Part 534

4:16. Go, and gather together all the Jews whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger.

4:17. So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him.

Esther Chapter 5

Esther is graciously received: she inviteth the king and Aman to dinner, Aman prepareth a gibbet for Mardochai.

5:1. And on the third day Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s hall: now he sat upon his throne in the hall of the palace, over against the door of the house.

5:2. And when he saw Esther the queen standing, she pleased his eyes, and he held out toward her the golden sceptre, which he held in his hand and she drew near, and kissed the top of his sceptre.

5:3. And the king said to her: What wilt thou, queen Esther? what is thy request? if thou shouldst even ask one half of the kingdom, it shall be given to thee.

5:4. But she answered: If it please the king, I beseech thee to come to me this day, and Aman with thee to the banquet which I have prepared.

5:5. And the king said forthwith: Call ye Aman quickly, that he may obey Esther’s will. So the king and Aman came to the banquet which the queen had prepared for them.

5:6. And the king said to her, after he had drunk wine plentifully: What dost thou desire should be given thee? and for what thing askest thou? although thou shouldst ask the half of my kingdom, thou shalt have it.

5:7. And Esther answered: My petition and request is this:

5:8. If I have found favour in the king’s sight, and if it please the king to give me what I ask, and to fulfil my petition: let the king and Aman come to the banquet which I have prepared them, and to morrow I will open my mind to the king.

5:9. So Aman went out that day joyful and merry. And when he saw Mardochai sitting before the gate of the palace, and that he not only did not rise up to honour him, but did not so much as move from the place where he sat, he was exceedingly angry:

5:10. But dissembling his anger, and returning into his house, he called together to him his friends, and Zares his wife:

5:11. And he declared to them the greatness of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and with how great glory the king had advanced him above all his princes and servants.

5:12. And after this he said: Queen Esther also hath invited no other to the banquet with the king, but me: and with her I am also to dine to morrow with the king:

5:13. And whereas I have all these things, I think I have nothing, so long as I see Mardochai the Jew sitting before the king’s gate.

5:14. Then Zares his wife, and the rest of his friends answered him: Order a great beam to be prepared, fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king, that Mardochai may be hanged upon it, and so thou shalt go full of joy with the king to the banquet. The counsel pleased him, and he commanded a high gibbet to be prepared.

Esther Chapter 6

The king hearing of the good service done him by Mardochai, commandeth Aman to honour him next to the king, which he performeth.

6:1. That night the king passed without sleep, and he commanded the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought him. And when they were reading them before him,

6:2. They came to that place where it was written, how Mardochai had discovered the treason of Bagathan and Thares the eunuchs, who sought to kill king Assuerus.

6:3. And when the king heard this, he said: What honour and reward hath Mardochai received for this fidelity? His servants and ministers said to him: He hath received no reward at all.

No reward at all.... He received some presents from the king, chap. 12.5; but these were so inconsiderable in the opinion of the courtiers, that they esteemed them as nothing at all.

6:4. And the king said immediately: Who is in the court? for Aman was coming in to the inner court of the king’s house, to speak to the king, that he might order Mardochai to be hanged upon the gibbet, which was prepared for him.

6:5. The servants answered: Aman standeth in the court, and the king said: Let him come in.

6:6. And when he was come in, he said to him: What ought to be done to the man whom the king is desirous to honour? But Aman thinking in his heart, and supposing that the king would honour no other but himself,

6:7. Answered: The man whom the king desireth to honour,