Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Esther 5:4

And Esther answered, If [it seem] good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.

4. That a subject like Haman should be admitted to make a third at the banquet to which the king was invited by his consort, seemed a specially marked instance of favour, arising from the position which the minister held in the estimation of his royal master. The higher the honour paid, the more startling and effective is the favourite’s ruin.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Esther seems to have been afraid to make her real request of Xerxes too abruptly. She concluded that the king would understand that she had a real petition in the background, and would recur to it, as in fact he did Est 5:6; Est 7:2.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 4. Let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet] It was necessary to invite Haman to prevent his suspicion, and that he might not take any hasty step which might have prevented the execution of the great design.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

She invited Haman; partly that by showing such respect to the kings great favourite she might insinuate herself into the kings good opinion and affection; and partly that, if she saw fit, she might then present her request to the king.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

4. let the king and Haman come thisday unto the banquet that I have prepared for himThere wasgreat address in this procedure of Esther’s; for, by showing suchhigh respect to the king’s favorite, she would the better insinuateherself into the royal affections; and gain a more suitableopportunity of making known her request.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And Esther answered, if it seem good unto the king,…. She humbly submits it to his pleasure, suggesting it would be exceeding grateful to her, could it be granted:

let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him; for the king; and supposing it would be acceptable to him, and the rather engage him to come to it, she invited his favourite; and chiefly, that she might have an opportunity of accusing him before the king to his face, and when alone.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(4) Let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet.It was natural enough that, with so much depending on her request, the queen should show some hesitation: if anything took an untoward turn (for, in spite of the kings promise, she evidently felt uneasy) it might mean total ruin. She therefore temporises; she at any rate gains time, she secures a specially favourable opportunity for bringing forward the request, and the king clearly sees that she has kept her real petition in reserve by himself again raising the question. It will be noticed that so long as Esther is working her way up to the due vantage-ground, the king is addressed in the third person, let the king come, but when she makes the decisive appeal, in the second, in thy sight, O king.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

4. The king and Haman She would have Haman present with the king when she makes her accusation, that he may have no chance to turn the king’s mind from the view of his wicked plot which she proposes to present.

This day unto the banquet that I have prepared Great was her prudence and caution in not making known her request publicly, and equal wisdom was evinced by having the banquet already prepared, that with the least possible delay she might thoroughly commit the king to her wishes. These measures rendered more probable the desired accomplishment of her plans.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

(4) And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. (5) Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

There was a great deal of wisdom as well as modesty in this request. Such an opportunity as a banquet would afford, would better favor the petition she had further to present than immediately preferring it now. When highly favoured souls have the presence of the LORD JESUS, and, like the beloved apostle John, lie in CHRIST’S bosom, they feel more confidence to tell JESUS all their secrets.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Est 5:4 And Esther answered, If [it seem] good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.

Ver. 4. And Esther answered ] She did not presently pour forth her whole heart into the king’s bosom, rail against Haman, beg for her people, &c., but prudently reserveth herself till a fitter opportunity. Unadvised open-heartedness is a fruit of fool-hardiness, Pro 29:11 : “A fool uttereth all his mind” (ye shall have it presently, so near his mouth doth it lie, that all will out suddenly): “but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards,” or, in an inner room ( in ulteriori animi recessu ), as the word may be rendered, till he see his time to produce it.

If it seem good to the king ] Princes must have silken words given them, as the mother of Artaxerxes (perhaps Esther) told one. The rule of old was , , short or sweet.

Let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet ] She knew that the king loved Haman’s company, and especially at a banquet. It was policy in Rebecca to provide such savoury meat as the old man loved; so here. Be wise as serpents. David is commended for his prudent (and thereby prosperous) deporting himself in Saul’s house, 1Sa 18:14 God gave Solomon politic wisdom exceeding much. Who is a faithful and a wise servant? saith our Saviour, &c., Mat 24:45 . And “who is a wise man and endued with knowledge (saith St James) amongst you? let him show out of a good conversation his works, with meekness of wisdom,” Jas 3:13 . But if it were policy in Esther to invite Haman, whom she hated, was it likewise piety? did she not dissemble? R. Solomon saith, she invited Haman alone with the king, that other courtiers might envy him, and so undermine him. But that is but a sorry excuse, neither doth Lyra’s allegation of her good intention much mend the matter. They answer better, who say, that she invited him, that she might accuse him to his face; and so cut off all matter of his excuse or escape. Hereby also she would show, saith Lavater, that she accused him, not out of wrath or revenge; but that she was drawn to it, and, as it were, driven by mere necessity.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

LET THE KING AND HAMAN COME THIS DAY. This is the second of the five Acrostics (App-6) of the Divine name (App-4.) in this book. See App-60. The second pivot on which the history turns.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

If it seem: Est 5:8, Pro 29:11

the banquet: Mishteh, from shathah, “to drink,” a compotation. 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.” Est 5:8, Est 3:15, Gen 27:25, Gen 32:20, Psa 112:5, 1Co 14:20

Reciprocal: Ezr 6:11 – timber Est 1:9 – the queen

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Est 5:4. Let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet She thought it prudent not to open her mind to him immediately, but first to try how he stood affected to her, and endeavour to endear herself more to him, that he might be the better disposed to grant her request. To accomplish which purpose still more effectually, she desired to entertain him at her banquet a second time, Est 5:8. And she, each time, invited Haman, that by showing such respect to the kings great favourite she might insinuate herself the more into the kings affection; and that, if she saw fit, she might then present her request to the king.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments