ESTHER CHAPTER 7

Esther Chapter 7

Esther 7:1 King Ahasuerus and Haman came to dine with Queen Esther; 2 and while they were drinking wine, the king posed his question once again.

King Ahasuerus: What is your request, Queen Esther? I’m willing to give you anything you want. Just make your request. Even if it’s half the kingdom you desire, I will make it happen!

The king and Haman attended a second banquet hosted by Queen Esther. Once again, she waited until the king made his offer to give her anything during the after dinner wine. This was the third time King Ahasuerus had offered to give Esther up to half the kingdom, but material goods were not her desire.

Esther 7:3 Queen Esther: If you favor me, my king, and if it pleases you, spare my life. That’s all I’m asking for—that my people and I be spared. That is my wish. 4 There are some, my king, who wish to rid your kingdom of us. For my people and I have been sold, marked for destruction and massacre. Now if the plan were simply to sell our men and women into slavery, I would have kept my mouth closed because that would not have been important enough to disturb you, my king.

Now that she had the king perfectly primed with two elaborate meals and was assured of his amorous attention, she answered his question with her heart’s plea to be spared along with her people.  She didn’t initially slam the king’s favorite official but just said “there are some” who wanted to destroy her people. In the original Hebrew, Esther quoted the exact murderous words of the edict that the Jews were to be “destroyed, killed, and annihilated”. She even told him that if he were just going to sell or trade them to another owner, she would not have bothered him. Her humility probably touched him since he had gone so overboard in showing his favor to the point of offering her up to half of his kingdom. Her humble approach disarmed him.

Q – Is it better to demand what we want or to approach someone humbly?

King Ahasuerus: 5 Who has targeted your people? Where is this man who dares to do this?

The king was a little dense, thick-headed. He either had not put two and two together that his beloved queen was a Jewess, or the edict against the Jews had totally flown out of his brain. Since Haman actually composed the edict, the king may not have fully realized what he was approving.

Esther 7:6 Queen Esther (pointing to Haman): The man responsible for these actions is wicked Haman. He is vile, and an enemy to my people.

Esther finally was able to express her true feelings about Haman. Surely after observing the animosity between Haman and her surrogate father, Mordecai, for years, Esther abhorred the king’s right-hand man. Not only was Haman an enemy to the Jews; but as we have seen, his nation and the nation of Israel had always been adversarial.

Esther 7:6b In that moment, Haman’s joy turned to terror before the king and queen. 7 Angered, the king shoved away from the table, left his wine, and walked into the palace garden.

Haman was now shaking in his sandals. King Ahasuerus fumed that he could be used as puppet by his most trusted official. Incensed, the king stormed out of the room.

Esther 7:7b But Haman, aware that King Ahasuerus had already sealed his fate, didn’t follow behind. Instead, he pleaded with Queen Esther to spare his life. 8 In desperation, he threw himself onto the couch where Queen Esther was sitting, just as King Ahasuerus walked back from the garden to the place where the wine and the banquet had been set.

King Ahasuerus: Haman, will you even violate my queen right here in the palace, where I can see you?

Haman had been reduced to groveling before a Jewish woman, one of the very people he viewed as despicable! While begging for his life, he threw himself onto the queen’s couch. Even daring to touch the queen would be considered as violating her. He was seeking mercy in place of justice. His timing was horribly unfortunate as the king walked in to see him apparently attacking the queen! The king was flabbergasted that Haman would take such outlandish liberties!

Esther 7:8b As soon as the king gave the order, the royal eunuchs covered Haman’s face. His fate had been sealed. 9 One of those eunuchs was Harbonah.

Cue the dramatic music…Haman was now completely sure he was condemned to die.

Harbonah: Look! Haman has prepared a 75-foot pole for execution in his own courtyard. He was hoping to use it to hang Mordecai, the man who spoke up and saved the king.

King Ahasuerus: Well, hang him on it!

10 So they took Haman and killed him and displayed him on the pole he had made ready for Mordecai. And King Ahasuerus’ anger subsided.

The eunuchs must not have appreciated Haman. Haman was not a kind overseer. Harbonah was quick to offer the king a way to dispose of the despised Haman. Harbonah made the king aware of Haman’s plot to kill Mordecai and display him on a 75-foot skewer. The king ordered that Haman be shish-kebabbed instead. In an ironic twist, Haman became the object of ridicule instead of Mordecai. His wife’s prediction came true, and biblical prophecy was fulfilled.

The king was no longer hot with anger, but this still had not solved the problem of the upcoming annihilation of the Jews and his queen. Remember, a Persian edict or law cannot be reversed EVEN BY THE KING!

APPLY THIS TO YOUR LIFE:

1.      True humility is not only a virtue but is often the best path to reward. James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

2.      Haman had immense power and thought he would destroy his enemies, but God’s power was greater. God’s providence is seen throughout the book of Esther. We need to remember that we serve the same sovereign Lord who is able to accomplish all He desires in our lives.