¹¹ “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^(A) and who has not been summoned—the death penalty.^(B) Only if the king extends the gold scepter will that person live.^(C) I have not been summoned to appear before the king^(D) for the last^[a] 30 days.”

² As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she won his approval.^[a] The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.^(A)