Esther 5:1–14

Introduction

Esther 5:1–14: Esther visits King Xerxes with a plan to save the Jews even though he has ordered their killing throughout the Persian Empire. She invites him to two banquets with the prime minister, Haman. After the first, Haman sees Mordecai and is angered when he again refuses to honor him (see Esther 3:1–6). But Haman boasts of his favor with the king and plans to have Mordecai hanged the next day.

Today’s Key Verse: Esther 5:9b GNT

Then he saw Mordecai at the entrance of the palace, and when Mordecai did not rise or show any sign of respect as he passed, Haman was furious with him.

Read

5 On the third day of her fast Esther put on her royal robes and went and stood in the inner courtyard of the palace, facing the throne room. The king was inside, seated on the royal throne, facing the entrance. ² When the king saw Queen Esther standing outside, she won his favor, and he held out to her the gold scepter. She then came up and touched the tip of it. ³ “What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked. “Tell me what you want, and you shall have it—even if it is half my empire.”

⁴ Esther replied, “If it please Your Majesty, I would like you and Haman to be my guests tonight at a banquet I am preparing for you.”

⁵ The king then ordered Haman to come quickly, so that they could be Esther’s guests. So the king and Haman went to Esther’s banquet. ⁶ Over the wine the king asked her, “Tell me what you want, and you shall have it. I will grant your request, even if you ask for half my empire.”

⁷ Esther replied, ⁸ “If Your Majesty is kind enough to grant my request, I would like you and Haman to be my guests tomorrow at another banquet that I will prepare for you. At that time I will tell you what I want.”

⁹ When Haman left the banquet he was happy and in a good mood. But then he saw Mordecai at the entrance of the palace, and when Mordecai did not rise or show any sign of respect as he passed, Haman was furious with him. ¹⁰ But he controlled himself and went on home. Then he invited his friends to his house and asked his wife Zeresh to join them. ¹¹ He boasted to them about how rich he was, how many sons he had, how the king had promoted him to high office, and how much more important he was than any of the king’s other officials. ¹² “What is more,” Haman went on, “Queen Esther gave a banquet for no one but the king and me, and we are invited back tomorrow. ¹³ But none of this means a thing to me as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the entrance of the palace.”

¹⁴ So his wife and all his friends suggested, “Why don’t you have a gallows built, seventy-five feet tall? Tomorrow morning you can ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it, and then you can go to the banquet happy.”

Haman thought this was a good idea, so he had the gallows built.

Reflect

What does King Xerxes promise to Esther that shows how highly he regards her (verses 3, 6)? Why does Esther ask Xerxes for two banquets, waiting until the first is underway to ask for a second (verse 7)? Reread verse 12. Have you sometimes let minor disappointments or insults spoil your appreciation of greater blessings? How might Haman’s case illustrate the danger of holding grudges?

Pray

Lord God, all that we have is from you. Let us not become blind in our ambition, putting trust in our accomplishments and forgetting your gifts. May we honor you in all that we do, showing love to others and most of all to you. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Esther 6:1–13: King Xerxes honors Mordecai.