Ester 5:7-12

5:7 Esther responded, ¹  “My request and my petition is this: 5:8 If I have found favor in the king’s sight and if the king is inclined ²  to grant my request and perform my petition, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. At that time ³  I will do as the king wishes. ⁴ 

Haman Expresses His Hatred of Mordecai

5:9 Now Haman went forth that day pleased and very much encouraged. ⁵  But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, and he did not rise nor tremble in his presence, ⁶  Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai. 5:10 But Haman restrained himself and went on to his home.

He then sent for his friends to join him, ⁷  along with his wife Zeresh. 5:11 Haman then recounted to them his fabulous wealth, ⁸  his many sons, ⁹  and how the king had magnified him and exalted him over the king’s other officials and servants. 5:12 Haman said, “Furthermore, Queen Esther invited ¹⁰  only me to accompany the king to the banquet that she prepared! And also tomorrow I am invited ¹¹  along with the king.

[5:7]  ¹ tn Heb “answered and said.” This is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.

[5:8]  ² tn Heb “if upon the king it is good.” Cf. the similar expression in v. 4, which also occurs in 7:3; 8:5; 9:13.

[5:8]  ³ tn Heb “and tomorrow” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV “and then.”

[5:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “I will do according to the word of the king,” i.e., answer the question that he has posed. Cf. NCV “Then I will answer your question about what I want.”

[5:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “happy and good of heart”; NASB “glad and pleased of heart”; NIV “happy and in high spirits.”

[5:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “tremble from before him”; NIV “nor showed fear in his presence”; TEV “or show any sign of respect as he passed.”

[5:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “sent and brought.” The expression is probably a hendiadys (a figure of speech in which a single idea is expressed through two words or phrases), in which case the two verbs could be translated simply as “summoned” (so NAB) or “sent for” (NASB).

[5:11]  ⁸ tn Heb “the glory of his riches” (so KJV, NASB); NRSV “the splendor of his riches.”

[5:11]  ⁹ sn According to Esth 9:10 Haman had ten sons.

[5:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “caused to come”; KJV “did let no man come in…but myself.”

[5:12]  ¹¹ tn Heb “called to her”; KJV “invited unto her”; NAB “I am to be her guest.”