Esther - Lesson 5

• Review:

• Chapter 1 of Esther introduces King Ahasuerus as a king over the Persian empire around 484-481 BCE ruling from the capital city of Susa.

  • This was a time the empire was preparing to go to war with the Greeks.

  • The second part of chapter 1 unveils Queen Vashti’s refusal of the command from King Ahasuerus to come display her royal crown and her beauty, and how an edict was brought by the 7 advisors to the King for the disgrace brought upon the King and kingdom.

• In Chapter 2 we were introduced to Esther and Mordecai as the search for a new queen was carried out.

  • Esther is crowned queen and Mordecai saves the life of the king.

• Chapter 3 introduces Haman, who is elevated by king Ahasuerus, and shunned by Mordecai, and displays he is the enemy of the Jews with intensions to exterminate them from the kingdom.

• Chapter 4 displays the response to Haman’s edict of Jewish extermination by Mordecai and the Jews mourning and Esther’s decision to approach the king.

Esth. 5:1 Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace in front of the king’s rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace.
Esth. 5:2 When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter.
Esth. 5:3 Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.”
Esth. 5:4 Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

• In verse 1 the stage is set for the dramatic climax of the previous chapter’s events.

  • The time period these events take place is established on the third day.

  • To be clear this is the third day from the last events.

  • This would be the final day of the fasting for the Jews in the city of Susa and for Esther and her maidens.

• Esther begins by being arrayed in her royal robes.

  • She would be going before the king as his queen.

• She places herself in the inner court of the king’s palace.

  • The setting details include the fact this is in front of the king’s rooms.

• The narrator also details the location of the king as he was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace.

• The stage has been set.

  • If we can put ourself in the moment with Esther we might imagine the array of emotions she may be experiencing.

  • She might be anxious as she stands in a public violation of a known law.

  • She does not know the outcome but she does know one of the possible scenarios would be for the king to have her executed.

  • She may also be completely at peace as she is doing what God has led her to do and she knows she and all the Jews in Susa have been fasting and praying to God for this moment.

• Imagine those who are in attendance to the king as they witness this moment.

  • It may be silent or there may be a low mummer at this shocking display from the queen.

• Verse 2 unveils the dramatic moment in beautiful detail.

  • First the king saw Esther standing in the court.

  • The king had a decision to make and it appears he makes this decision quickly, without conferring with his advisors as the scriptures say she obtained favor in his site.

• Because Esther has found favor with the king he extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. This would have been a very dramatic moment.

  • The sense of relief for Esther would have been great.

• In response to the offering of the scepter by the king Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter.

  • The open response of the king is the beginning of what is to be accomplished by Esther.

  • She must be relying on God each moment as she precedes into some very dangerous territory.

    • Remember the palace was a dangerous place filled with intrigue and cunning and evil motives.

• Verse 3 describes the words spoken by the king to Esther as he asks, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request?”

• The only reason someone would approach the king would be to bring something of significance to his attention.

  • A request for his action in some way.

• The king offers to solve any problem the queen might have with an interesting phrase, “Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.”

• Is the king literally offering Esther half his kingdom?

• There is another use of this exact phrase in the NT that can help us discern what is being offered here.

Mark 6:21 A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee;
Mark 6:22 and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.”
Mark 6:23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to  half of my kingdom.”
Mark 6:24 And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”
Mark 6:25 Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
Mark 6:26 And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her.

• Herod is recorded as using the exact same phrase as King Ahasuerus in v 23, then in v 26 the words were clarified to be seen as Herod taking an oath before witnesses.

• It appears this phrase was used to communicate that whatever request was made would be granted, and it is a promise in front of others before the request is made known.

• In the book of Esther the king is communicating to Esther from his throne in front of witnesses that he will grant her request, even before she makes her request known.

• The king trusts Esther.

• In verse 4 Esther addresses the king with what we have seen to be a standard beginning to any address to the king,“If it pleases the king”, then she makes her request know, “may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

  • Esther had already prepared the banquet before she knew what the outcome would be of her approaching the king.

  • Esther has already prepared the banquet before requesting the king to attend.

  • Esther not only invites the king but she includes an invitation to the man of power behind the throne by inviting Haman.

    • This request is being made with a high risk to her life and this may be a signal there is something of a more private yet important topic to be discussed with the king.

Esth. 5:5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly that we may do as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
Esth. 5:6 As they drank their wine at the banquet, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.”
Esth. 5:7 So Esther replied, “My petition and my request is:
Esth. 5:8 if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and do what I request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king says.”

• Verse 5 indicates the king is eager to know what Esther wants to tell him as the king asks for Haman to be brought quickly as Esther has requested his presence at the banquet.

  • First observation is Haman was not with the king.

  • Second the king does not ask Esther exactly why she has come before him without being summoned.

  • This was a big deal and one would expect there to be a question on the king’s mind.

  • There is no question asked as to why Esther would want Haman at the banquet.

  • Esther including Haman would not seem out of the ordinary as Haman was the man understood to carry out work for the king.

• It is curious why Esther does not just tell the king of her concerns.

  • Keep in mind Esther was not even sure if she would have lived to make a request.

    • Esther either has an elaborate plan or Esther is going step by step looking for confirmation and direction from God in what to do next.

• It is assumed Haman will be able to attend because that is the king’s desire.

• The verse confirms that both the king and Haman came to the banquet Esther had prepared.

• Verse 6 at the beginning of the banquet when the guest drink their wine the king asks Esther again, “What is your petition, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.”

• It is clear the king is aware Esther has not put her petition, or request out to him yet.

  • The banquet was to be the place this petition would be clarified.

  • The king is still promising he will give Esther whatever her request is, and now Haman witness to the king’s response.

• Verses 7 and 8 highlight Esther’s response as she says her petition and request are to have the king and Haman in attendance for another banquet.

• This second request does seem a bit strange since the men are already gathered for a banquet.

  • There are no questions about why Esther can’t just put forth her petition and request now.

• Esther simply says if you can come to a banquet tomorrow I will make my petition and request known.

  • I will not delay beyond tomorrow.

• We must remember Esther was not sure if the king would grant her an audience when she approached the throne without being summoned in the first place.

• There may have been things she felt led to have in place before she makes her request and petition known to the king including doing that in front of Haman.

• She may have already obtained or was seeking after counsel on how to proceed in this matter.

• Esther showed wisdom in seeking counsel in the past before preceding with the king.

Esth. 2:15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.

• There is now another eunuch of the king, Hathach, whom the king had appointed to attend Esther.

  • He had been given a copy of the edict by Mordecai and knew all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries.

  • This may have been a source of guidance for Esther, however this is not confirmed in the scriptures for us.

Esth. 5:9 Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai.
Esth. 5:10 Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.
Esth. 5:11 Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the king.
Esth. 5:12 Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king.
Esth. 5:13 “Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
Esth. 5:14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.

• In verse 9 it is clear Haman was in a good mood. He felt the day had gone well being invited to a banquet with the king at a special invitation of the queen.

  • The scriptures specifically say he was ‘pleased of heart’, which is another way of saying he was full of himself. His pride was inflamed.

• All of this happiness and self congratulatory feelings dissipate in a moment as he witnesses Mordecai in the king’s gate not standing up to acknowledge his passing by or trembling before him. It would be an obvious gesture by Mordecai as he has not given in to obey the edict of the king.

  • The other men who served in the king’s gate would have been bowing down and demonstrating fear of Haman at a level to invoke trembling.

• Now that the edict to exterminate the Jews has been issued Mordecai’s still does not bow down or give homage, Mordecai does not fear Haman.

• Remember this is the same day Esther went before the king as we saw in verse 1 and so he would still be participating in the three day fast, yet Moredcai is in the king’s gate doing the work as he has always done.

  • Mordecai is not drawing attention to himself in his fasting.

  • His righteousness is seen by not drawing attention to himself.

  • The impact of this lack of demanded respect to Haman fills him with rage against Mordecai.

• Verse 10 begins by stating Haman controlled himself.

  • This clarification is given to describe Haman was filled with rage but he did not display that rage while he was in public.

  • That raged burned inside of him all the way home.

• Haman made a decision to go to his home and request his friends and his wife Zeresh come to him.

• Verse 11 Haman seeks to relieve his rage by finding an audience to hear about how wonderful he is, beginning with recounting for them the glory of his riches.

  • He reminds his audience of the blessing of his numerous sons.

  • Then Haman recounts each and every thing he had done where the king magnified him and how these events allowed the king to promote him above all the other princes and servants of the king.

  • Haman is displaying his grandiose pride.

• Verse 12 details how Haman felt about being uniquely invited to attend a banquet with the king and the special invitation was extended to him by the queen.

  • The words display his ecstatic joy and self satisfaction.

• Verse 13 brings Haman’s heart issue into center focus when he confesses that all of these amazing achievements melt away from his heart every time he see’s Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.

• The focus is not about Mordecai not bowing and paying homage here, it is simply that Mordecai is a Jew and that he is sitting in the king’s gate.

  • Haman can’t stand seeing a Jew in a position of authority.

  • He has a deep seeded hatred of Jews and now that is clearly identified in the scriptures.

• Haman is not satisfied knowing the edict was going to take care of his Mordecai problem in the future, he wants to be rid of Mordecai immediately.

• In verse 14 those who Haman have gathered around him continue with their enabling, ego building by fueling Haman’s irrational desire to be done with Mordecai.

  • They give a suggestion to Haman of how to go about getting rid of Mordecai promptly.

• The first step for Haman to begin the process of eliminating his source of anger and rage is to build a gallows fifty cubits high.

• Fifty cubits is seventy five feet (1 cubit = 1.5 feet) which is about the height of a six story building.

  • Something that would be taller than the surrounding trees.

• Once the gallows have been completed all Haman has to do is get approval from the king. There does not seem to be a concern that the king would deny Haman’s request.

  • This is probably not the first time Haman had asked for something from the king and it would seem the king gives Haman everything he asks for without question.

• Hanging would be the practice of impaling a person on a pointed stake until dead with the body left for public view.

  • The gallows would be built in a place where many would see the body and be fearful of offending Haman in the future.

• Haman’s wife and his friends all conclude once this horrific and brutal event is complete then Haman will be able to joyfully go with the king to the banquet.

• This is confirmation that Haman did not know about the relationship between Esther and Mordecai, for he would not plan to kill her father and then expect to share a joyous banquet with Esther later the same day.

• To no one’s surprise Haman is please with this advice and has the gallows made.

• Haman has no doubt his request will be granted by the king, as he has the gallows built before approaching the king with his requests.