Est 5 | TSK | STEP | Esther, adventuring on the king's favour, obtains the grace of the golden sceptre, and invites the king and Haman to a banquet. She, being encouraged by the king in her suit, invites them to another banquet the next day. Haman, proud of his advancement, repines at the contempt of Mordecai. By the counsel of Zeresh he prepares for him a gallows. on the. royal. inner. sat.

the banquet. {Mishteh,} from {shathah,} "to drink," acompotation. feast, or banquet accompanied with drinking; the drinking in the East being at the beginning, and not at the end of the entertainment. Olearius, describing an entertainment at the Persian court, says, "The floor of the hall was covered with cotton cloth, which was covered with all sorts of fruits and sweetmeats in basons of gold. With them was served up excellent Shiraz wine. After an hour's time, the sweetmeats were removed, to make way for the more substantial part of the entertainment, such as rice, boiled and roast mutton, etc. When the company had been at table an hour and a half, warm water was brought, in a ewer of gold, for washing; and grace being said, they began to retire without speaking a word, according to the custom of the country."

8; 3:15; Ge 27:25; 32:20; Ps 112:5; 1Co 14:20

Cause Haman.

6:14

the king said.

3; 7:2; 9:12

perform. Heb. do. let the king.Esther probably wished another interview, that she might ingratiate herself more fully into the king's favour, and thus secure the success of her design. But Providence disposed of things thus, to give time for the important event mentioned in the following chapter.

to-morrow.

6:1-13; Pr 16:9

joyful.

Job 20:5; Am 6:12,13; Lu 6:25; Joh 16:20; Jas 4:9

he stood not up.

3:2; Ps 15:4; Mt 10:28

he was full.

3:5; 1Ki 21:4; Job 31:31; Ps 27:3; Da 3:13,16-19; Mt 2:16; Ac 7:54

refrained.

Ge 43:30,31; 45:1; 2Sa 13:22,23; Ec 7:9

called for his friends. Heb. caused his friends to come.Zeresh.

6:13

the glory.

1:4; Ge 31:1; Job 31:24,25; Ps 49:6,16,17; Isa 10:8; Jer 9:23,24

Da 4:30; Mr 10:24; Lu 12:19,20; 1Ti 6:17

the multitude.

9:7-10,12,13; Job 27:14,15; Ho 9:13,14

and how he had.

3:1

Yea, Esther.Plutarch, in his life of Artaxerxes, informs us, that none but the king's mother, and his real wife, were permitted to sit at his table; and therefore he mentions it as a condescension in that prince, that he sometimes invited his brothers. Haman, therefore, had some reason to be proud of this favour.

to-morrow.

Job 8:12,13; 20:5-8; Ps 37:35,36; Pr 7:22,23; 27:1; Lu 21:34,35

1Th 5:3

Yet all this.Pride will ever render its possessor unhappy. Haman, though possessed of immense riches, glory, and honour, and the prime favourite of his king, is wretched, because he could not have the homage of that man whom his heart even despised! Oh, how distressing are the inquietudes of pride and vanity.

1Ki 21:4-6; Job 15:20; 18:4; Ec 1:2,14; Php 4:11,12

said Zeresh.

2Sa 13:3-5; 1Ki 21:7,25; 2Ch 22:3,4; Mr 6:19-24

Let a gallows. Heb. Let a tree.

7:9

speak thou.

3:8-15; 6:4

go thou in.

3:15; 1Ki 21:7; Am 6:4-6; Re 11:10

the thing.

2Sa 16:21-23; 17:1-4; Mr 14:10,11; Ac 23:14,15; Ro 1:32

he caused.

7:10; Ps 7:13-16; 9:15; 37:14,32; Pr 1:18; 4:16; Ro 3:15