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Glory · Esther
At Esther's second banquet she names the enemy, Haman falls at her feet, and the king hangs him on the gallows he built. Then a new decree lets the Jews defend their lives.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/how-the-tables-turned-on-haman · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
Esther 7:1-10
As you read: Esther's petition, the king's return, and the gallows made for Mordecai.
1So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
2The king said again to Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, “What is your petition, queen Esther? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.”
3Then Esther the queen answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.
4For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.”
5Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he who dared presume in his heart to do so?”
6Esther said, “An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman!” Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
7The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
8Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
9Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were with the king said, “Behold, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, is standing at Haman’s house.” The king said, “Hang him on it!”
10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.
Esther 8:1-17
As you read: Esther's second plea, the king's ring, and the letter that lets the Jews stand.
1On that day, King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the Jews’ enemy, to Esther the queen. Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her.
2The king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
4Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.
5She said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right to the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.
6For how can I endure to see the evil that would come to my people? How can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?”
7Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged on the gallows, because he laid his hand on the Jews.
8Write also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may not be reversed by any man.”
9Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their language.
10He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by courier on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bred from swift steeds.
11In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to defend their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,
12on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
13A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that the Jews should be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14So the couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. The decree was given out in the citadel of Susa.
15Mordecai went out of the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and was glad.
16The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor.
17In every province, and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast, and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen on them.
At the banquet the king offers Esther up to half his kingdom. She answers that if she has found favor, let her life be given her at her petition, and her people at her request, for they are sold to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. She names the enemy by naming the crime.
“Then Esther the queen answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.””Esther 7:3-4
The king storms into the garden and finds Haman fallen on the couch where Esther sits. The word of the king's mouth condemns him before any trial: the man who meant to kill the queen is judged by his own posture.
“Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.”Esther 7:8
An attendant mentions the gallows fifty cubits high that Haman made for Mordecai. The king says, 'Hang him on it,' and they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. The trap closes on its builder.
“Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were with the king said, “Behold, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, is standing at Haman’s house.” The king said, “Hang him on it!” So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.”Esther 7:9-10
Haman's decree cannot be reversed, so the king gives his ring again and lets the Jews write a second letter. In those letters the king granted the Jews in every city 'to defend their life' against any who would assault them.
“Write also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may not be reversed by any man.””Esther 8:8
“In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to defend their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,”Esther 8:11
Where there was a sentence of death, there is now a feast. 'The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor,' and many from among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of them had fallen on all. Deliverance spreads beyond the rescued.
“The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor. In every province, and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast, and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen on them.”Esther 8:16-17