Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, next to the king's house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house. +
Es 5:1-14.
ESTHER
INVITES THE
KING AND
HAMAN TO A
BANQUET.
1. Esther put on her royal apparel--It was not only natural, but, on
such occasions, highly proper and expedient, that the queen should
decorate herself in a style becoming her exalted station. On ordinary
occasions she might reasonably set off her charms to as much advantage
as possible; but, on the present occasion, as she was desirous to
secure the favor of one who sustained the twofold character of her
husband and her sovereign, public as well as private considerations--a
regard to her personal safety, no less than the preservation of her
doomed countrymen--urged upon her the propriety of using every
legitimate means of recommending herself to the favorable notice of
Ahasuerus.
the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against
the gate of the house--The palace of this Persian king seems to have
been built, like many more of the same quality and description, with an
advanced cloister, over against the gate, made in the fashion of a
large penthouse, supported only by one or two contiguous pillars in the
front, or else in the center. In such open structures as these, in the
midst of their guards and counsellors, are the bashaws, kadis, and
other great officers, accustomed to distribute justice, and transact
the public affairs of the provinces
[SHAW, Travels]. In such a
situation the Persian king was seated. The seat he occupied was not a
throne, according to our ideas of one, but simply a chair, and so
high that it required a footstool. It was made of gold, or, at least,
inlaid with that metal, and covered with splendid tapestry, and no one
save the king might sit down on it under pain of death. It is often
found pictured on the Persepolitan monuments, and always of the same
fashion.
2
When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther came near, and touched the top of the scepter. +
2. the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his
hand--This golden scepter receives an interesting illustration from
the sculptured monuments of Persia and Assyria. In the bas-reliefs of
Persepolis, copied by Sir Robert Ker Porter, we see King Darius
enthroned in the midst of his court, and walking abroad in equal state;
in either case he carries in his right hand a slender rod or wand,
about equal in length to his own height, ornamented with a small knob
at the summit. In the Assyrian alabasters, those found at Nimroud as
well as those from Khorsabad, "the great king" is furnished with the
same appendage of royalty, a slender rod, but destitute of any knob or
ornament. On the Khorsabad reliefs the rod is painted red, doubtless to represent gold; proving that "the golden sceptre" was a simple
wand of that precious metal, commonly held in the right hand, with one
end resting on the ground, and that whether the king was sitting or
walking. "The gold sceptre" has received little alteration or
modification since ancient times
[GOSS]. It was extended to Esther as a
token not only that her intrusion was pardoned, but that her visit was
welcome, and a favorable reception given to the suit she had come to
prefer.
touched the top of the sceptre--This was the usual way of acknowledging
the royal condescension, and at the same time expressing reverence and
submission to the august majesty of the king.
3
Then the king asked her, "What would you like, queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom." +
3. it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom--This mode of
speaking originated in the Persian custom of appropriating for the
maintenance of great men, or royal favorites, one city for his bread,
another for his wine, a third for his clothes, &c., so that the phrase
denoted great liberality.
4
Esther said, "If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him." +
4. let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have
prepared for him--There was great address in this procedure of
Esther's; for, by showing such high respect to the king's favorite, she
would the better insinuate herself into the royal affections; and gain
a more suitable opportunity of making known her request.
5
Then the king said, "Bring Haman quickly, so that it may be done as Esther has said." So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
6
The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, "What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed."
7
Then Esther answered and said, "My petition and my request is this.
8
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, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said." +
8. let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare--The
king ate alone, and his guests in an adjoining hall; but they were
admitted to sit with him at wine. Haman being the only invited guest
with the king and queen, it was natural that he should have been elated
with the honor.
9
Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he didn't stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.
10
Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home. There, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife.
11
Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
12
Haman also said, "Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am also invited by her together with the king.
13
Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."
14
Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet." This pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.
Es 5:1-14. ESTHER INVITES THE KING AND HAMAN TO A BANQUET.
1. Esther put on her royal apparel--It was not only natural, but, on such occasions, highly proper and expedient, that the queen should decorate herself in a style becoming her exalted station. On ordinary occasions she might reasonably set off her charms to as much advantage as possible; but, on the present occasion, as she was desirous to secure the favor of one who sustained the twofold character of her husband and her sovereign, public as well as private considerations--a regard to her personal safety, no less than the preservation of her doomed countrymen--urged upon her the propriety of using every legitimate means of recommending herself to the favorable notice of Ahasuerus.
the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house--The palace of this Persian king seems to have been built, like many more of the same quality and description, with an advanced cloister, over against the gate, made in the fashion of a large penthouse, supported only by one or two contiguous pillars in the front, or else in the center. In such open structures as these, in the midst of their guards and counsellors, are the bashaws, kadis, and other great officers, accustomed to distribute justice, and transact the public affairs of the provinces [SHAW, Travels]. In such a situation the Persian king was seated. The seat he occupied was not a throne, according to our ideas of one, but simply a chair, and so high that it required a footstool. It was made of gold, or, at least, inlaid with that metal, and covered with splendid tapestry, and no one save the king might sit down on it under pain of death. It is often found pictured on the Persepolitan monuments, and always of the same fashion.