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Esther Chapter Five

 

Esther 5 Outlines

Esther’s Banquet (v.1~8)

Haman’s Plot Against Mordecai (v.9~14)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Esther 5:1.  Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace across from the king’s house while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house facing the entrance of the house.[a]

   YLT 1And it cometh to pass on the third day that Esther putteth on royalty and standeth in the inner-court of the house of the king over-against the house of the king and the king is sitting on his royal throne in the royal-house over-against the opening of the house

Now it came to pass on the third day ....

Of the fast; though the former Targum paraphrases it the third day of the passover the sixteenth of Nisan; see Gill on Esther 4:17 though it is probable this was nearer the time fixed for the destruction of the Jews see Esther 8:9 yet the Jews have fixed the fast of Esther on that very day the thirteenth of AdarF6Vid Reland. Antiqu. Heb. par. 4. c. 13. sect. 5. :

that Esther put on her royal apparel;

in order to go in to the king and appear before him; which to do in a mournful habit such as she had on when fasting was not proper; for then she put off her royal crown as is intimated in the additions to the book of Esther And upon the third day when she had ended her prayers she laid away her mourning garments and put on her glorious apparel. (Esther 15:1)and as was usual for princes to do in times of mourningF7Vid. Paschalium de Coronis l. 10. c. 11. p. 699. ; but now she put it on as both Ben GorionF8Hist. Heb. Jud. l. 2. c. 4. and the latter Targum affirm:

and stood in the inner court of the king's house over against the king's house;

into which none might go but such as were called; yet Esther being queen the keepers of the door could not forbid her as Aben Ezra observes:

and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house over against the gate of the house;

so that he could see whoever came in at it into the inner court.

 

Esther 5:2.  2 So it was when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court that she found favor in his sight and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.

   YLT 2and it cometh to pass at the king's seeing Esther the queen standing in the court she hath received grace in his eyes and the king holdeth out to Esther the golden sceptre that [is] in his hand and Esther draweth near and toucheth the top of the sceptre.

And it was so when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court that she obtained favour in his sight ....

Which no doubt was of God who has the hearts of kings in his hand and turns them as he pleases; the king had not called her for thirty days past or more which showed coolness of affection to her and now she transgressed a law by coming uncalled for which might have provoked his wrath; and for a lesser matter than this was Vashti divorced; but yet his mind was inclined to her and she appeared very amiable and pleasing to him:

and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand;

as a token of his well pleasedness in her and acceptance of her; and that no harm should come to her for transgressing the law:

so Esther drew near and touched the top of the sceptre;

as acknowledging his kindness and her thankfulness for it as well as subjection and obedience to him.

 

Esther 5:3.  3 And the king said to her “What do you wish Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!”

   YLT 3And the king saith to her `What -- to thee Esther O queen? and what thy request? unto the half of the kingdom -- and it is given to thee.'

Then said the king unto her what wilt thou Queen Esther?....

He supposed she had some business with him some suit to make to him by her coming in this manner:

and what is thy request?

signifying he was ready to grant it be it what it would:

it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom;

as it was usual with the Persian kings to give their wives cities for certain purposes; see Gill on Esther 2:18 here Ahasuerus out of his great affection to Esther offers half of his dominions his one hundred and twenty seven provinces; meaning that he would grant her anything and everything that was reasonable and even magnificent; it is an hyperbolical and courtly way of speaking and which has been used in later times and in other countries; see Mark 6:23.

 

Esther 5:4.  4 So Esther answered “If it pleases the king let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

   YLT 4And Esther saith `If unto the king [it be] good the king doth come in and Haman to-day unto the banquet that I have made for him;'

And Esther answered if it seem good unto the king ....

She humbly submits it to his pleasure suggesting it would be exceeding grateful to her could it be granted:

let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him;

for the king; and supposing it would be acceptable to him and the rather engage him to come to it she invited his favourite; and chiefly that she might have an opportunity of accusing him before the king to his face and when alone.

 

Esther 5:5.  5 Then the king said “Bring Haman quickly that he may do as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

   YLT 5and the king saith `Haste ye Haman -- to do the word of Esther;' and the king cometh in and Haman unto the banquet that Esther hath made.

Then the king said cause Haman to make haste that he may do as Esther hath said ....

That is he ordered some of his servants to make haste and acquaint Haman with the queen's invitation and to press him to make haste to comply with it:

so the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared;

which was wisely done to prepare for what she had to say to the king when cheerful with wine and when she had her adversary with him alone.

 

Esther 5:6.  6 At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!”

   YLT 6And the king saith to Esther during the banquet of wine `What [is] thy petition? and it is given to thee; and what thy request? unto the half of the kingdom -- and it is done.'

And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine ....

For such it seems the banquet was she prepared; it was not properly a meal neither dinner nor supper but a drinking bout; or however it was at that part of the banquet in which wine was drank that the king accosted Esther when he began to be cheerful with it. The Persians at their meals had two courses: the first consisted of meats &c. at which they drank water the other of fruits when they drank wine; AelianusF9Var. Hist. l. 12. c. 1. says the Persians after they are filled with food indulge themselves in drinking wine:

what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed;

by which it appears he retained the same affection for Esther and the same disposition to show her kindness. See Esther 5:3.

 

Esther 5:7.  7 Then Esther answered and said “My petition and request is this:

   YLT 7And Esther answereth and saith `My petition and my request [is]:

Then answered Esther and said my petition and my request is.

What she should for the present make; the principal one she had to ask for wise reasons she still deferred.

 

Esther 5:8.  8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”

   YLT 8if I have found grace in the eyes of the king and if unto the king [it be] good to give my petition and to perform my request the king doth come and Haman unto the banquet that I make for them and to-morrow I do according to the word of the king.'

If I have found favour in the sight of the king ....

Or seeing she had; for it was a clear case she had both by his holding out the golden sceptre to her and by accepting her invitation to her banquet:

and if it please the king to grant my petition and to perform my request;

as he had been so gracious as to promise in such a large and liberal manner as before expressed:

let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them;

the Targum says in the evening; but from Esther 5:12 it appears to be on the morrow; and which agrees with what follows:

and I will do tomorrow as the king hath said;

make her petition and request to him; which she had deferred partly in hope of still increasing his affection to her and partly to prepare him to expect something of moment and importance to be asked of him. Jarchi restrains this to what he supposes the king had often importuned her to tell namely who were her people and her kindred.

 

Esther 5:9.  9 So Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and that he did not stand or tremble before him he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.

   YLT 9And Haman goeth forth on that day rejoicing and glad in heart and at Haman's seeing Mordecai in the gate of the king and he hath not risen nor moved for him then is Haman full of fury against Mordecai.

Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart ....

From court to his own house

but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate that he stood not up nor moved for him;

did not show him the least degree even of civil respect; which he refused to do partly lest it should be interpreted an adoration of him and partly because it was well known to him he had formed a scheme for the destruction of him and all his people; and the rather he refused it to him as Esther was about to make intercession with the king to revoke his decree of the success of which he had no doubt; and therefore had nothing to fear from him but treated him with the utmost contempt as he deserved:

he was full of wrath against Mordecai;

it was a sad mortification to him and a great allay of that joy and elation of mind on account of the favour he was in; not with the king only but the queen also as he imagined.

 

Esther 5:10.  10 Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh.

   YLT 10And Haman forceth himself and cometh in unto his house and sendeth and bringeth in his friends and Zeresh his wife

Nevertheless Haman refrained himself ....

From showing any outward resentment to Mordecai from laying hands upon him or taking revenge on him as being too much below him to avenge himself on a single person when the whole body of the people Mordecai belonged to would shortly feel the power of his hand for such insolent treatment of him:

and when he came home he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife;

who the Targum says was the daughter of Tatnai the governor on the other side the river Ezra 5:3.

 

Esther 5:11.  11 Then Haman told them of his great riches the multitude of his children everything in which the king had promoted him and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king.

   YLT 11and Haman recounteth to them the glory of his wealth and the abundance of his sons and all that with which the king made him great and with which he lifted him up above the heads and servants of the king.

And Haman told them of the glory of his riches ....

Of the multitude of them; which he did partly in a way of ostentation and partly if he could to make his mind easy under the mortification he received from Mordecai; and it may be chiefly to aggravate his rudeness and ill behaviour towards him a man of so much wealth: and the multitude of his children; he had ten as we learn from Esther 9:10 but the former Targum enlarges them beyond credit to the number of two hundred and eight besides his ten sons and Shimshai the scribe; such were had in great esteem with the Persians who had many children; to such the king used to send gifts annuallyF11Herodot Clio sive l. 1. c. 136. Strabo. Geograph. l. 15. p. 504. :

and all the things wherein the king had promoted him;

the high offices of honour and trust he had put him into:

and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

See Esther 3:1.

 

Esther 5:12.  12 Moreover Haman said “Besides Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her along with the king.

   YLT 12And Haman saith `Yea Esther the queen brought none in with the king unto the feast that she made except myself and also for to-morrow I am called to her with the king

Haman said moreover ....

To all which he added and what seemed to delight him most of all or however was a new additional honour done him:

yea Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself;

which he judged was doing him singular honour; and by the joint affection of the king and queen to him he thought himself established in his dignity and grandeur:

and tomorrow am I invited unto her also with the king;

had been invited not by a messenger but by the queen herself which was a double honour.

 

Esther 5:13.  13 Yet all this avails me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

   YLT 13and all this is not profitable to me during all the time that I am seeing Mordecai the Jew sitting in the gate of the king.'

Yet all this availeth me nothing ....

Is not equal or sufficient for me; it gives me no satisfaction and contentment:

so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate:

not rising up to bow unto him; this single circumstance spoiled all his joy and pleasure.

 

Esther 5:14.  14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him “Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.” And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made.

   YLT 14And Zeresh his wife saith to him and all his friends `Let them prepare a tree in height fifty cubits and in the morning speak to the king and they hang Mordecai on it and go thou in with the king unto the banquet rejoicing;' and the thing is good before Haman and he prepareth the tree.

Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him ....

His wife very probably first moved it and all his friends present approved of it and united in it:

let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high;

that the person hanged thereon might be seen at a distance and so be a greater reproach to him and a terror to others to take care they were not guilty of the same offence: Cartalo was ordered by his father to be fixed to the highest cross in the sight of the cityF12Justin e Trogo l. 18. c. 7. Vid. l. 22. c. 7. ; and it was usual for crosses to be erected very highF13Vid. Lipsium de Cruce l. 3. c. 13. both for that purpose and for greater infamy and disgraceF14Suetonius in Galba c. 9. :

and tomorrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon;

get a grant from him for it; of which they made no doubt since Haman had such an interest in him and had already obtained an order to destroy all Jews in his dominions:

then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet;

eased of the burden of his mind and honoured to be a guest with the royal pair:

and the thing pleased Haman and he caused the gallows to be made;

but it was for himself as it proved in the issue. See Esther 7:10.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

a.    Esther 5:1 Septuagint adds many extra details in verses 1 and 2.