Chapter 7
Esther Pleads for Her People
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So the king and Haman went to dine with Esther the queen,
𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤄𐤌𐤍 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤀 𐤋𐤔𐤕𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤌 𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤄
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְהָמָ֔ן וַיָּבֹ֤א לִשְׁתּ֖וֹת עִם־ אֶסְתֵּ֥ר הַמַּלְכָּֽה׃ ham·me·leḵ wə·hā·mān way·yā·ḇō liš·tō·wṯ ‘im- ’es·têr ham·mal·kāh — WLC · 1
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and as they drank their wine on that second day, the king asked once more -, “Queen Esther, what [is] your petition? It will be given to you. What [is] your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”
𐤁𐤌𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤄𐤔𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤂𐤌 𐤋𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤄 𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤀𐤋𐤕𐤊 𐤅𐤕𐤍𐤕𐤍 𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤒𐤔𐤕𐤊 𐤏𐤃 𐤇𐤑𐤉 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤕𐤏𐤔
בְּמִשְׁתֵּ֣ה הַיַּ֔יִן הַשֵּׁנִי֙ בַּיּ֤וֹם הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר֩ גַּ֣ם לְאֶסְתֵּ֜ר הַמַּלְכָּ֖ה אֶסְתֵּ֥ר מַה־ שְּׁאֵלָתֵ֛ךְ וְתִנָּ֣תֵֽן לָ֑ךְ וּמַה־ בַּקָּשָׁתֵ֛ךְ עַד־ חֲצִ֥י הַמַּלְכ֖וּת וְתֵעָֽשׂ׃ bə·miš·têh hay·ya·yin haš·šê·nî bay·yō·wm ham·me·leḵ way·yō·mer gam lə·’es·têr ham·mal·kāh ’es·têr mah- šə·’ê·lā·ṯêḵ wə·ṯin·nā·ṯên lāḵ ū·mah- baq·qā·šā·ṯêḵ ‘aḏ- ḥă·ṣî ham·mal·ḵūṯ wə·ṯê·‘āś — WLC · 2
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Queen Esther replied “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king grant me my life as my petition, and [the lives of] my people as my request.
𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤄 𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤅𐤕𐤏𐤍 𐤅𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤌 𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤕𐤉 𐤇𐤍 𐤁𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤏𐤋 𐤕𐤍𐤕𐤍 𐤋𐤉 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤁𐤔𐤀𐤋𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤁𐤁𐤒𐤔𐤕𐤉
הַמַּלְכָּה֙ אֶסְתֵּ֤ר וַתַּ֨עַן וַתֹּאמַ֔ר אִם־ מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאִם־ ט֑וֹב הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עַל־ תִּנָּֽתֶן־ לִ֤י נַפְשִׁי֙ בִּשְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔י וְעַמִּ֖י בְּבַקָּשָׁתִֽי׃ ham·mal·kāh ’es·têr wat·ta·‘an wat·tō·mar ’im- mā·ṣā·ṯî ḥên bə·‘ê·ne·ḵā ham·me·leḵ wə·’im- ṭō·wḇ ham·me·leḵ ‘al- tin·nā·ṯen- lî nap̄·šî biš·’ê·lā·ṯî wə·‘am·mî bə·ḇaq·qā·šā·ṯî — WLC · 3
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For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as menservants and maidservants, I would have remained silent, because no such distress would justify burdening the king.”
𐤊𐤉 𐤅𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤍𐤌𐤊𐤓𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤃 𐤋𐤄𐤓𐤅𐤂 𐤅𐤋𐤀𐤁𐤃 𐤅𐤀𐤋𐤅 𐤍𐤌𐤊𐤓𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤋𐤔𐤐𐤇𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤇𐤓𐤔𐤕𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤄𐤑𐤓 𐤔𐤅𐤄 𐤁𐤍𐤆𐤒 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤎
כִּ֤י וְעַמִּ֔י אֲנִ֣י נִמְכַּ֙רְנוּ֙ לְהַשְׁמִ֖יד לַהֲר֣וֹג וּלְאַבֵּ֑ד וְ֠אִלּוּ נִמְכַּ֙רְנוּ֙ לַעֲבָדִ֨ים וְלִשְׁפָח֤וֹת הֶחֱרַ֔שְׁתִּי כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין הַצָּ֛ר שֹׁוֶ֖ה בְּנֵ֥זֶק הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ס kî wə·‘am·mî ’ă·nî nim·kar·nū lə·haš·mîḏ la·hă·rō·wḡ ū·lə·’ab·bêḏ wə·’il·lū nim·kar·nū la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm wə·liš·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ he·ḥĕ·raš·tî kî ’ên haṣ·ṣār šō·weh bə·nê·zeq ham·me·leḵ — WLC · 4
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Then King Xerxes spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where… is the one who would… devise such a scheme?”
𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤇𐤔𐤅𐤓𐤅𐤔 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤄 𐤋𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤌𐤉 𐤆𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤉 𐤆𐤄 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤅 𐤋𐤁𐤅 𐤋𐤏𐤔𐤅𐤕 𐤊𐤍
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הַמַּלְכָּ֑ה לְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר מִ֣י זֶה֙ וְאֵֽי־ זֶ֣ה ה֔וּא ה֥וּא אֲשֶׁר־ מְלָא֥וֹ לִבּ֖וֹ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת כֵּֽן׃ ham·me·leḵ ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōš way·yō·mer way·yō·mer ham·mal·kāh lə·’es·têr mî zeh wə·’ê- zeh hū hū ’ă·šer- mə·lā·’ōw lib·bōw la·‘ă·śō·wṯ kên — WLC · 5
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Esther… replied, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked man— Haman!” And Haman stood in terror before the king and queen.
𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤅𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤑𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤅𐤉𐤁 𐤄𐤆𐤄 𐤄𐤓𐤏 𐤄𐤌𐤍 𐤅𐤄𐤌𐤍 𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤕 𐤌𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤄
אֶסְתֵּ֔ר אִ֚ישׁ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר־ צַ֣ר וְאוֹיֵ֔ב הַזֶּ֑ה הָרָ֖ע הָמָ֥ן וְהָמָ֣ן נִבְעַ֔ת מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וְהַמַּלְכָּֽה׃ ’es·têr ’îš wat·tō·mer- ṣar wə·’ō·w·yêḇ haz·zeh hā·rā‘ hā·mān wə·hā·mān niḇ·‘aṯ mil·lip̄·nê ham·me·leḵ wə·ham·mal·kāh — WLC · 6
The Hanging of Haman
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In his fury, the king arose from drinking his wine and went to the palace garden, while Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king was planning a terrible fate… for him.
𐤁𐤇𐤌𐤕𐤅 𐤅𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤒𐤌 𐤌𐤌𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤀𐤋 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤂𐤍𐤕 𐤅𐤄𐤌𐤍 𐤏𐤌𐤃 𐤋𐤁𐤒𐤔 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤄 𐤌𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤏𐤋 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤊𐤋𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤌𐤀𐤕 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤅
בַּחֲמָתוֹ֙ וְהַמֶּ֜לֶךְ קָ֤ם מִמִּשְׁתֵּ֣ה הַיַּ֔יִן אֶל־ הַבִּיתָ֑ן גִּנַּ֖ת וְהָמָ֣ן עָמַ֗ד לְבַקֵּ֤שׁ הַמַּלְכָּ֔ה מֵֽאֶסְתֵּ֣ר עַל־ נַפְשׁוֹ֙ כִּ֣י רָאָ֔ה כִּֽי־ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ כָלְתָ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ת אֵלָ֛יו ba·ḥă·mā·ṯōw wə·ham·me·leḵ qām mim·miš·têh hay·ya·yin ’el- hab·bî·ṯān gin·naṯ wə·hā·mān ‘ā·maḏ lə·ḇaq·qêš ham·mal·kāh mê·’es·têr ‘al- nap̄·šōw kî rā·’āh kî- ham·me·leḵ ḵā·lə·ṯāh hā·rā·‘āh mê·’êṯ ’ê·lāw — WLC · 7
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Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall…, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther [was reclining]. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually assault the queen while I am in the palace?” As soon as the words had left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
𐤅𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤔𐤁 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤌𐤂𐤍𐤕 𐤀𐤋 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤄𐤌𐤍 𐤍𐤐𐤋 𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤌𐤈𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤓 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤄 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤂𐤌 𐤋𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤔 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤄 𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤁𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤄𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤌𐤐𐤉 𐤇𐤐𐤅𐤎 𐤄𐤌𐤍 𐤅𐤐𐤍𐤉
וְהַמֶּ֡לֶךְ שָׁב֩ הַבִּיתָ֜ן מִגִּנַּ֨ת אֶל־ בֵּ֣ית׀ מִשְׁתֵּ֣ה הַיַּ֗יִן וְהָמָן֙ נֹפֵ֔ל עַל־ הַמִּטָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶסְתֵּ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הֲ֠גַם לִכְבּ֧וֹשׁ אֶת־ הַמַּלְכָּ֛ה עִמִּ֖י בַּבָּ֑יִת הַדָּבָ֗ר יָצָא֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מִפִּ֣י חָפֽוּ׃ס הָמָ֖ן וּפְנֵ֥י wə·ham·me·leḵ šāḇ hab·bî·ṯān mig·gin·naṯ ’el- bêṯ miš·têh hay·ya·yin wə·hā·mān nō·p̄êl ‘al- ham·miṭ·ṭāh ’ă·šer ’es·têr ‘ā·le·hā ham·me·leḵ way·yō·mer hă·ḡam liḵ·bō·wōš ’eṯ- ham·mal·kāh ‘im·mî bab·bā·yiṯ had·dā·ḇār yā·ṣā ham·me·leḵ mip·pî ḥā·p̄ū hā·mān ū·p̄ə·nê — WLC · 8
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Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king,… said: “There is a gallows fifty cubits high at Haman’s house. [He] had it built for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved… the king…” “Hang him on it!” declared the king.
𐤇𐤓𐤁𐤅𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤌𐤍 𐤄𐤎𐤓𐤉𐤎𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤂𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤍𐤄 𐤄𐤏𐤑 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤇𐤌𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤌𐤄 𐤂𐤁𐤄 𐤄𐤌𐤍 𐤁𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤄𐤌𐤍 𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤋𐤌𐤓𐤃𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤏𐤌𐤃 𐤕𐤋𐤄𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊
חַ֠רְבוֹנָה אֶחָ֨ד מִן־ הַסָּרִיסִ֜ים לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ גַּ֣ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הִנֵּה־ הָעֵ֣ץ אֲשֶׁר־ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אַמָּ֑ה גָּבֹ֖הַּ הָמָ֔ן בְּבֵ֣ית הָמָ֟ן עָשָׂ֪ה לְֽמָרְדֳּכַ֞י אֲשֶׁ֧ר דִּבֶּר־ ט֣וֹב עַל־ הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ עֹמֵד֙ תְּלֻ֥הוּ עָלָֽיו׃ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ ḥar·ḇō·w·nāh ’e·ḥāḏ min- has·sā·rî·sîm lip̄·nê ham·me·leḵ gam way·yō·mer hin·nêh- hā·‘êṣ ’ă·šer- ḥă·miš·šîm ’am·māh gā·ḇō·ah hā·mān bə·ḇêṯ hā·mān ‘ā·śāh lə·mā·rə·do·ḵay ’ă·šer dib·ber- ṭō·wḇ ‘al- ham·me·leḵ ‘ō·mêḏ tə·lu·hū ‘ā·lāw way·yō·mer ham·me·leḵ — WLC · 9
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So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.
𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤋𐤅 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤌𐤍 𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤏𐤑 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤊𐤉𐤍 𐤋𐤌𐤓𐤃𐤊𐤉 𐤅𐤇𐤌𐤕 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤔𐤊𐤊𐤄𐤐
וַיִּתְלוּ֙ אֶת־ הָמָ֔ן עַל־ הָעֵ֖ץ אֲשֶׁר־ הֵכִ֣ין לְמָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַחֲמַ֥ת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ שָׁכָֽכָה׃פ way·yiṯ·lū ’eṯ- hā·mān ‘al- hā·‘êṣ ’ă·šer- hê·ḵîn lə·mā·rə·do·ḵāy wa·ḥă·maṯ ham·me·leḵ šā·ḵā·ḵāh — WLC · 10