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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Esther 5:9 - 5:9
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Haman went forth from the palace satisfied and with a joyful heart. When, however, he saw Mordochai in the king's gate, who neither stood up nor trembled before him, he was full of indignation against him. וגו קָם וְלֹא are circumstantial clauses following the principal clause without a copula. קָם and זָע are perfects, and וְלֹא - וְלֹא are used in the sense of neque - neque. זוּעַ constructed with מִן means to tremble before any one, to be disquieted.
Est 5:10
Haman, however, refrained himself; and without immediately giving vent to his rage at Mordochai, went home and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh, that he might unburden himself before them, and take counsel with them for Mordochai's destruction.
Est 5:11-12
He first spoke to them of his wealth and domestic happiness, of the “glory of his riches and the multitude of his children.” From Est 9:7-10 we learn that Haman had ten sons; and many sons were not looked upon as a great blessing from God by the Israelites only, but were also esteemed a signal prosperity among the Persians, the king annually sending presents to him who had the greatest number of sons.
(Note: Herod. says, i. 136: Ἀνδραγαθίη δ ̓ αὕτη ἀποδέδεκται, μετὰ τὸ μάχεσθαι εἶναι ἀγαθὸν ὅς ἂν πολλοὺς ἀποδέξῃ παῖδας τῷ δὲ τοὺς πλείστους ἀποδεικνύντι δῶρα ἐκπέμπει ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀνὰ πᾶν ἔτος. Comp. Strabo. xv. 3. 17.)
Haman next recounted to them the great honours he had attained; כָּל־אֲשֶׁר אֶת, all how the king had made him great, and how he had advanced him above the princes; comp. Est 3:1. אֲשֶׁר is a second accusative of the means by which something is brought to pass. Finally, Est 5:12, what high distinction had just been accorded him, by the queen having invited him alone to come to her banquet with the king. “Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet which she had prepared but myself; and to-morrow am I also invited unto her with the king.” אַף enhances the meaning: even this honour is shown me. קָרוּא־לָהּ אֲנִי, I am her invited guest = I am invited to her and by her; comp. Ew. §295, c.
Est 5:13
And yet all his good fortune is embittered to him as often as he sees the hated Jew Mordochai. “And all this availeth me not at every time when I see the Jew Mordochai sitting in the king's gate.” לִי שֹׁוֶה is, not being equalled to me, i.e., not answering my desires, not affording me satisfaction.אֲשֶׁר בְּכָל־עֵת, at all time when = as often as. The fortune and honour he enjoys fail to satisfy him, when he sees the Jew Mordochai refuse to show him the reverence which he claims.
Est 5:14
His wife and all his friends advise: “Let a tree be made (set up) fifty cubits high, and to-morrow speak to the king, that Mordochai may be hanged thereon (i.e., impaled; see on תָּלָה Est 2:23); and then go in merrily with the king to the banquet.” The counsellors take it for granted that the king will without hesitation agree to Haman's proposal to execute Mordochai, and therefore advise him at once to make the necessary preparations, so that the hated Jew may be hanged on the morrow before the banquet, and Haman may then go with the king to the feast prepared by the queen, free from all annoyance. גב עֵץ עָשָׂה, to make, i.e., to erect a high tree. The higher the stake, the farther would it be seen. The 3rd pers. plur. יַעֲשׂוּ stands instead of the passive: let them make = let ... be made. So too יִתְלוּ for let ... be hanged. This speech pleased Haman, and he caused the stake to be erected.