Portion For Reading Esther 5-7Esther gives the invitation to the first banquet
We should learn from her example, when we attempt such serious matters. Note that she first obtained God’s favor by prayer and fasting. Then she courted her husband’s favor by a ban-quet. Then when she had the favor of God and man, she made her request.
Note further that Esther realized that "the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach." She did not make bold, domineering demands, nor did she nag, nor did she manipulate him, nor did she seek to embarrass him, nor did she whine and complain, as some wives do. She respectfully sought to please him and gain his consent by kind attentions to him. Let godly wives take note!
*The king calls Haman and they go to the banquet.
*Esther requests still another banquet.
Haman brags to his family and friends
Despite his anger at Mordecai, Haman did nothing at the moment. Rather, he went on home and called a gathering of his friends and his wife Zeresh. His purpose, we will see, was to brag about his greatness and bask in the glory of his "fan club." He gave them four proofs of his greatness, all of them material in nature.
Despite his anger at Mordecai, Haman did nothing at the moment. Rather, he went on home and called a gathering of his friends and his wife Zeresh. His purpose, we will see, was to brag about his greatness and bask in the glory of his "fan club." He gave them four proofs of his greatness, all of them material in nature.
(1) He told of his great riches. We are not told specifically how rich he was, but apparently his wealth was remarkable enough that he and his friends considered it to be exceptional. He had enough that he had been willing to offer the king ten thousand talents of silver for decreeing the death of the Jews (3:9).
(2) He had a multitude of children. Esther 9:10 says he had ten sons. This was enough that he thought it would impress his friends. Note how, in contrast to today, numerous children was then viewed as a great blessing and a sign of eminence (cf. the stories of Jacob and Job; Psalms 127,128).
(3) He had great power and authority. The king had promoted him and set him above the other officials and servants (cf. 3:1,2).
(4) The final proof of Haman’s greatness was his honor. The proof of this was that he and he alone had been invited to accompany the king to a banquet with the queen. And not only that, but he was invited back to another banquet the next day! This he mistook as a great honor show-ing that he was above all men in the empire except the king, even in the eyes of the queen.
Haman Hanged Esther 7:1-10
So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked, "Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted."
Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.
" King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, "Who is he? Where is the man who has dared to do such a thing?" Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman." Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, "Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?" As soon as the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman's house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king."
The king said, "Hang him on it!" So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's fury subsided.
The same kind of punishment was in use among the Romans, Syrians, Egyptians, Carthaginians and Grecians. For though we find in Homer, that Ulysses in a fury hanged the strumpets of those who courted Penelope, yet is it not so easie to discover, that this was the publick practice or open course of justice among the Greeks.
Source: David E. Pratte