2And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What {is} thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what {is} thy request? and it shall be performed, {even} to the half of the kingdom.
3Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
4For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage. {to be destroyed...: Heb. that they should destroy, and kill, and cause to perish}
5Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? {that...: Heb. whose heart hath filled him}
6And Esther said, The adversary and enemy {is} this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. {The adversary: Heb. The man adversary} {before: or, at the presence of}
7And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath {went} into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
8Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther {was}. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. {before me: Heb. with me}
