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Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those that looked on her.

So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his slaves, even Esther's feast; and he ordered a rest to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

After these things king Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

But it was contemptible in his eyes to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai: therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;

And in every province, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

And Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and told it to her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take his sackcloth from off him; but he did not receive it.

So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, opposite the king's house: and the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, opposite the entrance of the house.

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his eyes; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.

Nevertheless Haman refrained himself, and went home; and he sent and fetched his friends and Zeresh his wife.

And Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his sons, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and slaves of the king.

Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go in merrily with the king to the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

So Haman came in. And the king said to him, What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor? Now Haman said in his heart, Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?

And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and having his head covered.

And Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had befallen him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the seed of the Jews, you shall not prevail against him, but shall surely fall before him.

Then king Ahasuerus spoke and said to Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that dared presume in his heart to do so?