Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Esther 5:2

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, [that] she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that [was] in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.

2. held out to Esther the golden sceptre ] See Est 4:11.

touched ] So among the Greeks the suppliant laid hold of the person or the garments of the person to whom the appeal was directed. The Vulgate makes Esther kiss the sceptre (‘osculata est summitatem virgae eius’). For the Greek apocryphal Additions, presenting a detailed account of Esther’s preparations for the interview and of the interview itself, see chaps. 14, 15.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 2. She obtained favour in his sight] The Septuagint represents “the king as being at first greatly enraged when he saw Esther, because she had dared to appear before him unveiled, and she, perceiving this, was so terrified that she fainted away; on which the king, touched with tenderness, sprung from his throne, took her up in his arms, laid the golden sceptre on her neck, and spoke to her in the most endearing manner.” This is more circumstantial than the Hebrew, but is not contrary to it.

The golden sceptre that was in his hand.] That the kings of Persia did wear a golden sceptre, we have the following proof in Xenophon: , ‘ . See Cyrop., lib. viii., p. 139, edit. Steph. 1581. It is not, said Cyrus to his son Cambyses, the GOLDEN SCEPTRE that saves the kingdom; faithful friends are the truest and safest sceptre of the empire.

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

The king held out the golden sceptre, in testimony that he pardoned her presumption, and accepted her person, and was ready to grant her petition.

Esther touched the top of his sceptre, in token of her thankful acceptance of the kings great favour, and of her reverence and submission to his majesty, whereof that might possibly be a usual token, and it may be, at the kings call and invitation to her to come near to him.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

2. the king held out to Esther thegolden sceptre that was in his handThis golden scepterreceives an interesting illustration from the sculptured monuments ofPersia and Assyria. In the bas-reliefs of Persepolis, copied by SirRobert Ker Porter, we see King Darius enthroned in the midst of hiscourt, and walking abroad in equal state; in either case he carriesin his right hand a slender rod or wand, about equal in length to hisown height, ornamented with a small knob at the summit. In theAssyrian alabasters, those found at Nimroud as well as those fromKhorsabad, “the great king” is furnished with the sameappendage of royalty, a slender rod, but destitute of any knob orornament. On the Khorsabad reliefs the rod is painted red, doubtlessto represent gold; proving that “the golden sceptre”was a simple wand of that precious metal, commonly held in the righthand, with one end resting on the ground, and that whether the kingwas sitting or walking. “The gold sceptre” has receivedlittle alteration or modification since ancient times [GOSS].It was extended to Esther as a token not only that her intrusion waspardoned, but that her visit was welcome, and a favorable receptiongiven to the suit she had come to prefer.

touched the top of thesceptreThis was the usual way of acknowledging the royalcondescension, and at the same time expressing reverence andsubmission to the august majesty of the king.

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

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight,…. Which no doubt was of God, who has the hearts of kings in his hand, and turns them as he pleases; the king had not called her for thirty days past, or more, which showed coolness of affection to her, and now she transgressed a law by coming uncalled for, which might have provoked his wrath; and for a lesser matter than this was Vashti divorced; but yet his mind was inclined to her, and she appeared very amiable and pleasing to him:

and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand; as a token of his well pleasedness in her, and acceptance of her; and that no harm should come to her for transgressing the law:

so Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre; as acknowledging his kindness, and her thankfulness for it, as well as subjection and obedience to him.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Est 5:2. The king held out to Esther the golden sceptre A sceptre was the ensign of the highest and most absolute authority; therefore some have observed, that when Mordecai was advanced to the greatest dignity, next the king, having the royal robes on, and other ensigns of regal dignity, no mention is made of any sceptre, for that was proper and peculiar to the king; and the queen’s touching, or, as some say, kissing it, was a token of her subjection and thankfulness for his favour. Josephus has mightily improved upon this story, as the reader will see by referring to his Antiquities, lib. 11: cap. 6.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Est 5:2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, [that] she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that [was] in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

Ver. 2. And it was so ] God, the great heart disposer, so ordered it.

That when the king saw Esther the queen, &c. ] Beautified by God in a special manner, as was Moses, , Act 7:20 , Stephen, Act 6:15 , &c. And some faces we know do appear most orientally fair when they are most instamped with sorrow.

That she obtained favour in his sight ] Josephus saith, that at first the king frowned upon her, so that she fell into a swoon before him. Rex autem, voluntate arbitror Dei, mentem mutavit, i.e. but the king, as God would have it, changed his mind, and cheered her up. How true this is I know not; but this I know, that the wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion, which is so terrible, that it astonieth all that hear it, and that omne trahit secum Caesaris ira malum. All drag the evil wrath with Caesar himself. Sir Christopher Hatton, being checked and threatened by Queen Elizabeth, died soon after; neither could the queen, having once cast him down with her word only, raise him up again, though she visited him, and comforted him. Esther here was soon raised and relieved.

Deiecit ut relevet, premit ut solaria praestet;

Enecat, ut possit vivificare Deus.

And the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre ] He did not kick her out of his presence, as some Cambyses would have done, neither did he command her to the block, as Henry VIII did his Anne Bullen upon a mere pretence of disloyalty; neither yet did he cashier her, as he had done Vashti for a less offence: but, by holding out his sceptre, shows his gracious respects unto her. This was the Lord’s own work, as was likewise that of old, that Laban should leave Jacob with a kiss, Gen 31:55 Esau meet him with a kiss, Gen 33:4 , where the word kissed hath a prick over each letter in the original, to show the wonder of God’s work in changing Esau’s heart from his former hatred. Hebrew Text Note Let a man’s ways please the Lord, and men shall quickly befriend him. This is compendiosissima hominum gratiam consequendi via, saith Lavater here, the readiest way to win favour with all others. When David was once a man after God’s heart, whatsoever he did pleased the people.

So Esther drew near, and touched the top of his sceptre ] With her hand, saith the Chaldee; with her mouth, saith the Vulgate translation. This she did, either in token of submission, or for the avoiding of danger; for, as Josephus saith, He that touched the king’s sceptre was out of the reach of evil, O , . Wives should submit themselves to their own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Submission includeth reverence (in heart, speeches, gestures) and obedience to all their husband’s lawful commands and restraints. This is no more than is meet, saith the apostle, Col 3:19 .

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

obtained = won. Compare Est 4:11.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

she: Gen 32:28, Neh 1:11, Psa 116:1, Pro 21:1, Act 7:10, Act 10:4

golden sceptre: Est 4:11, Est 8:4

Reciprocal: Num 32:5 – if we have Psa 69:13 – in an Jer 38:10 – the king

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

5:2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, [that] she obtained favour in his sight: and the king {b} held out to Esther the golden sceptre that [was] in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

(b) Which was a sign that her coming was agreeable to him, Ezr 4:11.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes