3
Queen Esther answered, "If it please Your Majesty to grant my humble request, my wish is that I may live and that my people may live.
4
My people and I have been sold into slavery; our possessions have been plundered, and now we are to be destroyed - all of us, including our children, will be slaves - and so far I have kept quiet. It isn't right that our enemy should be a member of the royal court."
5
Then King Xerxes asked Esther, "Who dares to do such a thing?"
6
Esther answered, "Our enemy is this evil man Haman!" In terror Haman faced the king and queen.
7
The king got up from the table and went outside to the palace gardens. Haman could see that he was in a dangerous situation, so he stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.