Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Esther 6:4
And the king said, Who [is] in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
4. Who is in the court? ] that instructions might be at once given to rectify the omission, and so relieve the king from the stigma of ingratitude. Probably there were always one or two persons in attendance outside the king’s chamber. The answer would naturally name the most important person in waiting.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 4. Who is in the court?] This accords with the dream mentioned by the Targum; and given above.
Now Haman was come] This must have been very early in the morning. Haman’s pride and revenge were both on the tenters to be gratified.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Haman was come early in the morning, because his malice probably would not suffer him to sleep; and he was impatient till he had executed his desired revenge; and he was resolved to watch for the very first opportunity of speaking to the king, before he was engaged in other matters.
Into the outward court of the kings house; where he waited, because it was dangerous to come into the inner court without special license, Est 4:11.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. Now Haman was come into theoutward courtThis was early in the morning. It is theinvariable custom for kings in Eastern countries to transact businessbefore the sun is hot, often in the open air, and so Haman was in allprobability come officially to attend on his master.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the king said, who is in the court?…. Being in haste to confer some honour on Mordecai for what he had done:
now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house; though it was early in the morning, being eager to get to the speech of the king before he was engaged in any business, to obtain a grant from him:
to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him; of which he made no doubt of having, and therefore had prepared for it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Honour Conferred on Mordecai. | B. C. 510. |
4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5 And the king’s servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. 6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? 7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour, 8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: 9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. 10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king’s gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. 11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
It is now morning, and people begin to stir.
I. Haman is so impatient to get Mordecai hanged that he comes early to court, to be ready at the king’s levee, before any other business is brought before him, to get a warrant for his execution (v. 4), which he makes sure that he shall have at the first word. The king would gratify him in a greater thing than that; and he could tell the king that he was so confident of the justice of his request, and the king’s favour to him in it, that he had got the gallows ready: one word from the king would complete his satisfaction.
II. The king is so impatient to have Mordecai honoured that he sends to know who is in the court that is fit to be employed in it. Word is brought him that Haman is in the court, v. 5. Let him come in, says the king, the fittest man to be made use of both in directing and in dispensing the king’s favour; and the king knew nothing of any quarrel he had with Mordecai. Haman is brought in immediately, proud of the honour done him in being admitted into the king’s bed-chamber, as it should seem, before he was up; for let the king but give orders for the dignifying of Mordecai, and he will be easy in his mind and try to sleep. Now Haman thinks he has the fairest opportunity he can wish for to solicit against Mordecai; but the king’s heart is as full as his, and it is fit he should speak first.
III. The king asks Haman how he should express his favour to one whom he had marked for a favourite: What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honour? v. 6. Note, It is a good property in kings, and other superiors, to delight in bestowing rewards and not to delight in punishing. Parents and masters should take a pleasure in commending and encouraging that which is good in those under their charge.
IV. Haman concludes that he himself is the favourite intended, and therefore prescribes the highest expressions of honour that could, for once, be bestowed upon a subject. His proud heart presently suggested, “To whom will the king delight to do honour more than to myself? No one deserves it so well as I,” thinks Haman, “nor stands so fair for it.” See how men’s pride deceives them. 1. Haman had a better opinion of his merits than there was cause for: he thought none so worthy of honour as himself. It is a foolish thing for us thus to think ourselves the only deserving persons, or more deserving than any other. The deceitfulness of our own hearts appears in nothing so much as in the good conceit we have of ourselves and our own performances, against which we should therefore constantly watch and pray. 2. He had a better opinion of his interest than there was reason for. He thought the king loved and valued no one but himself, but he was deceived. We should suspect that the esteem which others profess for us is not so great as it seems to be or as we are sometimes willing to believe it is, that we may not think too well of ourselves nor place too much confidence in others. Now Haman thinks he is carving out honour for himself, and therefore does it very liberally, Est 6:8; Est 6:9. Nay, he does it presumptuously, prescribing honours too great to be conferred upon any subject, that he must be dressed in the royal robes, wear the royal crown, and ride on the king’s own horse; in short, he must appear in all the pomp and grandeur of the king himself, only he must not carry the sceptre, the emblem of power. He must be attended by one of the king’s most noble princes, who must be his lacquey, and all the people must be made to take notice of him and do him reverence; for he must ride in state through the streets, and it must be proclaimed before him, for his honour, and the encouragement of all to seek the ruler’s favour, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honour, which had the same intention with that which was proclaimed before Joseph, Bow the knee; for every good subject will honour those whom the king delights to honour. And shall not every good Christian then honour those whom the King of kings delights to honour and call the saints that are on the earth the excellent ones?
V. The king confounds him with a positive order that he should immediately go himself and put all this honour upon Mordecai the Jew, v. 10. If the king had but said, as Haman expected, Thou art the man, what a fair opportunity would he have had to do the errand he came on, and to desire that, to grace the solemnity of his triumphs, Mordecai, his sworn enemy, might be hanged at the same time! But how is he thunderstruck when the king bids him not to order all this to be done, but to do it himself to Mordecai the Jew, the very man he hated above all men and whose ruin he was now designing! Now, it is to no purpose to think of moving any thing to the king against Mordecai when he is the man whom the king delights to honour. Solomon says, The heart of the king is unsearchable (Prov. xxv. 3), but it is not unchangeable.
VI. Haman dares not dispute nor so much as seem to dislike the king’s order, but, with the greatest regret and reluctance imaginable, brings it to Mordecai, who I suppose did no more cringe to Haman now than he had done, valuing his counterfeit respect no more than he had valued his concealed malice. The apparel is brought, Mordecai is dressed up, and rides in state through the city, recognized as the king’s favourite, v. 11. It is hard to say which of the two put a greater force upon himself, proud Haman in putting this honour upon Mordecai, or humble Mordecai in accepting it: the king would have it so, and both must submit. Upon this account it was agreeable to Mordecai as it was an indication of the king’s favour, and gave hope that Esther would prevail for the reversing of the edict against the Jews.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.]
Est. 6:4.] The question, Who is in the court?] means what officer is now present. The king desires to consult with him as to what distinction would be appropriate to Mordecai. It seems that those desiring to be admitted to the kings presence bad to wait in the outer court.Lange. From this question of the king it appears that it was already morning.
Est. 6:5.] Haman was waiting in the outer court, till it should be announced that the king was ready to grant audiences. The king commands, Let him come in] (a short order) namely, into the house of the king.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH. Est. 6:4-5
THE KINGS INQUIRY AND CONCESSION
FROM the conduct of Haman on this occasion we learn that hate inspires a man with energy. For anything we know to the contrary Haman may be but an active man, one who is prompt in business, and who scarcely allows himself sufficient leisure to take necessary sleep. But in this case the impelling motive is hate. It will not allow him to sleep. At the first dawn of morning he rushes to carry out his nefarious design. He is waiting with eagerness for the kings appearance. He is all alert to set a-going his wily and dark scheme. He is ready to speak unto the king to hang an innocent man. Thus there are too many Hamans. Alas! sadly too many to speak for the destruction of their fellows. Alas! sadly too few to speak for the salvation of their fellows. How this proclaims the depravity of human nature! It rushes to destroy; it creeps to save. It is eager to listen to the voice of hate; it is deaf to the voice of love. Oh, love divine, supplant hate by the sweet force of all-mastering love!
I. The human inquiry. The king said, Who is in the court? It does not appear to us likely that the king was aware that Haman was already in the court. The king was evidently still in the bed-chamber, whence he would not see who was waiting outside. He could scarcely have expected Haman at such an early hour. He asks in ignorance. This is characteristic of human inquiries. We are ignorant, and desire to know. We ask for enlightenment. But, further, the king was in perplexity and desired some one to consult. What is to be done to remedy this long neglect? Who is in the court to whom I may speak? This too is characteristic of our humanity. Perplexity will come. In such trial we ask who is in the court? Who will help me in this perplexity? Who is there to whom I may successfully appeal? We seek to men, but they fail. Seek to the court of heaven. If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God.
II. The Divine response. The kings servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. God speaks by human voices. Holy men are generally the vehicles of Divine messages, but he can and does make use of unlikely vehicles. These servants, heathen though they were, were Gods instruments. They were working out Divine laws. Why did they at once fix upon Haman? Were there no others in the court? Doubtless there were. The true answer is, not that Haman was the favoured minister, but that God directed them to announce Hamans presence. The king did not hear the Divine response in the answer of his servants, but it was there all the same. God is speaking even when we are too deaf to hear. Be swift to hear the Divine response.
III. The disappointing concession. And the king said, Let him come in. Earthly kings grant their audiences, but the privileged ones find that the concession is disappointing. Haman found it so to his cost. Better almost for him had the king said, Let him stop out. Even when those who seek the kings presence have no dark designs there is disappointment. The earthly monarch may say, Let the man come in, and then the monarch lets the man go out as empty as he entered. High hopes have often been raised by a monarchs summons to court, but it has only been a vain parade. No false hopes are raised by King Jesus. Does he say to a man, Let him come in? then he means to enrich; and does he not say it to all? To each the invitation is given, Let him come in, let him come to me. Him that cometh to me I will in no-wise cast out. Even a proud, ambitious, and bloodthirsty Human may come. How sweet the wordcome! Come not to further thy dark designs, Haman; come not to seek help in the promotion of thy schemes of self-aggrandizement; but come to be taught a better way; come to be endowed with a nobler spirit; come to learn, Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy; Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
IV. The joyful but fatal obedience. So Haman came in. Haman did not go in like one moving to the gallows, which in fact he was doing. He was now much nearer that fatal structure than he knew. Had Haman lived in our days he might have thought, This is now the tide in my affairs which should lead on to further glory. But, oh! it was the dark tide leading on to destruction. Haman went in joyful, but came out sorrowful. The rosy morning was bright and beautiful; clouds gather on the evening sky. The lightnings flash and thunder peals in terrific grandeur. What a picture is presented to the mind by those simple words. So Haman came in. Hamans mistake was not in obeying the permission of the king, but in obeying the voice of an evil spirit. Had Haman repented during the night, and gone in a right spirit and with wholesome counsel to the king, all might still have been well. The motive, then, counts for much. Let us look to our motives. A wrong motive will cast a blight on the obedient action. See to it that good deeds arise out of faith in Jesus Christ, out of love for his glory.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON Est. 6:4-5
Haman came early, but too late. To us, knowing arrangements made on either side, in the kings mind, and in his favourites, it is a neck-and-neck race. Who should have the first word? The king has it; Haman is lost! A single moment to tell Ahasuerus of the persevering insolence of one of his menials: I need not name him; enough to say that he is one of the race doomed all to perish on the thirteenth of Adar, and that I am but anticipating the end ordained for him a few months hence. No, Haman; not a single moment you have for that purpose now or ever. Ahasuerus had no wish to forestall his friend. Had he known that he had a request of his own to present he must have given him permission to state it; and had Haman then only avoided naming Mordecai, the king must have granted his request. It is another King who is beforehand with the Jews enemy.Symington.
And the king said, Let him come in. See here, saith Merlin, a sweet and special providence of God in this, that Ahasuerus should take advice about honouring Mordecai, and not of his servants that attended upon his person, but of Haman then present (though for another purpose); and, concealing the man he means, should Haman say what was fit to be done, and then do it accordingly. Neither the king nor his servants, likely, would ever have thought of doing Mordecai so great honour as Haman prescribed. See here, as in a mirror, how the Lord by a secret providence bringeth about and overruleth the wiles of men, their affairs, times, counsels, words, and speeches, to the fulfilling of his own will and decree; and this when they think least of doing Gods will or serving his providence.
So Haman came in, merry and jocund, but went out sad and heavy-hearted. These hosts (profit, pleasure, and preferment), though they welcome us into our inn with smiling countenances, yet, if we watch them not, they will cut our throats in our beds, It is observed of Edward III., that he had always fair weather at his passage into France and foul upon his return. Pharaoh had fair weather till he was in the heart of the Red Sea. The sun shone fair upon the earth that morning that Lot came out of Sodom, but ere night there was a dismal change. He that lives in the height of the worlds blandishments is not far from destruction.Trapp.
Who is in the court? The morning light may have begun to fill his chamber when the king nervously addressed this question to his attendants. He had spent a sleepless night; and might it not be because another conspiracy was being matured against him? Might it not be something of this kind which was troubling the queen? Did he not deserve that it should be concealed from him, since he had done nothing to reward his former preserver? There might be cause for haste,at least he was impatient of delay; and who was this, at early morn, pacing the outer court of the kings palace, as though also in haste about some great work? Haman. His nights rest had not pacified his thirst for revenge. There was to be the queens banquet in an after part of the day; and if he was to go in merrily to it he must first have obtained authority for the execution, and had Mordecai hanged on the gallows prepared for him. How fortunate! thought Haman; the king is early astir, and calleth for me. How fortunate! thought the king; my favourite courtier and counsellor is early in the way this morning, and is the best man to whom I can commit this business. Behind the back of each of them there was the providence of God, secretly working out his own purposes of mercy and judgment. And the king said, Let Haman come in.McEwan.
ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 6
Est. 6:5. Come, a song-bird. In a lonely cot there sat one night an aged widow, very poor and nearly blind. The Christian lady had been reading from the best of books. Ah, said the poor widow, there is one word sweeter than all the rest. It is a song for my darkness. Can you guess what it is? The visitor thought, and she said presently, Yes, I think I know; it is Jesus, the name above all other names. No, said the widow; Jesus is a blessed word, but that is not enough for me, unless I know him for my Saviour. It is no comfort for me that he died for sinners, unless I know he died for me. Perhaps you mean heaven, said the visitor, for he is there. No, said the widow; what comfort would it be for me to know that Jesus is in heaven, and others should see his face, and love and serve him there, if I am not bound for heaven. No; it is just one word from his own lips, I call it my little song-birdcome. Jesus says come in a far different sense from that in which Ahasuerus said, Let him come in. Ahasuerus said this for his own enlightment. Jesus says Come unto me for our enrichment.
Royal presents to an official.The presentation as a gift from a royal personage of that which had been worn on his own person was a special mark of favour and condescension. Morier, in his narrative of A Second Journey through Persia, thus illustrates this custom:When a treaty between Russia and Persia was concluded, some years since, in the commencement, according to the usual form, the ranks of the two principal persons who were deputed to arrange it had to be specified. The Russian general was found to have more titles than the Persian plenipotentiary, who was therefore at a loss how to make himself appear of equal importance with the other negotiator; but at length, recollecting that, previous to his departure for the place of conference, his sovereign had honoured him by a present of one of his own swords, and of a dagger set with precious stones, to wear which is a peculiar distinction in Persia, and besides had clothed him with one of his own shawl robes, a distinction of still greater value, he therefore designated himself as endowed with the special gifts of the monarch, lord of the dagger set in jewels, of the sword adorned with gems, and of the shawl coat already worn.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(4) Haman was come.It being at length morning, Haman had come to the palace in due course, and was waiting in the outer court till the king should call for him. The king in the inner court ponders what recompense to bestow upon Mordecai, Haman in the outer court stands ready primed with a request that he may be hanged.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Who is in the court The king’s soul, after that sleepless night, was burdened with impatient desire to honour his benefactor. Haman, on the other hand, was equally impatient to see Mordecai hung upon the lofty stake he had erected. The king waits in the early morning for his chief prince to come and advise him how best to honour this loyal Jew, and Haman also is waiting to be called that he may speak unto the king to hang Mordecai Mark the wonderful workings of Providence!
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(4) And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
Every verse in this sweet chapter is interesting. No sooner was the morning arrived, than Haman, alive to his malice, was already at court, waiting to see the king on the business for hanging Mordecai. Reader! think how malicious the devil is to accuse the brethren: think how JESUS rebukes him. Under all thy fears, recollect that there is One always on the throne, whose redemption is complete, and whose intercession never fails.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Est 6:4 And the king said, Who [is] in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
Ver. 4. And the king said, Who is in the court ] Josephus saith, that he first asked what time it was, and understanding that it was morning’s light (for so long he had heard his servants read, and till then it was not that Mordecai’s matter was mentioned, Haman being now ready to get a warrant for his execution), he asked, who is there without? as desirous to proceed by counsel in a business of that consequence.
Now Haman was come, &c.
To speak to the king to hang Mordecai
Vivit adhuc Christus, regnat, regnabit et usque:
Atque hostes omnes sub ditione premit.
Now Haman was come. This was the next step. The Figure of speech Parenthesis is used to emphasize the importance of it.
gallows = tree. See note on Est 5:14.
Est 6:4-6
Est 6:4-6
THE KING ASKED HAMAN’S SUGGESTION ON HOW TO REWARD THE MAN WHOM THE KING DELIGHTED TO HONOR
“And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he hadprepared for him. And the king’s servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor? Now Haman said in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself.”
As a consequence of Haman’s egotism in thinking that his suggestions would be applied to himself, he really went all out with what he proposed.
E.M. Zerr:
Est 6:4-5. The king was determined on supplying what had been neglected in the case, and prepared to show his appreciation by bestowing some honor on Mordecai. Naturally he wanted to use the proper method and would employ some trusted servant for the purpose. So the king asked to learn who was available and who was in the outer court. Anyone would be permitted to come that far uninvited. Haman “happened” to be there at the very time the king made his inquiry. He had come, however, to seek the lawful entrance to the inner court, to ask for the slaying of Mordecai. When informed that Haman was there, the king gave order to have him brought in. Doubtless this invitation came before Haman had asked for it, and it must have been a joyful surprise. Under such an impression he came into the immediate presence of the king with great expectations.
Est 6:6. We should keep in mind that up to the present point, the king knows nothing of the connection Mordecai has with the decree that Haman had caused to be sent out. He knows only that it was against “a certain people,” but does not know that Mordecai and Esther would be involved. Therefore, when he makes his proposal to Haman, the king will be perfectly “innocent” of its relation to the divine plan. As far as the king was concerned, this affair which he was about to carry out would be only an incident to complete the routine of honorable reward of merit, so that the royal chronicles would show a regular form. And since Haman was one of his more important servants, he would be an appropriate person to suggest the procedure and also to put it into effect. In the light of all this he asked Haman for his suggestions. We would expect Haman to take just such a view of the case as he did. Had the king not recently promoted him? Had not the royal decree been signed at his request? Had he not been the only guest invited to the queen’s banquet with the king? And now, had he not just been invited to come into the inner court even before he had asked for it? No wonder, then, that he said to himself, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself? Everything indicated that he was the very one to receive the honor.
Who is in the court: Pro 3:27, Pro 3:28, Ecc 9:10
the outward: Est 4:11, Est 5:1
to speak: Est 3:8-11, Est 5:14, Est 7:9, Job 5:13, Psa 2:4, Psa 33:19
Reciprocal: Psa 36:4 – deviseth
6:4 And the king said, Who [is] in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to {b} hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
(b) Thus while the wicked imagine the destruction of others, they themselves fall into the same pit.
Haman’s recommendation 6:4-10
"Here the early bird is gotten by the worm." [Note: Moore, Esther, p. 64.]
Haman’s pride preceded his fall (Est 6:6; cf. Pro 16:18). He wanted, as much as possible, to appear like the king himself, in the honors he recommended for the person he thought would be himself (Est 6:8; cf. Gen 41:39-45; 1Sa 18:4; 1Ki 1:33). The crown was on the head of the horse, not its rider (Est 6:8; cf. Est 6:9).
It was evidently "a special arrangement of the horse’s hair to form a topknot between the ears." [Note: Baldwin, p. 90. ]
Baldwin based this opinion on sculptured reliefs that archaeologists have discovered on a stairway at Persepolis. The king knew by now that Mordecai was a Jew (Est 6:10). However, the writer did not say Ahasuerus understood that Haman had aimed his pogrom against the Jews-until Esther revealed that fact (Est 7:4). Of course he may have known it already. It seems incredible that Ahasuerus would issue such a decree without finding out whom it would eliminate. Perhaps he planned to make Mordecai an exception and spare his life.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)