Esther 5:7-8

5:7 Esther responded, ¹  “My request and my petition is this: 5:8 If I have found favor in the king’s sight and if the king is inclined ²  to grant my request and perform my petition, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. At that time ³  I will do as the king wishes. ⁴ 

[5:7]  ¹ tn Heb “answered and said.” This is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.

[5:8]  ² tn Heb “if upon the king it is good.” Cf. the similar expression in v. 4, which also occurs in 7:3; 8:5; 9:13.

[5:8]  ³ tn Heb “and tomorrow” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV “and then.”

[5:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “I will do according to the word of the king,” i.e., answer the question that he has posed. Cf. NCV “Then I will answer your question about what I want.”