Esther 5
1 Esther, adventuring on the king's favour, obtains the grace of the golden sceptre, and invites the king and Haman to a banquet.
6 She, being encouraged by the king in her suit, invites them to another banquet the next day.
9 Haman, proud of his advancement, repines at the contempt of Mordecai.
14 By the counsel of Zeresh he prepares for him a gallows.
third <07992> [on the.]
royal attire ..................... royal ..... palace <04438> [royal.]
inner <06442> [inner.]
sitting <03427> [sat.]
met <05375> [she.]
gold scepter ................ scepter <08275 02091> [golden sceptre.]
Queen ...... request <04436 01246> [What.]
half <02677> [to.]
inclined <02895> [If it seem.]
banquet <04960> [the banquet. {Mishteh,} from {shathah,} "to drink," a compotation. feast, or banquet accompanied with drinking; the drinking in the East being at the beginning, and not at the end of the entertainment.]
Olearius, describing an entertainment at the Persian court, says, "The floor of the hall was covered with cotton cloth, which was covered with all sorts of fruits and sweetmeats in basons of gold. With them was served up excellent Shiraz wine. After an hour's time, the sweetmeats were removed, to make way for the more substantial part of the entertainment, such as rice, boiled and roast mutton, etc. When the company had been at table an hour and a half, warm water was brought, in a ewer of gold, for washing; and grace being said, they began to retire without speaking a word, according to the custom of the country."
Haman ............... Haman <02001> [Cause Haman.]
king said <0559 04428> [the king said.]
perform ................. prepare ......... do <06213> [perform. Heb. do. let the king.]
Esther probably wished another interview, that she might ingratiate herself more fully into the king's favour, and thus secure the success of her design. But Providence disposed of things thus, to give time for the important event mentioned in the following chapter.
tomorrow <04279> [to-morrow.]
pleased ... very <08056> [joyful.]
rise <06965> [he stood not up.]
Haman ............. Haman .................. Haman ... filled <04390 02001> [he was full.]
restrained <0662> [refrained.]
went ........... friends ... join ... along <0157 0935> [called for his friends. Heb. caused his friends to come.]
Zeresh.
fabulous <03519> [the glory.]
many <07230> [the multitude.]
exalted <05375> [and how he had.]
Esther <0635> [Yea, Esther.]
Plutarch, in his life of Artaxerxes, informs us, that none but the king's mother, and his real wife, were permitted to sit at his table; and therefore he mentions it as a condescension in that prince, that he sometimes invited his brothers. Haman, therefore, had some reason to be proud of this favour.
tomorrow <04279> [to-morrow.]
fails <07737> [Yet all this.]
Pride will ever render its possessor unhappy. Haman, though possessed of immense riches, glory, and honour, and the prime favourite of his king, is wretched, because he could not have the homage of that man whom his heart even despised! Oh, how distressing are the inquietudes of pride and vanity.
Zeresh ...... said ............... tell <02238 0559> [said Zeresh.]
gallows ......................................... gallows <06086> [Let a gallows. Heb. Let a tree.]
said ............... tell ... king ............. king <0559 04428> [speak thou.]
go ........ contented <0935 08056> [go thou in.]
idea <01697> [the thing.]
built <06213> [he caused.]
