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Esther 5 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
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<span class="versenum">14</span>But I did this so that I might not set human glory above the glory of God, and I will not bow down to anyone but you, who are my Lord; and I will not do these things in pride. <span class="versenum">15</span>And now, O Lord God and King, God of Abraham, spare your people; for the eyes of our foes are upon us<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-13362c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote c">c</a>]</span> to annihilate us, and they desire to destroy the inheritance that has been yours from the beginning. <span class="versenum">16</span>Do not neglect your portion, which you redeemed for yourself out of the land of Egypt. <span class="versenum">17</span>Hear my prayer, and have mercy upon your inheritance; turn our mourning into feasting that we may live and sing praise to your name, O Lord; do not destroy the lips<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-13362d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote d">d</a>]</span> of those who praise you.”</span></p><p><span class="text Esth-5-1-Esth-5-2"><span class="versenum">18</span>And all Israel cried out mightily, for their death was before their eyes.</span></p><h3><span class="text Esth-5-1-Esth-5-2">Esther’s Prayer</span></h3><p class="chapter-2"><span class="text Esth-5-1-Esth-5-2"><span class="versenum">1</span>Then Queen Esther, seized with deadly anxiety, fled to the Lord. <span class="versenum">2</span>She took off her splendid apparel and put on the garments of distress and mourning, and instead of costly perfumes she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she utterly humbled her body; every part that she loved to adorn she covered with her tangled hair. <span class="versenum">3</span>She prayed to the Lord God of Israel, and said: “O my Lord, you only are our king; help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, <span class="versenum">4</span>for my danger is in my hand. <span class="versenum">5</span>Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my family that you, O Lord, took Israel out of all the nations, and our ancestors from among all their forebears, for an everlasting inheritance, and that you did for them all that you promised. <span class="versenum">6</span>And now we have sinned before you, and you have handed us over to our enemies <span class="versenum">7</span>because we glorified their gods. You are righteous, O Lord! <span class="versenum">8</span>And now they are not satisfied that we are in bitter slavery, but they have covenanted with their idols <span class="versenum">9</span>to abolish what your mouth has ordained, and to destroy your inheritance, to stop the mouths of those who praise you and to quench your altar and the glory of your house, <span class="versenum">10</span>to open the mouths of the nations for the praise of vain idols, and to magnify forever a mortal king.</span></p><p><span class="text Esth-5-1-Esth-5-2"><span class="versenum">11</span>“O Lord, do not surrender your scepter to what has no being; and do not let them laugh at our downfall; but turn their plan against them, and make an example of him who began this against us. <span class="versenum">12</span>Remember, O Lord; make yourself known in this time of our affliction, and give me courage, O King of the gods and Master of all dominion! <span class="versenum">13</span>Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion, and turn his heart to hate the man who is fighting against us, so that there may be an end of him and those who agree with him. <span class="versenum">14</span>But save us by your hand, and help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, O Lord. <span class="versenum">15</span>You have knowledge of all things, and you know that I hate the splendor of the wicked and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised and of any alien. <span class="versenum">16</span>You know my necessity—that I abhor the sign of my proud position, which is upon my head on days when I appear in public. I abhor it like a filthy rag, and I do not wear it on the days when I am at leisure. <span class="versenum">17</span>And your servant has not eaten at Haman’s table, and I have not honored the king’s feast or drunk the wine of libations. <span class="versenum">18</span>Your servant has had no joy since the day that I was brought here until now, except in you, O Lord God of Abraham. <span class="versenum">19</span>O God, whose might is over all, hear the voice of the despairing, and save us from the hands of evildoers. And save me from my fear!”</span></p><h2><span class="text Esth-5-1-Esth-5-2"><span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">End of Addition</span> C</span></h2><hr /><h2><span class="text Esth-5-1-Esth-5-2"><span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Addition</span> D</span></h2><h3><span class="text Esth-5-1-Esth-5-2">Esther Is Received by the King</span></h3><p class="chapter-2"><span class="text Esth-5-1-Esth-5-2"><span class="versenum">1</span>On the third day, when she ended her prayer, she took off the garments in which she had worshiped, and arrayed herself in splendid attire. <span class="versenum">2</span>Then, majestically adorned, after invoking the aid of the all-seeing God and Savior, she took two maids with her; <span class="versenum">3</span>on one she leaned gently for support, <span class="versenum">4</span>while the other followed, carrying her train. <span class="versenum">5</span>She was radiant with perfect beauty, and she looked happy, as if beloved, but her heart was frozen with fear. <span class="versenum">6</span>When she had gone through all the doors, she stood before the king. He was seated on his royal throne, clothed in the full array of his majesty, all covered with gold and precious stones. He was most terrifying.</span></p><p><span class="text Esth-5-1-Esth-5-2"><span class="versenum">7</span>Lifting his face, flushed with splendor, he looked at her in fierce anger. The queen faltered, and turned pale and faint, and collapsed on the head of the maid who went in front of her. <span class="versenum">8</span>Then God changed the spirit of the king to gentleness, and in alarm he sprang from his throne and took her in his arms until she came to herself. He comforted her with soothing words, and said to her, <span class="versenum">9</span>“What is it, Esther? I am your husband.<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-13362e" title="See footnote e">e</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote e">e</a>]</span> Take courage; <span class="versenum">10</span>You shall not die, for our law applies only to our subjects.<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-13362f" title="See footnote f">f</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote f">f</a>]</span> Come near.”</span></p><p><span class="text Esth-5-1-Esth-5-2"><span class="versenum">11</span>Then he raised the golden scepter and touched her neck with it; <span class="versenum">12</span>he embraced her, and said, “Speak to me.” <span class="versenum">13</span>She said to him, “I saw you, my lord, like an angel of God, and my heart was shaken with fear at your glory. <span class="versenum">14</span>For you are wonderful, my lord, and your countenance is full of grace.” <span class="versenum">15</span>And while she was speaking, she fainted and fell. <span class="versenum">16</span>Then the king was agitated, and all his servants tried to comfort her.</span></p> <h2><span id="en" class="text Esth-5-1"><span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">End of Addition</span> D</span></h2><hr /><h3><span class="text Esth-5-1">Esther’s Banquet</span></h3><p class="chapter-1"><span class="text Esth-5-1"><span class="chapternum">5</span><span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-13363g" title="See footnote g">g</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote g">g</a>]</span> </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-3"><span class="versenum">3</span>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.” </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-4"><span class="versenum">4</span>Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet that I have prepared for the king.” </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-5"><span class="versenum">5</span>Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-6"><span class="versenum">6</span>While they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-7"><span class="versenum">7</span>Then Esther said, “This is my petition and request: </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-8"><span class="versenum">8</span>If I have won the king’s favor, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and then I will do as the king has said.”</span></p> <h3><span id="en" class="text Esth-5-9">Haman Plans to Have Mordecai Hanged</span></h3><p><span class="text Esth-5-9"><span class="versenum">9</span>Haman went out that day happy and in good spirits. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and observed that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was infuriated with Mordecai; </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-10"><span class="versenum">10</span>nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home. Then he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh, </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-11"><span class="versenum">11</span>and Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the ministers of the king. </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-12"><span class="versenum">12</span>Haman added, “Even Queen Esther let no one but myself come with the king to the banquet that she prepared. Tomorrow also I am invited by her, together with the king. </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-13"><span class="versenum">13</span>Yet all this does me no good so long as I see the Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.” </span> <span id="en" class="text Esth-5-14"><span class="versenum">14</span>Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go with the king to the banquet in good spirits.” This advice pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.</span></p> <A name="fen"></a><div class="footnotes"><h4>Footnotes</h4><ol><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Esther 5:1">Esther 5:1</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Chapters 13.8—15.16 correspond to chapters C 1–30 and D 1–16 in some translations.</span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Esther 5:1">Esther 5:1</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk <i>he</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Esther 5:1">Esther 5:1</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk <i>for they are eying us</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Esther 5:1">Esther 5:1</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk <i>mouth</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Esther 5:1">Esther 5:1</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk <i>brother</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Esther 5:1">Esther 5:1</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Meaning of Gk uncertain</span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Esther 5:1">Esther 5:1</a> <span class='footnote-text'>In Greek, Chapter D replaces verses 1 and 2 in Hebrew.</span></li></ol></div> <!--end of footnotes--></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 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