The Golden Scepter
At the banquet
Her kinsman, Mordecai, used to sit in the palace gate every day, to hear news of her. Now, there was a very bad man named Haman, who used to pass by every day; and Mordecai never would bow to him, because he was one of the people whom God had forbidden the Jews to have any concern with.
Haman grew so angry at last that he resolved not only to get Mordecai killed, but all the Jews besides. So he went to the king, and told him a false story about the Jews, and persuaded him to give orders that their enemies in all the lands round Jerusalem, and everywhere else, should fall on them on a set day, and put them to death.
And the king was so foolish and so cruel as to consent to seal the letters, saying that all the Jews were to be killed on one day. But Mordecai heard about this cruel plot, and he sent secret word to Esther that she must try to save her people, by telling the king that he had been deceived by Haman.
Poor Esther was much afraid. She knew that if she went to the king without leave, she would be put to death; but she thought it was better for her to run the risk, than to let all the Jews perish. So she dressed herself beautifully, as the king liked best to see her; and she went to his court almost fainting with fear.
But when he saw her, he touched her with his golden sceptre. Then she knew he would not put her to death; and when he asked why she had come, and what she wanted, she said she wished to ask him to a banquet of wine in her chamber.
And when he came there, she was able to tell him of the cruel plan for killing all her people, and how falsely Haman had spoken. The king was very angry when he understood it all; and wicked Haman was hung upon the very gallows he had meant for Mordecai. And so the Jews were saved by the good queen, who was not afraid to risk her life for her people.
