Revised Literal Translation

Esther 5

1Now it came to pass on the thirdהַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗יha.she.li.ShiH7992dayבַּיּ֣וֹםbai.YomH3117,that Estherאֶסְתֵּר֙'es.TerH635put onוַתִּלְבַּ֤שׁva.til.BashH3847herroyalמַלְכ֔וּתmal.KhutH4438apparel,and stoodוַֽתַּעֲמֹ֞דva.ta.'a.ModH5975in the innerהַפְּנִימִ֔יתha.pe.ni.MitH6442courtבַּחֲצַ֤רba.cha.TzarH2691of the king’sהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428houseבֵּית־beit-H1004,over againstנֹ֖כַחNo.khachH5227the king’sהַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428houseבֵּ֣יתbeitH1004:and the kingוְ֠הַמֶּלֶךְVe.ha.Me.lekhH4428satיוֹשֵׁ֞בyo.ShevH3427upon his royalמַלְכוּתוֹ֙mal.khu.ToH4438throneכִּסֵּ֤אki.Se'H3678in the royalהַמַּלְכ֔וּתha.mal.KhutH4438houseבְּבֵ֣יתbe.VeitH1004,over againstנֹ֖כַחNo.khachH5227the gateפֶּ֥תַחPe.tachH6607of the houseהַבָּֽיִת׃ha.Ba.yitH1004.

2And it was so, when the kingהַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428sawכִרְא֨וֹתkhir.'otH7200Estherאֶסְתֵּ֣ר'es.TerH635the queenהַמַּלְכָּ֗הha.mal.KahH4436standingעֹמֶ֙דֶת֙'o.Me.detH5975in the courtבֶּֽחָצֵ֔רbe.cha.TzerH2691, thatshe obtainedנָשְׂאָ֥הna.se.'AhH5375favourחֵ֖ןchenH2580in his sightבְּעֵינָ֑יוbe.'ei.NavH5869:and the kingהַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428held outוַיּ֨וֹשֶׁטvai.Yo.o.shetH3447to Estherלְאֶסְתֵּ֗רle.'es.TerH635the goldenהַזָּהָב֙ha.za.HavH2091sceptreשַׁרְבִ֤יטshar.VitH8275that wasin his handבְּיָד֔וֹbe.ya.DoH3027.So Estherאֶסְתֵּ֔ר'es.TerH635drew nearוַתִּקְרַ֣בva.tik.RavH7126,and touchedוַתִּגַּ֖עva.ti.Ga'H5060the topבְּרֹ֥אשׁbe.RoshH7218of the sceptreהַשַּׁרְבִֽיט׃ סha.shar.VitH8275.

3Then saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428unto her, What wilt thou, queenהַמַּלְכָּ֑הha.mal.KahH4436Estherאֶסְתֵּ֣ר'es.TerH635? and what isthy requestבַּקָּשָׁתֵ֛ךְba.ka.sha.TekhH1246?it shall be even givenוְיִנָּ֥תֵֽןve.yi.Na.tenH5414thee to the halfחֲצִ֥יcha.TziH2677of the kingdomהַמַּלְכ֖וּתha.mal.KhutH4438.

4And Estherאֶסְתֵּ֔ר'es.TerH635answeredוַתֹּ֣אמֶרva.To.merH559, If it seemgoodH2895unto the kingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428,let the kingהַמֶּ֤לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428and Hamanוְהָמָן֙ve.ha.ManH2001comeיָב֨וֹאya.Vo'H935this dayהַיּ֔וֹםhai.YomH3117unto the banquetהַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖הha.mish.TehH4960that I have preparedעָשִׂ֥יתִי'a.Si.tiH6213for him.

5Then the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Cause Hamanהָמָ֔ןha.ManH2001to make hasteמַהֲרוּ֙ma.ha.RuH4116,that he may doלַעֲשׂ֖וֹתla.'a.SotH6213as Estherאֶסְתֵּ֑ר'es.TerH635hath saidדְּבַ֣רde.VarH1697.So the kingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428and Hamanוְהָמָ֔ןve.ha.ManH2001cameוַיָּבֹ֤אvai.ya.Vo'H935to the banquetהַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖הha.mish.TehH4960that Estherאֶסְתֵּֽר׃'es.TerH635had preparedעָשְׂתָ֥ה'a.se.TahH6213.

6And the kingהַמֶּ֤לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto Estherלְאֶסְתֵּר֙le.'es.TerH635at the banquetבְּמִשְׁתֵּ֣הbe.mish.TehH4960of wineהַיַּ֔יִןhai.Ya.yinH3196, What isthy petitionשְּׁאֵלָתֵ֖ךְshe.'e.la.TekhH7596?and it shall be grantedוְיִנָּ֣תֵֽןve.yi.Na.tenH5414thee: and what isthy requestבַּקָּשָׁתֵ֛ךְba.ka.sha.TekhH1246?even to the halfחֲצִ֥יcha.TziH2677of the kingdomהַמַּלְכ֖וּתha.mal.KhutH4438it shall be performedוְתֵעָֽשׂ׃ve.te.'AsH6213.

7Then answeredוַתַּ֥עַןva.Ta.'anH6030Estherאֶסְתֵּ֖ר'es.TerH635,and saidוַתֹּאמַ֑רva.to.MarH559,My petitionשְׁאֵלָתִ֖יshe.'e.la.TiH7596and my requestוּבַקָּשָׁתִֽי׃u.va.ka.sha.TiH1246is;

8If I have foundמָצָ֨אתִיma.Tza.tiH4672favourחֵ֜ןchenH2580in the sightבְּעֵינֵ֣יbe.'ei.NeiH5869of the kingהַמֶּ֗לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428,and if it pleaseH2895the kingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428to grantלָתֵת֙la.TetH5414my petitionשְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔יshe.'E.la.TiH7596,and to performוְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹתve.la.'a.SotH6213my requestבַּקָּשָׁתִ֑יba.ka.sha.TiH1246,let the kingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428and Hamanוְהָמָ֗ןve.ha.ManH2001comeיָב֧וֹאya.Vo'H935to the banquetהַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙ha.mish.TehH4960that I shall prepareאֶֽעֱשֶׂ֣ה'e.'e.SehH6213for them, and I will doאֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה'e.'e.SehH6213to morrowוּמָחָ֥רu.ma.CharH4279as the kingהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428hath saidכִּדְבַ֥רkid.VarH1697.

9Then wentH3318Hamanהָמָן֙ha.ManH2001forthH3318that dayבַּיּ֣וֹםbai.YomH3117joyfulשָׂמֵ֖חַsa.Me.achH8056and with a gladוְט֣וֹבve.TovH2896heartלֵ֑בLevH3820:but when Hamanהָמָ֨ןha.ManH2001sawוְכִרְאוֹת֩ve.khir.'OtH7200Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכַ֜יma.re.do.KhaiH4782in the king’sהַמֶּ֗לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428gateבְּשַׁ֣עַרbe.Sha.'arH8179,that he stood not upקָם֙kamH6965,nor movedזָ֣עza'H2111for him, heהָמָ֛ןha.ManH2001was fullוַיִּמָּלֵ֥אvai.yi.ma.Le'H4390of indignationחֵמָֽה׃che.MahH2534against Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכַ֖יma.re.do.KhaiH4782.

10Nevertheless Hamanהָמָ֔ןha.ManH2001refrainedוַיִּתְאַפַּ֣קvai.yit.'a.PakH662himself: and when he cameוַיָּב֖וֹאvai.ya.Vo'H935homeבֵּית֑וֹbei.ToH1004,he sentוַיִּשְׁלַ֛חvai.yish.LachH7971and calledוַיָּבֵ֥אvai.ya.Ve'H935for his friendsאֹהֲבָ֖יו'o.ha.VavH157,and Zereshזֶ֥רֶשׁZe.reshH2238his wifeאִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃'ish.ToH802.

11And Hamanהָמָ֛ןha.ManH2001toldוַיְסַפֵּ֨רvay.sa.PerH5608them of the gloryכְּב֥וֹדke.VodH3519of his richesעָשְׁר֖וֹa.she.RoH6239,and the multitudeוְרֹ֣בve.RoH7230of his childrenבָּנָ֑יוba.NavH1121, and all the thingswherein the kingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428had promotedגִּדְּל֤וֹgi.de.LoH1431him, and how he had advancedנִשְּׂא֔וֹni.se.'OH5375him above the princesהַשָּׂרִ֖יםha.sa.RimH8269and servantsוְעַבְדֵ֥יve.'av.DeiH5650of the kingהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428.

12Hamanהָמָן֒ha.ManH2001saidוַיֹּאמֶר֮vai.yo.MerH559moreover, Yea, Estherאֶסְתֵּ֨ר'es.TerH635the queenהַמַּלְכָּ֧הha.mal.KahH4436did let no man come inהֵבִיאָה֩he.vi.'AhH935with the kingהַמֶּ֛לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428unto the banquetהַמִּשְׁתֶּ֥הha.mish.TehH4960that she had preparedעָשָׂ֖תָה'a.Sa.tahH6213but myself; and to morrowלְמָחָ֛רle.ma.CharH4279am I invitedקָֽרוּא־ka.ru'-H7121unto her also with the kingהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428.

13Yet all this availethשֹׁוֶ֖הsho.VehH7737me nothing, so long asעֵ֗ת'EtH6256I seeרֹאֶה֙ro.'EhH7200Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכַ֣יma.re.do.KhaiH4782the Jewהַיְּהוּדִ֔יhai.ye.hu.DiH3064sittingיוֹשֵׁ֖בyo.ShevH3427at the king’sהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428gateבְּשַׁ֥עַרbe.Sha.'arH8179.

14Then saidוַתֹּ֣אמֶרva.To.merH559Zereshזֶ֨רֶשׁZe.reshH2238his wifeאִשְׁתּ֜וֹ'ish.ToH802and all his friendsאֹֽהֲבָ֗יו'o.ha.VavH157unto him, Let a gallowsעֵץ֮'etzH6086be madeH6213of fiftyחֲמִשִּׁ֣יםcha.mi.ShimH2572cubitsאַמָּה֒'a.MahH520highגָּבֹ֣הַּga.Vo.ahH1364,and to morrowוּבַבֹּ֣קֶר׀u.va.Bo.kerH1242speakאֱמֹ֣ר'e.MorH559thou unto the kingלַמֶּ֗לֶךְla.Me.lekhH4428that Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכַי֙ma.re.do.KhaiH4782may be hangedוְיִתְל֤וּve.yit.LuH8518thereon: then goוּבֹֽא־u.vo'-H935thou in merrilyשָׂמֵ֑חַsa.Me.achH8056with the kingהַמֶּ֥לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428unto the banquetהַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖הha.mish.TehH4960.And the thingהַדָּבָ֛רha.da.VarH1697pleasedוַיִּיטַ֧ב לִפְנֵ֥יvai.yi.Tav lif.NeiH6440 H3190Hamanהָמָ֖ןha.ManH2001;and he causedH6213the gallowsהָעֵֽץ׃ פha.'EtzH6086to be madeH6213.

Commentaries on Esther 5