“ There is a certain law that everyone knows about. All the king’s officials know about it. The people in the royal territories know about it. It applies to any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard without being sent for. It says they must be put to death. But there is a way out. Suppose the king reaches out his gold scepter toward them. Then their lives will be spared. But 30 days have gone by since the king sent for me.”

“王的一切臣仆和各省的人民都知道有一个定例：若不蒙召，擅入内院见王的，无论男女必被治死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。现在我没有蒙召进去见王已经三十日了。”

“王所有的臣仆和各省的百姓都知道有一个定例，若未奉召见，擅入内院见王的，无论男女必被处死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。但我没有被召进去见王已经有三十天了。”

“王所有的臣仆和各省的百姓都知道有一个定例，若未奉召见，擅入内院见王的，无论男女必被处死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。但我没有被召进去见王已经有三十天了。”

“王的所有臣仆和各省人民都知道有一条法令，不论男女，未蒙宣召擅入内院去见王的必被处死，除非王向他伸出金杖，他才能活命。现在我已有三十天未蒙王召见了。”

“王所有的臣仆和各省的人民，都知道有一条法令：无论男女，没有奉召就擅入内院去见王的，除非王向他伸出金杖，赐他免死，一律要处以死刑。现在我没有奉召进去见王已经三十天了。”

“王所有的臣仆和王各省的民族都知道：无论男女，如果不被召唤而进入内院去见王，那么给他的只有一条法令，就是被处死；除非王向他伸出金杖，他才得以存活；而我没有被召唤去见王已经有三十天了。”

「王的一切臣僕和各省的人民都知道有一個定例：若不蒙召，擅入內院見王的，無論男女必被治死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。現在我沒有蒙召進去見王已經三十日了。」

「王所有的臣僕和各省的百姓都知道有一個定例，若未奉召見，擅入內院見王的，無論男女必被處死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。但我沒有被召進去見王已經有三十天了。」

「王所有的臣僕和各省的百姓都知道有一個定例，若未奉召見，擅入內院見王的，無論男女必被處死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。但我沒有被召進去見王已經有三十天了。」

「王的所有臣僕和各省人民都知道有一條法令，不論男女，未蒙宣召擅入內院去見王的必被處死，除非王向他伸出金杖，他才能活命。現在我已有三十天未蒙王召見了。」

“王所有的臣僕和各省的人民，都知道有一條法令：無論男女，沒有奉召就擅入內院去見王的，除非王向他伸出金杖，賜他免死，一律要處以死刑。現在我沒有奉召進去見王已經三十天了。”

『王的一切臣僕和各省的人民都知道有一條法令：無論男女，若不蒙召就進入內院去見王的，除非王向他（她）伸出金杖，使他（她）得以活着，一律須被處死：現在我，我沒有蒙召去進見王、已有三十天了。』

「王所有的臣僕和王各省的民族都知道：無論男女，如果不被召喚而進入內院去見王，那麼給他的只有一條法令，就是被處死；除非王向他伸出金杖，他才得以存活；而我沒有被召喚去見王已經有三十天了。」

王之臣僕、及諸州之民皆知、凡未蒙王召、擅入內院覲王者、無論男女、殺無赦、俱為一例、非王向之舉其金杖、不得生存、我未蒙召入覲、已三旬矣、

國有常例、不蒙君召、擅入深宮覲王者、無論男女、殺無赦、惟王舉金杖、則可保命、臣工億兆咸知之、我未蒙召、已三旬矣。

王之一切臣僕、及王各州之民眾、皆知有常例、不蒙王命、擅入內院覲王者、無論男女、必殺無赦、惟王向之舉金圭、則可保命、我未蒙王召、已三旬矣、

“ All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

“ All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law— to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

“ All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.”

“ All the royal officials and the people of the royal provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard and who has not been summoned— the death penalty— unless the king extends the gold scepter, allowing that person to live. I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the last thirty days.”

“ All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king in the inner courtyard, who is not summoned, he has only one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.”

“ All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.”

All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

“ All the royal officials and the people of the royal provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard and who has not been summoned— the death penalty. Only if the king extends the gold scepter will that person live. I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the last 30 days.”

All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called,[ there is] one law of his to put[ him] to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

“ All the servants of the king and the people of the king’s provinces know that there is only one law applicable to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court– that person will be put to death, unless the king extends to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days!”

“ All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, know, that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king might hold out the golden scepter, that he may live. I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes. She stood in the inner courtyard of the palace. It was in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall. He was facing the entrance.He saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard. He was pleased with her. So he reached out toward her the gold scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached him. She touched the tip of the scepter.

You must tell me the dream. If you don’t, you will pay for it. You have gotten together and made evil plans. You hope things will change. So you are telling me lies. But I want you to tell me what I dreamed. Then I’ll know that you can tell me what it means.”

The king reached out his gold scepter toward Esther. She got up and stood in front of him.

In the evening she would go there. In the morning she would leave. Then she would go to the special place where the king’s concubines stayed. She would be put under the control of Shaashgaz. He was the king’s official who was in charge of the concubines. She would never return to the king unless he was pleased with her. He had to send for her by name before she could go to him again.

The king asked,“ Who is in the courtyard?” Haman had just entered the outer courtyard of the palace. He had come to speak to the king about putting Mordecai to death. He wanted to talk about putting Mordecai’s body on the pole he had prepared for him.

“ So if it pleases you, send out a royal order. Let it be written down in the laws of Persia and Media. Those laws can never be changed. Let the royal order say that Vashti can never see you again. Also let her position as queen be given to someone who is better than she is.

Husbands, consider the needs of your wives. They are weaker than you. So treat them with respect. Honor them as those who will share with you the gracious gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers.