Esther 7:7-10

B. Minister Doomed

TEXT: Esther 7:7-10

7

And the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.

8

Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the couch whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he even force the queen before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.

9

Then said Harbonah, one of the chamberlains that were before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman hath made for Mordecai, who spake good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. And the king said, Hang him thereon.

10

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

Today's English Version, Esther 7:7-10

The king got up in a fury, left the room, and went outside to the palace gardens. Haman could see that the king was determined to punish him for this, so he stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. He had just thrown himself down on Esther's couch to beg for mercy, when the king came back into the room from the gardens. Seeing this, the king cried out, Is this man going to rape the queen right here in front of me, in my own palace?
The king had no sooner said this than the eunuchs covered Haman's head. Then one of them, who was named Harbonah, said, Haman even went so far as to build a gallows at his house so that he could hang Mordecai, who saved Your Majesty's life. And it's seventy-five feet tall!
Hang Haman on it! the king commanded.
So Haman was hanged on the gallows that he had built for Mordecai. Then the king's anger cooled down.

COMMENTS

Esther 7:7-8 Faux Pas: The text pictures the king rising with suddenness and anger from the banquet. The banquet is called mishetteh of yayin or drinking bout of wine. In the feasts of Mesopotamian aristocracy food was not the main course; the time was mainly spent in drinking and eating desserts (cf. Herodotus 1:133; and Daniel 1:5rich food RSV; Daniel 5:1-4). The king strode angrily into the palace garden. He had been duped by this Haman who lied to him about the Jews being disobedient to Persian laws (cf. Esther 3:8). He knew his queen was aware he had been duped. Not only so, but he had been tricked into issuing an order to kill his beloved Esther! The king probably felt like killing Haman himself, but he bolted out into the palace garden to cool his anger and consider what he would do about his dilemma. He has issued a Persian law; the law of the Persians cannot be revoked; Haman has tricked him to order the death of his queen along with all the Jews; but Haman is second in the kingdomhis chief of staff as it were. What to do?

Meanwhile Haman began discretely at first to request that the queen spare his life. The Hebrew word is baqesh and is not quite as intense as the TEV beg. Since, however, discrete requesting did not move Esther, Haman proceeds to fall upon Esther's couch and implore her to spare his life. Haman knew the king well enough to interpret his actions. When the king rose angrily and strode into the palace garden, Haman knew he was in trouble.

Haman committed a serious faux pas (error, blunder, mistake) when he fell upon Esther's feasting couch. Apparently his only intention was to beg Esther to spare his life. He had no sooner fallen down beside her than the king entered the room having returned from the garden. The king's evaluation of what he saw is described by the Hebrew word likebosh which means to subdue by conquest. Actually there is another Hebrew word, shagal (cf. Isaiah 13:16), which is nearer the English word rape. Did the king think Haman was trying to rape her as the TEV translates, or did he think Haman was trying to assault her as if to kill her and thus force her to grant him his life? We think the latter more likely describes Haman's action. Whether the king innocently or deliberately misinterpreted Haman's posture on Esther's couch we may only conjecture. Some think he could plainly see that Haman was not beating or choking the queen and therefore the king deliberately misinterpreted Haman's posture to justify his decision to kill Haman. Whatever the case, the king's mighty eunuchs took it as a signal that Haman was a doomed man and that he should be taken into custody to await execution. According to Roman historians Livy (1:26) and Cicero (4:13) and some of the Greek historians, it was customary to place a hood or covering over the face of a condemned man who was no longer worthy to see the light. The Greeks and Romans must have copied the practice from the Persians.

Esther 7:9-10 Finished: Harbonah was one of the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of the king (Esther 1:10) and was one of those sent to bring in Vashti. He apparently was well informed of Haman's plot to have Mordecai executed because he knew all about the tree 50 cubits high upon which Mordecai was to be impaled. This is the first time we are told that Haman had put the tree in the courtyard of his own house. This information adds a touch of sadistic barbarity to the characterization of Haman. He wanted to personally witness the gruesome death of his enemy Mordecai. Harbonah also knew that Morcdecai had spoken good toward the king in the past. He knew Mordecai's persecution by Haman was not justified.

The king cried out immediately, Hang him thereon! Haman did not get a trial by a jury of his peers. There were no other witnesses called to confirm his guiltnone were needed. Esther had described him for what he was and the king knew it was true for the king himself had been deceived by the wicked man. Harbonah's information indicated Haman had a special grudge against Mordecai and had intended to enjoy executing Mordecai before the date set by the decree to exterminate the Jews,

But what Haman had planned for an innocent man, turned out to be his own fateand that justifiably. The writer of Proverbs said, Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him (Proverbs 26:27). How true! Listen also to the words of the Psalmist, I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. (Psalms 37:35-37).

We may learn the following lessons from this chapter:

1.

A nation's best resources are industrious, obedient citizens.

2.

Money cannot replace people.

3.

Evil and wicked people who would unjustly harm others must be identified.

4.

Our actions are not always what they appear to be to those who see them through eyes of anger.

5.

The wickedness that men do and the good that men do is often observed by those least expected to have observed it. (e.g. Harbonah)

6.

Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein.