The moment had come when Esther would tell the king what was so deeply on her heart that she risked her life to tell him.  They were seipping wine in the garden, the king, Haman and herself.  Then she told him.

What she said startled the king.  She asked for her life and the life of her people.

When the king asked who would dare devise a scheme to exterminate her and her people, she answered plainly–Haman.  Now Haman was the king’s must trusted official.  So now he had to decide who to believer–his wife or his official.  By the look on his face, it was Haman who was about ready to receive the axe.

The king stepped out into the garden for a moment.

In the meantime Haman realizing something terrible was imminent dropped to his knees before Esther.  He begged for his life.

At that moment the king returned to see Haman at her knees.  He was enraged at the thought that Haman would try to defile his wife right here in the palace.  His fate was sealed.  A cloth was put over Haman’s head and he was lead to his execution.

For all practical purposes it would seem like the ordeal was over.  But it wasn’t.  The edict was still irrevokable that the Jews were to be annhilated.  It had been put into effect and was according to the law of the Medes and Persians, even the king himself couldn’t undo it.

But just as his wife Zaresh had said to Haman, if you try to destroy the Jews, it will ultimately mean your downfall.  And this indeed happened.