INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 5 This chapter gives an account of Esther's going in to the king, and of his holding out the golden sceptre to her, on which she invited him and Haman to a banquet of wine that day, and to another the next day, Esther 5:1, which highly delighted Haman; and he went to his hous... [ Continue Reading ]
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, 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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 af... [ Continue Reading ]
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 KINGD... [ Continue Reading ]
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 acceptabl... [ Continue Reading ]
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 P... [ Continue Reading ]
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 t... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 g... [ Continue Reading ]
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 interpret... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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;... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]