Esther 7: Esther names Haman, and Haman is hanged
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What happens?
At the second banquet of wine the king asks Esther again for her petition, and she asks for her life and the life of her people, saying they have been sold to be destroyed, killed and made to perish. She names Haman as the adversary and enemy, the king rises in his wrath and goes into the garden, and Haman stays to beg Esther for his life. The king comes back, Harbonah speaks of the gallows at Haman's house, the king says to hang Haman on it, and the king's wrath goes down.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. The king speaks in verses 2, 5, 8 and 9, and Esther in verses 3 to 4 and 6. Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, speaks in verse 9. Haman speaks no words in this chapter. The narrator tells the rest. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
In plain English: The king and Haman came to the banquet (the Hebrew says: to drink) with Esther the queen.
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2The king said again to Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, “What is your petition, queen Esther? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.”
In plain English: On the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, "What is your petition, queen Esther? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half of the kingdom, it will be done."
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3Then Esther the queen answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.
In plain English: Esther the queen answered, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it is good to the king, let my life be given to me for my petition, and my people for my request.
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4For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.”
In plain English: For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed and to perish. If we had been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, although (or: for) the adversary (or: the trouble) is not equal to the king's loss (the Hebrew is short and can be read in more than one way: see the note)."
The Hebrew words: The end of the verse is short in the Hebrew: "the adversary is not equal to the injury of the king". "Adversary" is tsar, which the dictionary gives as "narrow", "a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble)" and "an opponent (as crowding)". It is in 2 verses of Esther, here and , and the WEB says "adversary" in both. "Equal" is shavah, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to level, i.e. equalize; figuratively, to resemble; by implication, to adjust (i.e. counterbalance, be suitable, compose, place, yield, etc.)". It is in 21 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "compensate" ("compensated") in 1 of them, this one, and "equal" in 2. "Loss" is nezeq, which the dictionary gives as "loss".
What changes: The WEB reads that the adversary could not make up the king's loss. With the dictionary words the line can also read that the trouble is not equal to the king's loss. The text does not rule between the readings.
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5Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he who dared presume in his heart to do so?”
In plain English: King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, "Who is he, and where is he, whose heart has filled him (or: who has dared in his heart) to do this?"
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6Esther said, “An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman!” Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
In plain English: Esther said, "A man, an adversary and an enemy: this wicked Haman!" Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.
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7The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen, for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
In plain English: The king rose up in his rage from the banquet of wine and went into the garden of the palace. Haman stayed (or: stood up) to ask Esther the queen for his life, for he saw that harm had been decided against him by the king.
Good to know: The Hebrew word for "stood up" can also mean "stayed" or "remained". Either way the text says Haman did not leave with the king, and that he asked Esther for his life.
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8Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
In plain English: The king came back from the garden of the palace to the place (the Hebrew says: house) of the banquet of wine. Haman was falling (or: had fallen) on the couch where Esther was. The king said, "Will he even assault (or: violate) the queen with me (or: in front of me) in the house?" The word went out of the king's mouth, and they covered Haman's face.
The Hebrew word: "Assault" is kavash, which the dictionary gives as "to tread down; hence, negatively, to disregard; positively, to conquer, subjugate, violate". It is in 13 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "assault" in 1 of them, this one, and "subdue" in 6.
What changes: With "assault" or "violate" the king's question is whether Haman will even do violence to the queen in the king's house. The text does not say what Haman was doing on the couch.
The Hebrew words: "They covered Haman's face" has no named doer in the Hebrew: it reads "people covered the face of Haman". The verb is chaphah, which the dictionary gives as "to cover; by implication, to veil, to encase, protect". It is in 2 verses of Esther, here and , and the WEB says "covered" in both. The text does not say who covered his face, or why.
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9Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were with the king, said, “Behold, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, is standing at Haman’s house.” The king said, “Hang him on it!”
In plain English: Harbonah, one of the eunuchs (or: officials) before the king, said, "Look, the gallows that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits high." The king said, "Hang him on it!"
The Hebrew words: "Eunuchs" is saris, which the dictionary gives as "a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a minister of state". It is in 12 verses of Esther, and the WEB says "eunuch" in all 12. "Gallows" is ets, which the dictionary gives as "a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood". It is in 8 verses of Esther, and the WEB says "gallows" in all 8. "Hang" is talah, which the dictionary gives as "to suspend (especially to gibbet)". It is in 9 verses of Esther, and the WEB says "hang" in all 9.
What changes: With "officials" Harbonah is one of the king's ministers rather than a eunuch. The Hebrew word for "gallows" is "tree" or "wood", so it can be read as a tree, a wooden stake, or a post for hanging. The text gives only its height, fifty cubits, and does not say how the body was held on it.
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10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath was pacified.
In plain English: They hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's rage went down (or: died down).
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