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Texts -- Esther 5:1-8 (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 .

Pericope

NET
  • Est 5:1-8 -- Esther Appeals to the King for Help

Bible Dictionary

  • BANQUET

    [ebd] a feast provided for the entertainment of a company of guests (Esther 5; 7; 1 Pet. 4:3); such as was provided for our Lord by his friends in Bethany (Matt. 26:6; Mark 14:3; comp. John 12:2). These meals were in the days of C...
    [isbe] BANQUET - ban'-kwet. 1. The Ancient Hebrew Customs: (1) "Banquet" and "banqueting" in the King James Version always include and stand for wine-drinking, not simply "feast" or "feasting" in our sense. Thus (Song 2:4), "He bro...

  • Haman

    [nave] HAMAN Prime minister of Ahasuerus, Esth. 3:1. Plotted against Esther and the Jews, thwarted by Esther and Mordecai, hanged, Esth. 3-9.

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • King

    [nave] KING Called King of kings, Ezra 7:12; Ezek. 26:7; Dan. 2:37. Divinely authorized, Deut. 17:15; 1 Sam. 9:16, 17; 16:12; 1 Chr. 22:10; 2 Chr. 2:11, 12; Prov. 8:15; Dan. 2:21, 37; 4:17; 5:20; Hos. 8:4; 13:11. How chosen: By d...

  • Tact

    [nave] TACT Prov. 15:1; 25:15. In preaching, 1 Cor. 9:19-22; 2 Cor. 12:6. Of Gideon, Judg. 8:1-3. Of Saul, in managing malcontents, 1 Sam. 10:27; 11:7, 12-15. Nabal's wife, Abigail, 1 Sam. 25:18-37. In David's popular methods:...

  • Servant

    [nave] SERVANT Distinguished as bond servant, who was a slave, and hired servant. Bond Laws of Moses concerning, Ex. 21:1-11, 20, 21, 26, 27, 32; Lev. 19:20-22; 25:6, 10, 35-55; Deut. 15:12, 14, 18; 24:7. Kidnapping forbidden, D...

  • Courage

    [nave] COURAGE Enjoined upon Joshua, Deut. 31:7, 8, 22, 23; Josh. 1:1-9; the Israelites, Lev. 26:6-8; 2 Chr. 32:7, 8; Solomon, 1 Chr. 22:13; 28:20; Asa, 2 Chr. 15:1-7. Enjoined by Jehoshaphat upon the judicial and executive office...

  • Esther

    [nave] ESTHER, called also Hadassah. Niece of Mordecai, Esth. 2:7, 15. Chosen queen, Esth. 2:17. Tells the king of the plot against his life, Esth. 2:22. Fasts on account of the decree to destroy the Israelites; accuses Haman to ...

  • BIRTHDAY

    [isbe] BIRTHDAY - burth'-da: (1) The custom of observing birthdays of great men, especially of kings, was widespread in ancient times (see Gen 40:20 f, "the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday," etc.; compare 2 Macc 6:7; and He...

  • Scepter

    [nave] SCEPTER A staff used by kings to signify favor or disfavor to those who desired audience, Esth. 5:2; 8:4. A symbol of authority, Num. 24:17; Isa. 14:5. Made of gold, Esth. 4:11; of iron, Psa. 2:9; Rev. 2:27; 12:5. Figurat...

  • Procrastination

    [nave] PROCRASTINATION. Ex. 22:29; Prov. 27:1; Ezek. 11:2, 3; Ezek. 12:22, 27, 28; Matt. 8:21 Luke 9:59, 61. Matt. 24:48-51; Matt. 25:2-13; Luke 9:59-62; Acts 24:25; 1 Thess. 5:2, 3; Heb. 3:7-19 Heb. 4:1-7. See: Excuses. Instance...

  • ATTITUDES

    [isbe] ATTITUDES - at'-i-tuds: Customs change slowly in Bible lands. This becomes clear by a comparison of the many references found in the Bible and other literatures of the Orient with existing circumstances and conditions. The s...

  • Wine

    [nave] WINE Made from grapes, Gen. 40:11; 49:11; Isa. 25:6; Jer. 40:10, 12; from pomegranates, Song 8:2. Kept in jars, Jer. 13:12; 48:12; in skins, Josh. 9:4, 13; Job 32:19; Matt. 9:17; Luke 5:37, 38; in bottles, Josh. 9:4, 13; Jo...

  • ESTHER, BOOK OF

    [isbe] ESTHER, BOOK OF - 1. The Canonicity of Esther 2. Its Authorship 3. Its Date 4. Its Contents 5. The Greek Additions 6. The Attacks upon the Book 7. Some of the Objections 8. Confirmations of the Book This book completes the h...

  • GOOD

    [isbe] GOOD - good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible. (1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very f...

  • SCEPTRE; SCEPTER

    [isbe] SCEPTRE; SCEPTER - sep'-ter (shebheT, sharbhiT, expanded form in Est 4:11; 5:2; 8:4; rhabdos (Additions to Esther 15:11; Heb 1:8), skeptros): A rod or mace used by a sovereign as a symbol of royal authority. The Hebrew shebh...

  • Feasts

    [nave] FEASTS Ancient customs at: Men alone present at, Gen. 40:20; 43:32, 34; 1 Sam. 9:22; Esth. 1:8; Mark 6:21; Luke 14:24; women alone, Esth. 1:9. Men and women attend, Ex. 32:6, with vs. 2,3;Dan. 5:1-3. Riddles propounded at,...

  • HEAD

    [isbe] HEAD - hed (ro'-sh, Aramaic re'sh, and in special sense gulgoleth, literally, "skull," "cut-off head" (1 Ch 10:10), whence Golgotha (Mt 27:33; Mk 15:22; Jn 19:17); mera'ashah, literally, "head-rest," "pillow," "bolster" (1 K...

  • Indecision

    [nave] INDECISION. 1 Kin. 18:21; Hos. 10:2; Matt. 6:24; Matt. 26:41; Jas. 1:8; Jas. 4:17 See: Decision; Instability; Lukewarmness. Instances of Moses at the Red Sea, Ex. 14:15. Joshua at Ai, Josh. 7:10. Esther, Esth. 5:8. Rul...

  • MEALS

    [smith] Our information on the subject of meals is but scanty. The early Hebrews do not seem to have given special names to their several meals, for the terms rendered "dine" and "dinner" in the Authorized Version ((Genesis 43:16; Pr...

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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...
  • 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...
  • 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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