When Esther walked into the court, the king extended his sceptre towards her and asked her what she wanted. She said that she would like him and Haman to go for a dinner she would host. Haman was greatly thrilled that the queen had singled him out for this honour. At the dinner, Esther asked both of them to come again the next day for dinner when she would tell the king what was on her mind.

That night the king was tossing and turning on his bed because he could not get sleep. He asked someone to read something to him, and what he heard was the record about how Mordecai had saved him from the plot. He decided immediately that Mordecai should be honoured for this. Just then Haman came there to request permission to hang Mordecai! The king asked him how he should honour a man he liked. Haman thought the king was referring to him, and suggested that such a man should be given the royal robe and taken on a procession on the royal horse. Immediately the king asked Haman to do so to Mordecai. Poor Haman was forced to do this!

The next night when the king and Haman went to Esther's dinner, she revealed that Haman had plotted to kill all her countrymen including her. The king was upset and went thoughtfully to the balcony. When he returned he saw Haman pleading with Esther on her bed, and he thought Haman was going to molest Esther in front of him! As soon as he expressed his thoughts, the court officials came and took away Haman. It turned out that Haman was hanged on the same gallows he had made for Mordecai!

Queen Esther pleaded with the king to reverse the order to kill all the Jews and to give them permission to kill their enemies on two particular days. The king also promoted Mordecai to take over Haman's position. These two days called Purim are celebrated every year by the Jews in gratitude for God saving their lives from Haman.