Esther 5

NOW it came to pass on the third day Of which see the notes on ch. 4. 16., that Esther put on her royal apparel That she might render her self as amiable in the Kings Eyes as she could; and so obtain her request., and stood in the inner court of the kings house, over against the kings house: and the king... at upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand In testimony that he pardoned her presumption, and accepted her person, and was ready to grant her petition.. so Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter In token of her thankful acceptance of the Kings great favour, and of her reverence and submission to his Majesty, whereof that might possibly be an usual token, and it may be, at the kings call and invitation to her to come near to him..

Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman Whom she invited, partly that by showing such respect to the Kings great favourite, she might insinuate her self into the Kings good opinion and affection; and partly, that if she saw fit, she might then present her request to the King. come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.

Then the king said, Cause Haman to make hast, that he may do as Esther has said: so the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine Either 1. At the latter end of the feast, when they used to drink Wine more freely, whereas in the former part, most of their drink was water. Or, 2. At her banquet; which is so called, because it consisted not of meats, which probably the King had plentifully eaten before at his own Table, but of Fruits and Wines; which banquets were very frequent among the Persians., 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.

Then answered Esther, and said, My petition, and my request is;

If I have found favour in the... ight 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 shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king has said g. f I will acquaint thee with my humble request. She did not present her petition at this time, but delayed it till the next meeting; either through modesty, or because she was a little daunted with the Kings presence, and had not yet good courage to propose her request: or in policy, because she would further engage the Kings affection to her by a second entertainment, and would also intimate to him that her petition was of a more than ordinary nature: and principally by direction and disposition of the divine providence, which took away her courage or utterance for this time that she might have a better opportunity for it the next time by that great accident which happened before it.

Then went Haman forth that day, joyful, and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the kings gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him Partly lest he should... eem, or... e interpreted to give him that adoration which he hitherto had justly denied: partly because by his bloody and barbarous design and practise, he had put off all humanity, and forfeited all respect; and partly to show how little he... eared him, and that he had a firm confidence in his God that he would deliver him and his people in this great exigency; which he was the more encouraged to hope, because God had enclined Esthers heart to that pious & valiant resolution of interceding with the King, which he doubted not would meet with good success., he was full of indignation against Mordecai.

Nevertheles, Haman refrained himself From taking present vengeance upon Mordecai, to which he was strongly inclined, & which he might easily have effected either by his own, or any of his servants hands, without any expectation, or fear of inconvenience to himself, who having obtained licence to destroy an whole nation, could easily get a pardon for having killed one obscure and infamous member of it. Herein therefore Gods wise and powerful providence appeared in disposing Hamans heart, contrary to his own inclination and interest, and making him as it were to put fetters upon his own hands., and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.

And Haman told them of the glory of his riches Partly to gratify his own vain-glorious humour: and partly to aggravate Mordecai's impudence in denying him civil respect, and to alleviate his own vexation caused by it., and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes & servants of the king.

Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared, but my self; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king Thus he makes that matter of glorying, which was designed for, and the occasion of his ruine. So ignorant are the wisest men and subject to fa... al mistakes, rejoycing when they have most cause of fear and grief, and sorrowing for those things which tend to joy and comfort..

Yet all this availeth me nothing i. e. Gives me no content. Such torment did his envy and malice bring upon him., so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the kings gate Enjoying that honour and priviledge without disturbance, and denying me the worship due to me by my place, and by the Kings command: though this last, and the chief cause of his rage, he was somewhat ashamed to express. Either Mordecai was come, having laid by his sackcloth for this time, that he might be in a capacity of coming thither, and so of understanding how matters proceeded. Besides this was a private fast, and so he was not oblig'd alwaies to wear his sackcloth in publick, during the whole time of the fast, though he did once come abroad with it, that the cause of it might be publickly known, and so come to Esthers ears..

Then said Zeresh his wife, and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high That it might be more conspicuous to all, and thereby be more disgraceful to Mordecai, and strike all Hamans enemies with the great dread of despising or opposing him., and to morrow speak thou unto the king, that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused the gallows to be made.