Esther 5

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. Esther 5:1

Commentators feel that Esther went to the king on the third day, after some 40 or 45 hours of fasting. [1] This was really a “do or die” occasion and no doubt, bystanders gasped that she appeared before the king uninvited. For this meeting, she dressed in her finest royal robes. McConville says, “From the moment of Esther’s entry into the inner court she has the air, not of a sacrificial victim, but of a queen.” [2] Apparently, the queen stood in the inner court and was visible from the king’s throne.

When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. (5:2). What we might have here in scripture is but a brief summary of this reception. It is interesting that both the historian Josephus (Antiq. 11. 6. 9) and the Septuagint Greek Translation (LXX) may have some details of the meeting. In both accounts, Esther saw the king arrayed in his glorious garments and giving her a stern and terrifying look. With that, Esther fainted and fell against one of her servant girls. The king immediately sprang up from his throne, took her in his arms and comforted her. He also put his golden scepter upon her. We cannot think that all this happened because of Esther’s charms. Proverbs 21:1 says: “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will” (ESV).

Getting to touch the golden scepter was of great importance, meaning that the one approaching the king without an invitation would not die but live and be accepted. Jamieson and associates report on Persian and Assyrian bas-reliefs showing Darius with his slender scepter or wand about the length of his own height. [3] This picture has a lot of implications for us because our God in a spiritual sense holds out his golden scepter of salvation to each of us. The Bible says, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings…” (Heb. 10:22). In repentance and faith, we can come and touch this salvation scepter, have our sins forgiven, be granted eternal life and receive full salvation.

“Then the king asked, ‘What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you’” (5:3). The king knew that Esther had a very important request since she came to see him at the risk of her life. The pledge of giving half his kingdom was only a manner of speaking in the royal courts (cf. Mk. 6:23). McConville relates: “Kings were wont to make extravagant offers at such moments, more or less by way of a compliment, and without the intention that they be taken literally.” [4] Apparently, on one occasion a certain woman by the name of Artaynte took advantage of Xerxes and asked for one of his beautiful robes. That whole request ended in disaster. [5]

“‘If it pleases the king,’ replied Esther, ‘let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him’” (5:4). It is very interesting, that in a book in which the divine name is not mentioned, there is a seeming revelation of it in this verse. The initial Hebrew letters to the phrase “Let the king come today” spell out the divine name (YHWH). [6] Utley mentions a thing or two about Persian etiquette: “Usually Persian kings ate alone, possibly joined from time to time by family or someone from the seven special families. For Esther to invite the king for a private meal was unusual, but to also invite Haman would have been highly unusual.” [7] Esther, with the Lord’s help, demonstrates a great deal of skill in keeping the king in suspense and keeping Haman involved.

“‘Bring Haman at once,’ the king said, ‘so that we may do what Esther asks.’ So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared” (5:5). Anders enlightens us a bit more on the customs of that time: “In Near Eastern culture no serious discussions were conducted while eating. Once the meal was finished and they entered the more relaxed atmosphere of drinking wine, then important issues were allowed.” [8] From what we have seen so far, the drinking of wine might have been the king’s most favorite part of the meal.

“As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, ‘Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted’” (5:6). Undoubtedly, this was a nervous point for Esther. Somehow the queen did not feel at peace about making her request at this moment. The Bible says that there is a time for every purpose under heaven (Eccl. 3:1). The Holy Spirit, who often came upon Old Testament people, may have been whispering to Esther “not now,” “wait on the Lord.”

“Esther replied, ‘My petition and my request is this: If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question’” (5:7-8). Some might think that Esther was too afraid to present her request and wanted to put it off to another day. More than likely, the Lord was directing her request. As the story goes on, we will see that some things had to happen in God’s plan before her request was made. “Timing is everything” as they say. Both the king and Haman got to spend a night in suspense. God wanted to do some things for the king and for Haman before Esther’s next banquet.

McConville wonders: “Esther’s first dinner is for the king (v. 4). Her second, however, is for the king and Haman (v. 8). There is just a hint here that Esther’s purpose is to sow a resentment in the king’s mind and have him think that this Haman was staking too big a claim both in the kingdom and in his wife’s esteem.” [9] God had to be in it because kings are not in the habit of waiting around.

Haman’s Rage Builds

Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. Esther 5:9

Guzik says: “Miserable Haman! Honored by both the King and Queen of Persia, yet the disapproval of one man makes him feel worthless. This is an accurate description of how empty the rewards of this world are…” [10] Haman reminds us a lot of a yo-yo, in that he keeps on rapidly going up and down in his emotions.

“ Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials” (5:10-11). At least Haman did not vent his rage on Mordecai. That would have made his bad situation a lot worse. Instead, he went home and began to gloat before his wife, children and friends.

Wiersbe says: “Many theologians are of the conviction that pride is the very essence of sin…Someone has said that pride is the only known disease that makes everybody sick except the person who has it.” [11] Pride even makes its possessor sick, but it is a deadly spiritual sickness that will result in eternal ruin.

Haman boasted in his ten sons. Herodotus (Hist 1. 136) tells us that both the Hebrews and Persians considered that a large number of sons was a sign of divine blessing. It is good to have a healthy pride in our children if we remember that they are gifts from God and that we cannot take credit for them ourselves.

“‘And that’s not all,’ Haman added. ‘I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate’” (5:12-13). Clarke says: “He has such a high opinion of his own worth, that he conceives himself defrauded by everyone who does not pay him all the respect and homage which he conceives to be his due.” [12] Haman, because of his great pride, and because of Mordecai slighting him, simply could not enjoy the great blessings heaped upon him.

His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, ‘Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.’ This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up” (5:14). Most all the other translations use the word “gallows” here. However, hanging was not a practice in the ancient world. The Persians either crucified or impaled their victims. The NIV has it right here that Haman set up the mechanism to impale Mordecai. We have described this cruel and exceedingly painful punishment in 2:23. The sharpened pole itself was certainly not fifty cubits high (75 feet or 25 meters). What Haman likely did was set the sharpened pole upon some high point or on a wall of the city. He wanted Haman to suffer a painful, humiliating death in front of all the city’s population. [13]

There is a scripture that describes the folly of Haman’s evil plan. “Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment. Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made. The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads” (Psa. 7:14-16).

Footnotes

1. Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah & Esther, The New American Commentary, p. 339.

2. McConville, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, p. 175.

3. Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Commentary on Esther, v. 5:2.

4. McConville, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, p. 176.

5. Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah & Esther, The New American Commentary, p. 339.

6. Ibid.

7. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Esther, v. 5:4.

8. Anders, g. ed. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Holman Old Testament Commentary, p. 329.

9. McConville, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, p. 177.

10. Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Esther, vs. 5:9-13.

11. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, pp. 810, 811.

12. Clarke, The Adam Clarke Commentary, Commentary on Esther, v. 5:13.

13. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 811.