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Texts -- Esther 5:1-14 (NET)

Context
Esther Appeals to the King for Help
5:1 It so happened that on the third day Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner court of the palace , opposite the king’s quarters . The king was sitting on his royal throne in the palace , opposite the entrance . 5:2 When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court , she met with his approval . The king extended to Esther the gold scepter that was in his hand , and Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter . 5:3 The king said to her, “What is on your mind, Queen Esther ? What is your request ? Even as much as half the kingdom will be given to you!” 5:4 Esther replied , “If the king is so inclined , let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.” 5:5 The king replied , “Find Haman quickly so that we can do as Esther requests .” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared . 5:6 While at the banquet of wine , the king said to Esther , “What is your request ? It shall be given to you. What is your petition ? Ask for as much as half the kingdom , and it shall be done !” 5:7 Esther responded , “My request and my petition is this: 5:8 If I have found favor in the king’s sight and if the king is inclined to grant my request and perform my petition , let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. At that time I will do as the king wishes .
Haman Expresses His Hatred of Mordecai
5:9 Now Haman went forth that day pleased and very much encouraged . But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate , and he did not rise nor tremble in his presence, Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai . 5:10 But Haman restrained himself and went on to his home . He then sent for his friends to join him, along with his wife Zeresh . 5:11 Haman then recounted to them his fabulous wealth , his many sons , and how the king had magnified him and exalted him over the king’s other officials and servants . 5:12 Haman said , “Furthermore , Queen Esther invited only me to accompany the king to the banquet that she prepared ! And also tomorrow I am invited along with the king . 5:13 Yet all of this fails to satisfy me so long as I have to see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate .” 5:14 Haman’s wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows seventy-five feet high built , and in the morning tell the king that Mordecai should be hanged on it. Then go with the king to the banquet contented .” It seemed like a good idea to Haman , so he had the gallows built .

Pericope

NET
  • Est 5:1-8 -- Esther Appeals to the King for Help
  • Est 5:9-14 -- Haman Expresses His Hatred of Mordecai

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • I. God's preparations 1:1-2:20A. Vashti deposed ch. 11. The king's feast 1:1-92. The queen's dismissal 1:10-22B. Esther elevated 2:1-201. The plan to replace Vashti 2:1-42. Esther's selection 2:5-113. The choice of Esther as ...
  • This chapter records the providential circumstances whereby Esther was able to rise to her influential position with the Persian king."Though no mention is made of God's providence, it nevertheless plays a prominent part, and...
  • We know no details concerning the identities of the assassins or the reasons they hated Ahasuerus. Extra-biblical sources have not yet clarified these matters, though the commentators love to speculate. Mordecai's position in...
  • Chapters 5-7 carry us to the climax of our story. They show how God providentially preserved and protected His people.
  • Here we have another remarkable example of how God controls the hearts of kings (v. 2; Prov. 21:1; cf. Gen. 39-41; Ezra 1:1-4; Neh. 2; Dan. 2; 3; 4; 5; Acts 2:23). "To half of the kingdom"(v. 3) is hyperbole and means, "I wil...
  • God had obviously kept Haman from discovering Esther's relationship to Mordecai."It was an unusual honor to be invited to a banquet with the queen, for Persian officials were protective of their wives."80The Persians placed g...
  • 14:1-2 "At that time"is again a loose connective not intended to communicate chronological sequence necessarily. Herod Antipas lived primarily at Tiberias on the west shore of Lake Galilee.579Word about Jesus' ministry reache...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

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