ESTHER'S PLEA TO SAVE HER PEOPLE

Passage: Esther 7:1-10

Key verse: 3

NIV

Haman Impaled

7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet,(A) 2 and as they were drinking wine(B) on the 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,(C) it will be granted.(D)”

3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor(E) with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, 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 to be destroyed, killed and annihilated.(F) 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.[a]”

5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king got up in a rage,(G) left his wine and went out into the palace garden.(H) But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate,(I) stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch(J) where Esther was reclining.(K)

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”(L)

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.(M) 9 Then Harbona,(N) one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits[b](O) stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!”(P) 10 So they impaled(Q) Haman(R) on the pole(S) he had set up for Mordecai.(T) Then the king’s fury subsided.(U)

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Footnotes
  1. Esther 7:4 Or quiet, but the compensation our adversary offers cannot be compared with the loss the king would suffer
  2. Esther 7:9 That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

7 So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. 2 And on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king again said to Esther, (A)“What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? (B)Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” 3 Then Queen Esther answered, (C)“If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. 4 (D)For we have been sold, I and my people, (E)to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.” 5 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who has dared[a] to do this?” 6 And Esther said, (F)“A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.

Haman Is Hanged

7 And the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking and went into (G)the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king. 8 And the king returned from (H)the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, as Haman was falling on (I)the couch where Esther was. And the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?” As the word left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman's face. 9 Then (J)Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “Moreover, (K)the gallows[b] that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, (L)whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits[c] high.” And the king said, “Hang him on that.” 10 (M)So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. (N)Then the wrath of the king abated.

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Footnotes
  1. Esther 7:5 Hebrew whose heart has filled him
  2. Esther 7:9 Or wooden beam; also verse 10 (see note on 2:23)
  3. Esther 7:9 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. "Spare my people" (1-6a) The king and Haman arrived at the second banquet Queen Esther had prepared for them. Again, the king asked her what her request was. This time, she told him. She pleaded with the king to grant her her life and to spare her people. She didn't hide the truth. She laid it all out before the king-the plot against all the Jewish people in the whole kingdom. And she pointed to Haman as the instigator of this vile scheme against God's people. Because of her faith and the prayers of her people, she was not afraid to confront the enemy of God's people in front of the king. 2. Haman is hanged (6b-1 ) Haman knew the jig was up. He was caught red-handed. He was terrified. The king was so angry he left the room. Haman begged the queen for his life, and when the king returned, he thought Haman was molesting the queen. The king ordered Haman to be hanged. One of the king's eunuchs told the king about a 75-foot gallows standing outside Haman's house, the one made to hang Mordecai. There, the king ordered Haman hanged. When we are faithful, God is with us.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your hand of protection on your people. Help us to be bold knowing your hand is with us.

One Word: Have faith and courage to stand up to evil