The Book of Esther

Chapter 5

Ephesians
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that
worketh in us,

1. The of Ahasuerus - Exaltation (Chapters 1-2)

2. The of Mordecai - Persecution (Chapters 3-4)
3. The of Esther – Preservation (Chapters 5-7)

Verse 1
1. This “third day” is in reference to the three days of (Esther 4:16).
2. Esther wisely appropriately for her visit to the king.
3. Esther entered in and stood in the inner court, which was the entrance to the pillared hall at the opposite end of which
the king sat on his throne.

Verses 2-5
1. “When the king saw Esther... she obtained favor” (verse 2).
• Esther was in her royal robes which would Esther and
Ahasuerus.
• “ ” tells us that King Ahasuerus would not be quick to reject a beautifully attired woman.
• Xerxes was not offended by her unexpected visit. To the contrary, he welcomed her warmly.
2. The scepter was the symbol of .
• Extending the king's scepter was in those days an official token of (Esther 4:11).
• When the scepter was extended, the person received would then step forward and touch the scepter.
• Touching the scepter was an act that showed and gratitude to the king.
3. Esther knew her royal etiquette and demonstrated wisdom in her clothes.
4. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? – When Ahasuerus made the offer to Esther, he
addressed her as “ Esther.”
5. “It shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.”
• This is a symbolic promise not as a literal promise.
• It was a phrase used by kings to mean that they would be very (Mark 6:23).
6. “Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I
have prepared for him” (verse 4).
• Esther did not request help for the Jews without the king for such a big decision.
• The nature of Esther's request required that it should be made in a more place.
• Esther wanted Haman to be present when she made her request to the king.
7. “Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman
came to the banquet that Esther had prepared” (verse 5).
• The king's instructions to his servants to “cause Haman to make haste” indicated that the king was very
interested in this banquet.
• Ahasuerus liked eating and drinking and beautiful women. Esther knew what would appeal to him.

Verses 6-8
1. The Hebrew word translated “ ” here is the same word translated “feast” in Chapters 1 & 2.
• The Hebrew word is translated “banquet” only in Esther.
• It refers to a feast accompanied by .
2. “And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee; and
what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed” (verse 6).
• The king’s question repeated his offer he had made to Esther when she first came to see him.
• The question by Ahasuerus indicated that he recognized that this “banquet of wine” was not the main reason
why Esther risked her life to come into his presence.
3. “If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition and to perform my
request” (verse 8).
• Esther's “petition and... request” was an to another banquet.
• She needed his support and so she certainly did not want to upset him by lack of respect.
4. “Let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them... tomorrow” (verse 8).
• Esther was intentionally postponing her request in order to give to it and to
adequately prepare the king to respond favorably.
• She was acting with planned deliberation to help insure a favorable response from the king.
5. “I will do tomorrow as the king hath said” (verse 8).
• This promise let the king know that Esther was not playing games or stringing the king along indefinitely.
• It told the king that tomorrow at the second feast she would definitely tell the king her main request.
Verses 9-14
1. The real stimuli of Haman's gladness was his ignorance and arrogance.
2. “Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself?” (Esther 6:6).
• Because of his , Haman was easily deceived about the reason for the banquet invitations.
• His pride would keep him from suspecting any other reason for the invitations than his being so honorable.
3. “But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of
indignation against Mordecai” (verse 9).
• Mordecai's refusal to respect Haman really Haman.
• It stole Haman's joy about Esther's invitations and made his hatred for Mordecai greater than before.
• Mordecai did NOT in respect of an high official when he passed by.
• To be “ ” meant to tremble in an outward display of awe to the person.
• “Indignation” refers to anger.
4. “Nevertheless Haman refrained himself” (verse 10) - This restraint by Haman to retaliate against Mordecai only
restrained his actions for a more time and a more cruel means.
5. When Haman “came home” after Esther's first banquet, “he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife”
(verse 10).
6. “Haman told them of the glory of his riches” (verse 11).
• He was indeed a very wealthy man.
• Haman offered a bribe so large that historians tell us it was upwards to two-thirds of the annual income of the
nation of Persia.
7. “And Haman told them of the glory of... the multitude of his children” (verse 11).
• Haman had sons (Esther 9:14).
• It was regarded as the greatest proof of manly excellence in Persia to be the father of many sons.
8. “Haman told them of the glory of... all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced
him above the princes and servants of the king” (verse 11).
9. “Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she
had prepared but myself; and tomorrow am I invited unto her also with the king” (verse 12).
• Haman did not realize the real reason for the preference of the queen for Haman.
• Such an invitation would mean great favor and honor.
• The news of this fame would be new to Haman's wife and friends, for they would not have known of his
attendance at the first banquet and the invitation to the second banquet until he arrived home.
10. When Haman finished his gloating, he told his wife and friends about his great gripe over Mordecai.
11. “Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made” (verse 14).
12. “Let a gallows be made” (verse 14).
• The word “ ” is translated from the Hebrew word which means wood or tree.
• The Persians did not execute by hanging people from a rope. Rather, they would impale a person on a pole
and hoist it up in the air for people to see.
13. The gallows here were “fifty cubits high” which is about feet high.
14. “And tomorrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon” (verse 14).
• He had to get from the king to execute a person.
• Haman's wife and friends were so certain that Haman would receive the permission that they advised building
the “gallows” permission was even asked.