Esther 5:1-8
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.]
