cubits(a) high, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet.” This pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.

Fußnoten

(a)5:14 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.