Revised English Version
Esther Chapter 3
Haman’s Plan to Kill the Jews
1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat of honor above all the officials who were with him. 2 All the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay him homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” 4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him and he didn’t listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat of honor above all the officials who were with him.
“Haman.” Haman was “the enemy of the Jews” (Esther 3:10; 8:1; 9:10, 24), and a representative and prophetic picture of the Devil himself (see commentary on Esther 5:14).
Haman was the enemy of the Jews. You will hear that the devil attempted to wipe out the Christ line. The devil is trying to get rid of the Children of Israel. The devil was using Haman to carry out what he wanted done.
Haman was a descendent of Agag the king of the Amalekites the one Saul was suppose to utterly destroy. This is what happened through the scriptures when Israel did not obey the commands of God it always came back to bite them.
Like many others Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ect Mordecai refused to bow to any man. They saved their worship for God. Others saw this and questioned him on why he did not follow the king's command. To many when in this position bow down. Many Christians in the Middle East have to face this today. In many of these counties it is illegal to be a Christian or anything but Islamic. These men and women are showing great courage standing and walking for God. So many of our brothers and sisters have given their lives because of their beliefs. Remember to pray for these believers we can do that much for them if nothing else.
So the people who are questioning Mordecai, and we don’t know if he answered or if he did what he said because the word does not give us that information. So these people go to Haman and tell him what is going on.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6 But he thought it beneath him to put forth his hand against Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecai’s people. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even all the people of Mordecai.
So Haman got extremely angry that Mordecai didn’t bow.
“thought it beneath him.” One of the meanings of the Hebrew word bazah (#0959בָּ×–ָ×”) in this context (cp. Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament [HALOT]; and NAB translation.
Haman didn’t just want to get Mordecai he wanted to get all the Jews. Sounds like the same kind of rage the devil has. He tried to wipe out the Jews many times. One time 135,000 soldiers from this area came to attack. Gideon and 300 men defeated them. These are the kind of results Israel got when they obeyed the commands of the LORD.
7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the 12th year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, they cast the lot), before Haman from day to day, and from month to month. And the lot fell on the 12th month, which is the month Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of other people, and they don’t keep the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s best interest to allow them to remain. 9 If it pleases the king, let it be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who are in charge of the king’s business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”
There had been a change up to this point the first month had been called Abib. Now suddenly it is Nisan. You have to understand that when one country took another country captive they tried to wipe everything about that country that was taken captive away. They even changed everyone's name read through Daniel and the other 3 books and you see they changed everyone's name to a persian name. This is all part of the dispersion.
“Pur.” Pur is an Akkadian loan-word, and therefore likely unfamiliar to the people reading the Hebrew text, thus the explanation of what “Pur” meant.
Pur from the REV commentary
“from day to day.” The custom and method used in casting lots was unknown, and the Hebrew text is not clear on what was done or how. It seems extremely unlikely that Haman met with his astrologers and magicians to cast lots every day until a propitious day was found. If they cast lots from day to day, they would start with a day and if the lot said “no,” they would ask about the next day, and in that matter they would move “from day to day, and from month to month.” This process would have taken a while but would have been accomplished in one day. There is little doubt that God had his hand on the date because from Nisan, the first month, to Adar, the twelfth month, there was a year’s time, and so God had time to work behind the scenes with the situation so the Jews could be saved.
Haman would offer blood money to those who would kill the Jews.
10The king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 The king said to Haman, “The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good in your eyes.”
Now remember Esther has not revealed to anyone she is a Jew.
12 Then the king’s scribes were called in on the first month, on the 13th day of the month, and all that Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps and to the governors who were over every province and to the leaders of every people, to every province in its own script and to every people in their own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the king’s ring. 13 Letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill and to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even on the 13th day of the 12th month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their goods as plunder.
This is saying that the king’s scribes wrote up what the king and Haman had agreed on and they sent out couriers and that people could steal the Jew’s stuff after their death.
14 A copy of the document, to be issued as a decree in every province, was proclaimed to all the peoples, to be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went forth in haste at the king’s command, and the decree was given out in the palace-fortress of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was thrown into confusion.
Esther Chapter 4
Mordecai Appeals to Esther
1 Now when Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the middle of the city and cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 And he went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
In the Hebrew scriptures as well as most the middle East this was a custom. If you felt great despair you would tear your clothes and put on sackcloth. Now sackcloth is an accurate description. They used the cloth used to make sacks. Now Mordecai didn’t back down he never went to Haman asking for forgiveness.
4 And Esther’s young women and her eunuchs came and told her this, and the queen was exceedingly grieved. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai so that he would take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and commanded him to go to Mordecai, to find out what this was, and why it was. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai, to the city square that was in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
Now put yourself in Esther’s place. You hear that the man who raised you is running around dressed in sackcloth. So you send him some clothes so he can enter the palace and refuses to put on the clothes. So you send your most trusted servant to find out what is going on. You're sitting there wondering what is happening. It says in the King James
It says in King James :
Est 4:4 So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
Here is how Strong’s defines the word exceedingly grieved:
bear, make to bring forth, make to calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously with pain
Or chiyl {kheel}; a primitive root; properly, to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear; figuratively, to wait, to pervert -- bear, (make to) bring forth, (make to) calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously (with pain), fear, form, great, grieve, (be) grievous, hope, look, make, be in pain, be much (sore) pained, rest, shake, shapen, (be) sorrow(-ful), stay, tarry, travail (with pain), tremble, trust, wait carefully (patiently), be wounded.
The word is Aramaic not Hebrew and is translated very (137x), greatly (49x), sore (23x), exceeding (18x), great (12x), exceedingly (11x), much (10x), exceeding (with H3966) (6x), exceedingly (with H3966) (5x), diligently (4x), good (3x), might (2x), mightily (2x), miscellaneous (17x).
8 He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction that had been issued in Shushan, so that he could show it to Esther and to explain it to her, and to command her to go to the king to make supplication to him and to make a request before him for her people. 9 And Hathach came and told Esther what Mordecai had said.
So Hathach comes back with the information and explains it to her. He also requests for her to go to the king. This does not mean she was unable to understand more likely she could not read.
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes into the inner court to the king without being called, there is but one law for him: he is to be put to death, unless the king holds out the golden scepter to him so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days.” 12 And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.
No one goes to the king you wait for him to call you which he had not done for a month. So Hathach delivered the words to Morty.
13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Don’t think to yourself that in the king’s house you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come into your royal position for such a time as this?”
Mordecai understood either through common sense or possibly revelation what would happen to Esther and her family if they allowed this to happen. In fact he added this maybe why she is in the position she is to save her people. Sounds allot like a man named Jesus who was to save Israel as well.
15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16“Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me, and do not eat or drink three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, even though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17So Mordecai went away and did everything just as Esther had commanded him.
Esther seems to, like Peter , wants to jump out and see if the water will hold her and if it goes wrong then it goes wrong.
She fasts and ask for prayers for her. See this tradition of praying for those in need goes way back.
If you ever feel a need for people praying for you we have a team of prayer warriors. You can request prayers for yourself or someone else all you need to do is send the request to don@tltf.org and I will see to it that your request is sent out to some great people who are willing to pray for anyone without restriction.
Esther Chapter 5
Esther Approaches the King
1 Now it came to pass on the third day that Esther put on her royal clothing and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house. 2 When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter.
So first off it mentions that on the third day. Three is the number that means completeness. They could do no more through prayer it was now time for Esther to get going and take action.
All houses had a courtyard where people could meet. Now of course a palace would have several. This is where Esther stood wearing her royal garb directly across from where the king would sit, the king would sit on his there while taking care of business. The king takes notice of Esther and he held out the golden scepter to Esther.
3 Then the king asked her, “What is it, queen Esther? What is your request? It will be given to you, even to the half of the kingdom.”
4 Esther said, “If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”
Esther did not jump right into the thing about killing of her people she was smart enough to realize this had to be handled with a bit more subtly. Her plan included Haman in some way
5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that it may be done as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
6 The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, “What is your petition? It will be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it will be performed.”
After the feast the men would drink thus it is called the “banquet of wine”.
7 Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and my request is this: 8 If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition and to do what I request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has asked.”
The plot thickens. This is just more proof that the bible shows how people act and react in tough situations this is real life drama.
9 Then Haman went out that day joyful and with a merry heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up or move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home, and sent for and brought together his friends and Zeresh his wife. 11 Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one but me come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared, and also tomorrow I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
So Haman is impressed with himself because he was the only person other than the king who was invited to this feast put on by the queen.
14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Let a stake 75 feet high be set up, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet.” This was good in the eyes of Haman, so he had the stake set up.
Now this stake would not be 75 high there would be no way for them to put him on the stake. They would set up a platform and the stake would be on the top easy to see from the ground.
Esther Chapter 6
Mordecai Honored by the King
1 On that night, the king could not sleep. He commanded to bring the scroll of the records of the Events of the Days, and they were read to the king. 2 It was found written that Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, who had tried to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, “What honor and great thing has been done to Mordecai for this?”
Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”
“could not sleep.” This is idiomatic. The literal Hebrew reads “the king’s sleep fled away.”
So even the king knew he should do something for Mordecai. It was an oversight not malicious in my opinion.
4 And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the stake that he had set up for him.
5 The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the court.”
And the king said, “Have him come in.”
6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?”
Now Haman said in his heart, “Who would the king delight to honor more than me?” 7 Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, 8 let them bring royal clothing that the king himself has put on, and a horse that the king rides on, which has a royal crown placed on its head. 9 And let the clothing and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble officials, that they may array the man whom the king delights to honor with them, and have him ride on horseback through the city square and proclaim before him, ‘This is what is done for the man whom the king delights to honor!’”
“In verse 6 it says said in his heart” the word said is the same as thought.
The arrogance of Haman is only superseded by his arrogance. To think that because the King wishes to reward someone it must be himself shows how arrogant he truly was. Boy he was laying it on thick when he assumed it was for himself.
10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry and take the clothing and the horse as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Do not leave out anything of all that you have spoken.” 11 Then Haman took the clothing and the horse and clothed Mordecai, and had him ride through the city square, crying out before him, “This is what is done for the man whom the king delights to honor!”
Talk about having egg on your face. He is now honoring the man he wants to destroy.
12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning and having his head covered. 13 Then Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. And his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him, but you will surely fall before him.” 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came and hurried to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
“of Jewish descent.” Literally, “of the seed [or offspring] of the Jews.”
So in our next session we will get to the second banquet Esther throws for the king and Haman.
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