So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. Or, "to drink with her" F5 לשתות "ut biberent", V. L. Tigurine version; "ad bibendum", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, Vatablus. , that is, wine; for in the next verse it is called a banquet of wine; so they did according to the invitation the queen had given them, Esther 5:8 . read more
And the king said again to Esther on the second day, at the banquet of wine ,.... This was the third time he put the following question to her, being very desirous of knowing what she had to ask of him; and it was of God that this was kept upon his mind, and he was moved to solicit her petition, or otherwise it would not have been so easy for her to have introduced it: what is thy petition, Queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed,... read more
Then Esther the queen answered and said ,.... Not rolling herself at the king's knees, as Severus F6 Hist. Sacr. l. 2. writes; but rather, as the former Targum, lifting up her eyes to heaven, and perhaps putting up a secret ejaculation for direction and success: if I have found favour in thy sight, O king ; as she certainly had heretofore, and even now: and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition ; not riches, nor honour, nor any place or post at court, or... read more
For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish ,.... She makes use of these several words, to express the utter destruction of her and her people, without any exception; not only the more to impress the king's mind with it, but she has respect to the precise words of the decree, Esther 3:13 as she has also to the 10,000 talents of silver Haman offered to pay the king for the grant of it, when she says, "we are sold", or delivered to be destroyed: but if we... read more
At the banquet of wine - Postquam vino incaluerat , after he had been heated with wine, says the Vulgate. In such a state the king was more likely to come into the measures of the queen. read more
Let my life be given me - This was very artfully, as well as very honestly, managed; and was highly calculated to work on the feelings of the king. What! is the life of the queen, whom I most tenderly love, in any kind of danger? read more
To be destroyed , to be slain - She here repeats the words which Haman put into the decree. See Esther 3:13 . Could not countervail the king ' s damage - Even the ten thousand talents of silver could not be considered as a compensation to the state for the loss of a whole nation of people throughout all their generations. read more
The king and Haman came to banquet ( marg. drink ). In Persian feasts the solid dishes were few, and the time was mainly passed in drinking and eating dessert (Herod; 1:133). read more
Accused and convicted. I. TARNISHED GILT . Haman would hardly go "merrily" to Esther's second banquet. His heart would be heavy with the day s disappointments, and his ears would be haunted with the gloomy vaticinations of his friends. The glory of the honour which had so inflated him was dimmed. Worldly delights that are ardently anticipated may be robbed of their promise even before they are touched. II. WHETTED CURIOSITY . The king's desire to hear Esther's petition grew... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Esther 7:1-6
The king in humour, and Haman out of humour, meet at Esther's table. Now, I. The king urged Esther, a third time, to tell him what her request was, for he longed to know, and repeated his promise that it should be granted, Est. 7:2. If the king had now forgotten that Esther had an errand to him, and had not again asked what it was, she could scarcely have known how to renew it herself; but he was mindful of it, and now was bound with the threefold cord of a promise thrice made to favour her.... read more