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Tuesday, August 26th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Douay-Rheims Bible

Esther 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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - King;  

Dictionaries:

- Holman Bible Dictionary - Esther;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Birthday;   Chadias, They of;   Esther, Book of;   Esther, the Rest of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bat Ḳol;   Esther, Apocryphal Book of;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for July 3;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked her. “Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be given to you.”
Hebrew Names Version
Then said the king to her, What will you, queen Ester? and what is your request? it shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
And the king said to her, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom."
New Century Version
The king asked, "What is it, Queen Esther? What do you want to ask me? I will give you as much as half of my kingdom."
New English Translation
The king said to her, "What is on your mind, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even as much as half the kingdom will be given to you!"
Amplified Bible
Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you, up to half of the kingdom."
New American Standard Bible
Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Up to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you."
World English Bible
Then said the king to her, What will you, queen Esther? and what is your request? it shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then saide the King vnto her, What wilt thou, Queene Ester? & what is thy request? it shal be euen giuen thee to the halfe of ye kingdome.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you."
Berean Standard Bible
"What is it, Queen Esther?" the king inquired. "What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you."
Contemporary English Version
the king said, "Esther, what brings you here? Just ask, and I will give you as much as half of my kingdom."
Complete Jewish Bible
"What is it you want, Queen Ester?" the king asked her. "Whatever your request, up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you."
Darby Translation
And the king said to her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the king asked, "What is bothering you Queen Esther? What do you want to ask me? I will give you anything you ask for, even half my kingdom."
George Lamsa Translation
Then the king said to her, What troubles you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? It shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom.
Good News Translation
"What is it, Queen Esther?" the king asked. "Tell me what you want, and you shall have it—even if it is half my empire."
Lexham English Bible
And the king said to her, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It will be given to you—even half the kingdom."
Literal Translation
And the king said to her. What shall be done to you, O Queen Esther, and what is your wish? It will be given to you also, even to half of the kingdom.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde ye kynge vnto her: What wilt thou quene Hester? & what requyrest thou? axe eue the halfe of ye empyre, & it shal be geue the.
American Standard Version
Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom.
Bible in Basic English
Then the king said, What is your desire, Queen Esther, and what is your request? I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then saide the king vnto her: What wylt thou queene Esther? and what requirest thou? [aske] euen the halfe of the empire, and it shalbe geuen thee.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said the king unto her: 'What wilt thou, queen Esther? for whatever thy request, even to the half of the kingdom, it shall be given thee.'
King James Version (1611)
Then sayd the King vnto her, What wilt thou, Queene Esther? and what is thy request? it shall bee euen giuen thee to the halfe of the kingdome.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king said, What wilt thou, Esther? and what is thy request? ask even to the half of my kingdom, and it shall be thine.
English Revised Version
Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the king seide to hir, Hester, the queen, what `wolt thou? what is thin axyng? Yhe, thouy thou axist the half part of my rewme, it schal be youun to thee.
Update Bible Version
Then the king said to her, What do you want, queen Esther? and what is your request? it shall be given to you even to the half of the kingdom.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then said the king to her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what [is] thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
New King James Version
And the king said to her, "What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you--up to half the kingdom!"
New Living Translation
Then the king asked her, "What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!"
New Life Bible
Then the king said to her, "What do you want, Queen Esther? What do you ask of me? You would be given even as much as half the nation."
New Revised Standard
The king said to her, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said the king unto her, What aileth thee, Queen Esther? and what is thy request? Unto the half of the kingdom, shall it be given thee.
Revised Standard Version
And the king said to her, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom."
Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith to her, `What -- to thee Esther, O queen? and what thy request? unto the half of the kingdom -- and it is given to thee.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you."

Contextual Overview

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

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What: Esther 5:6, Esther 7:2, Esther 9:12, 1 Kings 2:20, 1 Kings 3:5, Matthew 20:20-22, Luke 18:41

to: Esther 5:6, Mark 6:23

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 2:4 - For what Matthew 14:7 - General Matthew 20:21 - What Acts 23:19 - What

Cross-References

Genesis 4:25
Adam also knew his wife again: and she brought forth a son, and called his name Seth, saying: God hath given me another seed for Abel, whom Cain slew.
Genesis 5:2
He created them male and female; and blessed them: and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
Genesis 5:3
And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begot a son to his own image and likeness, and called his name Seth.
Genesis 5:14
And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died.
Genesis 5:16
And Malaleel lived after he begot Jared, eight hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters.
Job 14:4
Who can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed? is it not thou who only art?
Job 25:4
Can man be justified compared with God, or he that is born of a woman appear clean?
Psalms 51:5
(50-7) For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.
Luke 1:35
And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said the king unto her, what wilt thou, Queen Esther?.... He supposed she had some business with him, some suit to make to him, by her coming in this manner:

and what is thy request? signifying he was ready to grant it, be it what it would:

it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom; as it was usual with the Persian kings to give their wives cities for certain purposes,

:-, here Ahasuerus, out of his great affection to Esther, offers half of his dominions, his one hundred and twenty seven provinces; meaning that he would grant her anything, and everything that was reasonable, and even magnificent; it is an hyperbolical and courtly way of speaking, and which has been used in later times, and in other countries; see Mark 6:23.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It shall be even given thee ... - Xerxes, on another occasion, when pleased with one of his wives, offered to grant her any request whatever, without limitation. Compare the margin reference.


 
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