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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 5
The king receives Esther—She invites him and Haman to a
banquet—Haman plans to have Mordecai hanged.
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1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court,
that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden
asceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of
the sceptre.
3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what
is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the ahalf of the kingdom.
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2a
Esth. 4:11
3a
Mark 6:23
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4 And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.
5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
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6 ¶ And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy
apetition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to
the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.
7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is;
8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king
to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the
abanquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath
said.
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6a
Esth. 7:2
8a
Esth. 6:14
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9 ¶ Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when
Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he astood not up, nor moved for him,
he was full of indignation against Mordecai.
10 Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.
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6a
Esth. 3:5
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11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his
children, and all the things wherein the king had apromoted him, and how he
had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king.
13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.
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11a
Esth. 3:1
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14 ¶ Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a
agallows be made of fifty cubits higha,
and to morrow speak thou unto the king that
Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the
thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.
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14a fifty cubits high A cubit is traditionally from
the end of the elbow to the tip of the center finger. This does not yield an absolute standard as
that length difers between persons. Roughly it is just over 20 inches. Thus 50 cubits would be
(50X20) or a 1,000 inches. This would mean that the gallows stood over 80 feet tall. Haman was
prepared to put on quite a show of his hanging the Jew Mordecai, which would also highly symbolize
to all Jews that destruction that was about to also come upon each of them as well. In other words,
Mordecai was the 'Jewish' presence in or of the palace representing the Jewish people and Haman was
prepared to display forth that the end of the Jews was at had. This would have meant every Jew in
the Persian Empire, even those of Jerusalem who had rebuilt their temple and walled their city under
such as Cyrus and Darius. And in this it was a real smack in the face not only to the Jews but to
that realm which had been favorably treating the Jews. And it would have said their is a change in
the government's policies and it is such as so associated with Haman. In this Haman was not a friend
to the kingdom, but an enemy and trader as well.
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14a
Esth. 7:9
b
Esth. 6:4
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