Esther’s Request to the King

Esther 5 NLT
^5:1 On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance. ² When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter.
³ Then the king asked her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”
⁴ And Esther replied, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king.”
⁵ The king turned to his attendants and said, “Tell Haman to come quickly to a banquet, as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to Esther’s banquet.
⁶ And while they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Now tell me what you really want. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”
⁷ Esther replied, “This is my request and deepest wish. ⁸ If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I ask, please come with Haman tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for you. Then I will explain what this is all about.”

Haman’s Plan to Kill Mordecai
⁹ Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet! But when he saw Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious. ¹⁰ However, he restrained himself and went on home.
Then Haman gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, ¹¹ and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials.
¹² Then Haman added, “And that’s not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow!” ¹³ Then he added, “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.”
¹⁴ So Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it. When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king.” This pleased Haman, and he ordered the pole set up.

Examine the Scriptures

Esther 5 NLT
Esther’s Request to the King

^5:1 On the third day of the fast,

Review

Mordecai has asked Esther to go to the king and plead for her people, the Jews.

Esther had been very apprehensive about doing this. (We can relate to this.)

Esther 4:16 NLT
¹³ Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. ¹⁴ If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” ¹⁷ So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. 

• Mordecai and all the Jews of Susa, along with Esther and her maids fasted for three days.

A reminder for us.

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king’s hall.

Esther had prepared, by fasting, and was ready to go to the king with her request. 

The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance. ² When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her.

A reminder of God’s sovereignty.

Romans 13:1 NLT
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 

Proverbs 21:1 NLT
The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
he guides it wherever he pleases.

• The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.

King Xerxes welcomed Esther.

So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter. 

³ Then the king asked her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request?

• The king made it easy for Esther to make a request.

I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”

This comment should not be taken literally. It simply meant that the king would be generous toward her request.

Mark 6:22-23 NLT
²¹… on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. ²² Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” ²³ He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!” 

⁴ And Esther replied, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king.”

It was an unusual honor to be invited to a banquet with the Queen.  Persian officials were protective of their wives.

• Esther shares her real wish in chapter 7.

⁵ The king turned to his attendants and said, “Tell Haman to come quickly to a banquet, as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to Esther’s banquet.

⁶ And while they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Now tell me what you really want. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”

King Xerxes knew that Esther was not asking for what she really wanted. 

⁷ Esther replied, “This is my request and deepest wish. ⁸ If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I ask, please come with Haman tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for you. Then I will explain what this is all about.”

It may seem strange that Esther asked for a second banquet.

We don’t know Esther’s thoughts.

We don’t always know God’s thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT
⁸ “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
⁹ For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Note: Remember, at this point in time King Xerxes had forgotten how Mordecai had heard about a plot, by two of the king’s eunuchs, to kill the king.

Without this information fresh in his mind, King Xerxes may not have looked favorably on Mordecai and the Jews.

God would providentially intervene between the two banquets.

• Remember, at this point in time King Xerxes had forgotten how Mordecai had heard about a plot, by two of the king’s eunuchs, to kill the king.

• God would providentially intervene between the two banquets.

Haman’s Plan to Kill Mordecai

⁹ Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet!

Happy

But when he saw Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious. 

Furious

• Haman was on an emotional roller coaster. He went from feeling happy to becoming furious.

It could be seen as a very special privilege to be the guest of honor at a private banquet with only the king and queen two days in a row.

¹⁰ However, he restrained himself and went on home. 

Then Haman gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, ¹¹ and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children.

Boasted

He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials.

Bragged

Proverbs 16:18 NLT
¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
and haughtiness before a fall.

1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT
¹² If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

Galatians 6:3 NLT
³ If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

• Haman personified sinful pride.

• Pride goes before destruction.

¹² Then Haman added, “And that’s not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow!” 

It could be seen as a very special privilege to be the guest of honor at a private banquet with only the king and queen two days in a row. 

¹³ Then he added, “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.”

Haman was obsessed with the idea of killing Mordecai.

As long as Mordecai was alive, Haman’s great wealth, his many children, the honors he had received from the king, and his promotions over all the other nobles and officials were worth nothing to him.

Hate destroys:

Proverbs 14:30 NLT
³⁰ A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body;
jealousy is like cancer in the bones.

Hebrews 12:15 NLT
¹⁵ Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Proverbs 10:12 NLT
¹² Hatred stirs up quarrels, …

1 John 3:15 NLT
¹⁵ Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

• Hate destroys.

• Scripture tells us to get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

Ephesians 4:31 NLT
³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

Proverbs 19:11 NLT
¹¹ Sensible people control their temper;
they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.

1 Corinthians 4:12 NLT
¹² We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.

1 Peter 3:9 NLT
⁹ Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.

Luke 6:27-28 NLT
²⁷ “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. ²⁸ Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.

¹⁴ So Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it.

75 feet tall is unusually high.

This is as tall as an eight story building.

This would tower above most, if not all, of the surrounding structures.

• Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it.

When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king.” This pleased Haman, and he ordered the pole set up.

• Haman believed that he could “go on his merry way” if Mordecai was dead.

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Mordecai Requests Esther’s Help

Introduction

Note: Nothing has been said so far in the book of Esther to suggest Esther and Mordecai were people of great faith in Yahweh.

Neither the word for God nor the name Yahweh (Lord), occurs in the book of Esther.

Even though the name of God is nowhere mentioned in the book, His sovereignty, divine guidance, and care are evident throughout the story.

Esther is a story of foreign powers vigorously trying to eliminate the Jewish race and how God sovereignly preserved His people in accordance with His covenant promise to Abraham.

Esther 4 NLT
Mordecai Requests Esther’s Help
^4:1 When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail. ² He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning. ³ And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes.
⁴ When Queen Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it. ⁵ Then Esther sent for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been appointed as her attendant. She ordered him to go to Mordecai and find out what was troubling him and why he was in mourning. ⁶ So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the square in front of the palace gate.
⁷ Mordecai told him the whole story, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸ Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the decree issued in Susa that called for the death of all Jews. He asked Hathach to show it to Esther and explain the situation to her. He also asked Hathach to direct her to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people. ⁹ So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai’s message.
¹⁰ Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: ¹¹ “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.” ¹² So Hathach gave Esther’s message to Mordecai.
¹³ Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. ¹⁴ If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” ¹⁷ So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Examine the Scriptures
Esther 4 NLT
Mordecai Requests Esther’s Help

^4:1 When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail. 

Mordecai’s response was dramatic.

Tearing his clothes, putting on burlap and ashes, and crying publicly signified mourning.

An outward sign of inward distress and humiliation.

Matthew 11:21 NLT
²¹ …clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse.

• Mordecai’s feud with Haman had caused a great crisis for his whole nation.

Perhaps Mordecai was remorseful for having revealed his nationality and thus having endangered the lives of thousands of his people.

• Mordecai tearing his clothes, putting on burlap and ashes, and crying publicly signified that he was in mourning.

² He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning. 

We know this was where official business took place.  Apparently the king did not want his officials distracted. 

³ And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes. 

• Jews throughout the provinces heard the king’s decree and responded much like Mordecai. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many lay in burlap and ashes.  Note: God’s name is not mentioned.

⁴ When Queen Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed.

As the queen of Persia, Esther had many luxuries and was waited on by maids and eunuchs.

• Esther’s unique position in the haram apparently shut her off from normal lines of communication. 

She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it. 

Wearing these garments Mordecai could then enter the king’s gate and talk to Esther directly. (See v. 2)

⁵ Then Esther sent for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been appointed as her attendant. 

She ordered him to go to Mordecai and find out what was troubling him and why he was in mourning. 

• Apparently Esther was unaware of the king’s edict to have all of the Jews executed. 

⁶ So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the square in front of the palace gate. 

⁷ Mordecai told him the whole story, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸ Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the decree issued in Susa that called for the death of all Jews. He asked Hathach to show it to Esther and explain the situation to her.

• The fact that Mordecai possessed this specific knowledge and a copy of the edict further shows his prominent position in Persia.

• Esther now knew the details of the King’s edict and how it came about.

• Hathach would now know that Esther was a Jew. 

He also asked Hathach to direct her to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people. ⁹ So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai’s message.

Mordecai asked Hathach to direct Esther to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people.

¹⁰ Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: ¹¹ “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter.

• Esther reminded Mordecai that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter.

And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.” 

Esther had not been in the presence of the king for a month.

This does not mean that Esther had fallen from the king’s favor.

¹² So Hathach gave Esther’s message to Mordecai.

¹³ Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 

Esther 3:12-13 NLT
¹² … a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. … The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. ¹³ … giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. 

• A decree sealed with the king’s signet ring was irrevocable. (Previous chapter.)

• Mordecai planted the idea in Esther’s mind that she would die if she did not act.

If Esther does not exercise her individual responsibility, she and her family will die.

¹⁴ If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, 

• Mordecai knew God’s promises and realized that God would not allow his chosen people to be annihilated.

Genesis 17:1-8 NLT
^17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. ² I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
³ At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, ⁴ “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! ⁵ What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. ⁶ I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
⁷ “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ⁸ And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.” 

but you and your relatives will die.

Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

God’s providential timing.

A hint of Mordechai’s belief in God’s providence.

• Esther’s rise to power at this precise time was not just a coincidence. Esther’s position as Xerxes’ favored wife and queen was a role God had given her to influence history for the Jewish people.

The story of Joseph.
Genesis 45:5-7 NLT
⁵ But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. ⁶ This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. ⁷ God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. 

In Joseph’s story, Joseph knew God was using him to preserve Jacob’s family.

¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.

• Esther was convinced that she needed to act.

No eating or drinking for three days was a serious fast.

No mention of prayer.

An indication of Esther’s faith in God.

Daniel
Daniel 9:3 NLT
³ So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes. 

My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” 

• Esther was willing to die for her people.

It was a serious undertaking to go in to see the king without an invitation.

¹⁷ So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Most translations say “ordered” or “commanded”.

• Esther and Mordecai are seen as great patriots on behalf of the Jewish nation, but are not presented as righteous people, like others in the Old Testament who fully trusted the Lord.

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Haman’s Plot against the Jews

Esther 3:5-15 NLT
⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. ⁶ He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.
⁷ So in the month of April, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later.
⁸ Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. ⁹ If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.”
¹⁰ The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹ The king said, “The money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit.”
¹² So on April 17 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king’s highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. ¹³ Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.
¹⁴ A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that they would be ready to do their duty on the appointed day. ¹⁵ At the king’s command, the decree went out by swift messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa fell into confusion.

Examine the Scriptures
Esther 3:5-15 NLT

⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. 

This is the picture of an arrogant, power-hungry, selfish, prideful, sinful man.

Some commentaries, not all commentaries, believe this was a hatred that was passed down through generations that existed between the Jews and the Amalekites.

• When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. 

⁶ He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.

• Haman wanted to kill all of the Jews living throughout the Persian Empire.

This would include the Jews in Palestine.  The Jews in Palestine were faithful to the Lord, worshipping in the rebuilt temple and living according to the law.

Cyrus was a king of Persia who ruled between 539—530 BC. Though he was a pagan king, he was important to Jewish history because during his reign, the Jews were allowed to return to Israel after 70 years of captivity. The Jews had rebuilt temple and were using it as a place of worship.

• Palestine was a province of the Persian Empire. 

⁷ So in the month of April, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later.

Haman was extremely superstitious (this was true for many Persians) and was allowing fate, by the casting of the lot, to dictate his move against the Jewish nation.

• Lots were cast to determine the best day and month for the execution of the Jews to take place.

At this point Esther would have been Queen of Persia for five years.

Even here God was working to protect his chosen people.  The Jews would have nearly a year to prepare themselves for this event.

Proverbs 16:33 NLT
³³ We may throw the dice, (cast lots)
but the Lord determines how they fall.

• We see God was working here to protect his chosen people. The Jews would have nearly a year to prepare themselves for this event.

The Hebrews used lots on occasion to determine God’s will in certain circumstances.

Leviticus 16:8-10 NLT
⁸ He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the Lord and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel. ⁹ Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the Lord. ¹⁰ The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the Lord. When it is sent away to Azazel in the wilderness, the people will be purified and made right with the Lord.

Nehemiah 10:34 NLT
³⁴ “We have cast sacred lots to determine when—at regular times each year—the families of the priests, Levites, and the common people should bring wood to God’s Temple to be burned on the altar of the Lord our God, as is written in the Law.

⁸ Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king.

“A certain race of people”

Haman does not divulge the identity of this certain race of people.

 “Who keep themselves separate from everyone else.”

Jews basically resisted integration into secular communities, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“Their laws are different.”

Jews had unique dietary restrictions and unique religious customs.

• Haman falsely accused all of this certain race of people (the Jews) of refusing to obey the king’s laws. 

So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live.  

This is a false conclusion.

The Jews keeping themselves separate from everyone else and laws different from those of any other people was no real threat to the Persian Empire.

The Persians generally allowed for other cultural and religious differences. 

⁹ If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.”

• Haman suggested to the king that he issue a decree that all of this certain race of people (the Jews) would be destroyed.

• Haman said that he himself was willing to bear the costs of carrying out this decree.

Haman’s hatred toward the Jews was irrational.

Haman was bribing the king.

An enormous amount, possible 750,000 pounds, worth millions of dollars in our current currency.

This should have made the king suspicious of Haman’s actions.

Haman must have been a man of immense wealth.

¹⁰ The king agreed,

Again, King Xerxes was easily influenced by his officials.

The king was being manipulated.

• King Xerxes appears to be easily influenced by his officials.

confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.  

• King Xerxes gave Haman complete control over these official policies.

Five times in the book of Esther, Haman is called “the enemy of the Jews”.

¹¹ The king said, “The money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit.” 

Haman is clearly calling all the shots at this point in time.

¹² So on April 17 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king’s highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 

• A decree to execute all of the Jews in the Persian Empire was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

• A decree sealed with the king’s signet ring was irrevocable. 

¹³ Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day.

• Haman intended to rid the world of God’s covenant people.

This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.

This would serve as incentive for the would-be executioners.

• Haman provided an incentive for the executioners to kill the Jews.

¹⁴ A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that they would be ready to do their duty on the appointed day. 

• This plan to execute all of the Jews in the Persian Empire was fully endorsed by the King.

¹⁵ At the king’s command, the decree went out by swift messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink,

• The foolish king and wicked Haman celebrated this occasion.

but the city of Susa fell into confusion.

• This extreme and deadly racism, ruthless and unjust behavior, was out of character for the Persian population.

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Esther 2:19-3:4 NLT
¹⁹ Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem and Mordecai had become a palace official, ²⁰ Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home.
Mordecai’s Loyalty to the King
²¹ One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king’s private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. ²² But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report. ²³ When an investigation was made and Mordecai’s story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes’ Reign.
Haman’s Plot against the Jews
3 Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire. ² All the king’s officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect.
³ Then the palace officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?” ⁴ They spoke to him day after day, but still he refused to comply with the order. So they spoke to Haman about this to see if he would tolerate Mordecai’s conduct, since Mordecai had told them he was a Jew.

Examine the Scriptures
Esther 2:19-3:4 NLT  

¹⁹ Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem and Mordecai had become a palace official,

Not all translations describe Mordecai as “a palace official”.

Many translations say that “Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.”

Verse 21 states: ²¹ One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate,

Esther 3:3 clearly states that officials of the king sat at the king’s gate.

³ Then the palace officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?”

Mordecai being at the king’s gate probably meant that Mordecai held an official position in the empire’s judicial system.

Court cases were decided and much official business was conducted at the gate.

• Mordecai is becoming even more assimilated into the Persian culture.

• God’s sovereignty is evident. Putting Mordecai at the right place at the right time.

²⁰ Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. 

This is mentioned twice.

Esther 2:10 NLT
¹⁰ Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had directed her not to do so.

• Esther continues to keep her Jewish nationality a secret.

This will be important for the rest of the story.

She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home.

 Esther 2:7 NLT
⁷ This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.

 Ephesians 6 NLT
Children and Parents (A familiar Biblical principle.)
¹ Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. ² “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: ³ If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” 

Exodus 20:12 & Deuteronomy 5:16

Mordecai would have been aware of the prejudice many Persians felt toward the Jews.

• Esther still followed Mordecai’s directions even after she was married to the king.

Mordecai’s Loyalty to the King

²¹ One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate,

This was more than a social activity for men from the city. It was an actual job.

Court cases were decided and official business was conducted at the gate.

God’s sovereignty is clearly at work.

two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king’s private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. 

Guards at the king’s private quarters would have easy access to the king.

²² But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther.

Respect for Authority (Another important Biblical principle.)

Romans 13:1-5
^13:1 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. ² So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. ³ For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. ⁴ The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. ⁵ So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

If Mordecai had not been “on duty at the King’s gate”, he would not have heard of Bigthana and Teresh’s plan to assassinate the king.

• Mordecai heard two guards plotting to assassinate King Xerxes.

 She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report. 

• Esther gave Mordecai credit for the report about Bigthana and Teresh’s plan to assassinate the king.

Another display of respect from Esther toward Mordecai.

²³ When an investigation was made and Mordecai’s story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. 

Many translations say “they were both hanged on a tree”.

• Being impaled on a sharpened pole was not an unusual method of execution in the Persian Empire.

Darius, Xerxes’ father, was known to have once impaled 3,000 men.

Ezra 6 NLT
¹ So King Darius … ¹¹ “Those who violate this decree in any way will have a beam pulled from their house. Then they will be lifted up and impaled on it …

Most translations use “impaled” in this verse.

A different time and place.

The story of Jonah.
Jonah was being sent to Nineveh in Assyria.
Nineveh was a city of violence, known for its brutal treatment of those it conquered. The Assyrians were notorious for impaling their captives.

This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes’ Reign. 

This is significant. It is a good thing that this event was recorded.

At this point in the story Mordecai did not receive any recognition for his actions.

Looking ahead to chapter 6:

Esther 6:1-3
The King Honors Mordecai
6 That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him. ² In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.

³ “What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?” the king asked.
His attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.”

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

^3:1Some time later

Esther 1:3 NLT
³ In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces.

 Esther 2:16 NLT
¹⁶ Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign.

Esther 3:7 NLT
⁷ So in the month of April, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later.

  4-9 years have passed since chapter 1. 

• It is taking years (4-9) for this story to develop.

Practice Patience

Psalm 37:7
⁷ Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.

Psalm 27:14 NLT
¹⁴ Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 40:1 NLT
¹ I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.

 King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite 

A descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites. 

over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire.  

• Haman was promoted sometime between the seventh and twelfth year of King Xerxes reign.

This occurred after Mordecai had saved the king from assignation.

Mordecai may have been expecting a reward for saving the king but no reward was given.

² All the king’s officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded.

• Along with this promotion came the command from the king for the officials to bow down before Haman whenever he passed by.

This would be a show of respect, not a form of worship.

But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect.

Pride?

Enmity between the Jews and the Amalekites?

No specific reason for not bowing down is given other than that he was a Jew.

• Mordecai refused to bow down before Haman.

³ Then the palace officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?” ⁴ They spoke to him day after day, but still he refused to comply with the order. 

So they spoke to Haman about this to see if he would tolerate Mordecai’s conduct, since Mordecai had told them he was a Jew. 

• Mordecai revealed his Jewish identity. (Something he had told Esther not to do.)

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Esther Becomes Queen

Esther 2:1-18 NLT
^2:1 But after Xerxes’ anger had subsided, he began thinking about Vashti and what she had done and the decree he had made. ² So his personal attendants suggested, “Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king. ³ Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments. ⁴ After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti.” This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect.
⁵ At that time there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shimei. ⁶ His family had been among those who, with King Jehoiachin of Judah, had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. ⁷ This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.
⁸ As a result of the king’s decree, Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the king’s harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in Hegai’s care. ⁹ Hegai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. He quickly ordered a special menu for her and provided her with beauty treatments. He also assigned her seven maids specially chosen from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.
¹⁰ Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had directed her not to do so. ¹¹ Every day Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her.
¹² Before each young woman was taken to the king’s bed, she was given the prescribed twelve months of beauty treatments—six months with oil of myrrh, followed by six months with special perfumes and ointments. ¹³ When it was time for her to go to the king’s palace, she was given her choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem. ¹⁴ That evening she was taken to the king’s private rooms, and the next morning she was brought to the second harem, where the king’s wives lived. There she would be under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would never go to the king again unless he had especially enjoyed her and requested her by name.
¹⁵ Esther was the daughter of Abihail, who was Mordecai’s uncle. (Mordecai had adopted his younger cousin Esther.) When it was Esther’s turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was admired by everyone who saw her.
¹⁶ Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign. ¹⁷ And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸ To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone.

Examine the Scriptures
Esther 2:1-18 NLT
Esther Becomes Queen

^2:1 But after Xerxes’ anger had subsided, he began thinking about Vashti and what she had done and the decree he had made. 

After Xerxes’ anger had subsided.

What she had done.
.          She had refused to put herself on display for a bunch of drunken men to gawk at.

The decree he had made.
.         He had Queen Vashti permanently banished from his presence.

Xerxes may have had second thoughts.

A lot of time has passed.

The banquet in chapter 1:3 took place in the third year of Xerxes reign.

In chapter 2:16 Esther was taken to King Xerxes in the seventh year of his reign.

• The Greek wars (most likely) took place between chapter 1 and chapter 2 of the book of Esther.

² So his personal attendants suggested,

• Throughout the book of Esther it is obvious that Xerxes’ decisions are strongly influenced by his officials.

Proverbs 15:22 NLT
²² Plans go wrong for lack of advice;
many advisers bring success.

Proverbs 11:14 NLT
¹⁴ Without wise leadership, a nation falls;
there is safety in having many advisers.

Proverbs 24:6 NLT
⁶ So don’t go to war without wise guidance;
victory depends on having many advisers. 

He depended on others to help him make decisions and he did not always receive the best advice.

Psalm 1:1 NLT
¹ Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.

Sometimes the advice from others is bad advice.

2 Chronicles 10:8 NLT
⁸ But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers.

 Deuteronomy 17:17 NLT
¹⁷ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. 

“Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king. 

To add to the king’s harem.

• Xerxes’ personal attendants suggested that they search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king.

³ Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa.

Agents in each of the 127 provinces.

Xerxes already had a harem.

The fact that he had a harem in Susa is known from other sources.

Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments. ⁴ After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti.”

It would be approximately four years between the banquets in chapter 1 and Vashti’s replacement in chapter 2.

This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect.

 If these seven personal attendants were the same “wise advisers” that suggested Vashti be disposed, they certainly did not want Xerxes to be upset because of the fact that Vashti was no longer a part of his life.

Esther 1:13-14 NLT
¹³ He immediately consulted with his wise advisers, who knew all the Persian laws and customs, for he always asked their advice. ¹⁴ The names of these men were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven nobles of Persia and Media. They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in the empire.

• This advice was very appealing to the king.

• The counsel King Xerxes received from his personal attendants is somewhat questionable. 

⁵ At that time there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair.

• Mordecai was Jewish.

Mordecai is a Babylonian name.

Mordecai most likely had a Hebrew name also.

(Repeat from introductory lesson.)

So it was that a Jewish man named Mordecai had worked his way into a low-level job in the king’s court.

Esther 2:19 NLT … Mordecai had become a palace official.

Esther 2:19 ESV and NIV … Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

Mordecai became assimilated into the Persian culture much like Lot became assimilated into the culture of Sodom.

• Mordecai had worked his way into a low-level job in the king’s court.

He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shimei. 

King Saul’s father was named Kish.

⁶ His family had been among those who, with King Jehoiachin of Judah, had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 

597 BC (more than 100 years prior to this time)

His family – his ancestors – had been exiled from Jerusalem.

Mordecai was Jewish. 

⁷ This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther.

Hadassah is a Hebrew name. (Myrtle)

Esther is a Persian name. (Star) 

When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.

• Esther was adopted by her cousin Mordecai after her parents died.

⁸ As a result of the king’s decree, Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the king’s harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in Hegai’s care.  

• Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the king’s harem at the fortress of Susa.

Without God’s intervention, the odds were very slim that she (or any one individual) would be chosen by the King. 

⁹ Hegai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. He quickly ordered a special menu for her

God’s hand was at work.

Unlike Daniel, Esther does not appear to be concerned with Jewish dietary restrictions.

and provided her with beauty treatments. He also assigned her seven maids specially chosen from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.

Assigning seven maids to Esther was an indication that Hegai thought Esther was a good prospect.

¹⁰ Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had directed her not to do so. 

• Esther kept her Jewish nationality a secret because Mordecai had directed her to do so.

Mordecai would have been aware of the prejudice many Persians felt toward the Jews.

Marriages with people of other nations that worshiped false gods were forbidden in the Law of Moses.

Deuteronomy 7:3-4 NLT
³ You must not intermarry with them (people of other nations that worship false gods). Do not let your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters, ⁴ for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you. 

¹¹ Every day Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her.

It is clear in this story that Mordecai loved Esther.

¹² Before each young woman was taken to the king’s bed, she was given the prescribed twelve months of beauty treatments—six months with oil of myrrh, followed by six months with special perfumes and ointments. 

• Esther spent 12 months preparing to go to see the king.

Primarily beauty treatments, but also some training in palace customs.

¹³ When it was time for her to go to the king’s palace, she was given her choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem. ¹⁴ That evening she was taken to the king’s private rooms, and the next morning she was brought to the second harem, where the king’s wives lived.

• Esther spent a night with King Xerxes

• Esther was transferred to the second harem where the king’s wives lived.

 There she would be under the care of Shaashgaz , the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. 

She would never go to the king again unless he had especially enjoyed her and requested her by name. 

Most of the women would live the rest of their lives in the harem of the concubines.

• A concubine might not ever see the king a second time.

(More details) 

¹⁵ Esther was the daughter of Abihail, who was Mordecai’s uncle. (Mordecai had adopted his younger cousin Esther.) When it was Esther’s turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem.

Hegai would have known the King’s preferences.

• Esther wisely accepted Hegai’s advice.

She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was admired by everyone who saw her.

• Esther followed Hegai’s suggestions.

¹⁶ Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign. 

• Four years had elapsed since Vashti’s fall from favor.

¹⁷ And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti. 

• Xerxes was so delighted with Esther that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti. 

¹⁸ To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone.

It appears that Xerxes likes banquets.

“Holiday” The Hebrew for this word, unique to this verse, may imply

a remission of taxes,

an emancipation of slaves,

a cancellation of debt

or a remission of obligatory military service.

• Esther, a Jew, was placed in a position in which she could help the nation Israel, even before Israel needed help.

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