A Journey Through the Book of Esther- Esther Chapter 6
Interesting Facts:
About the Book of Esther:
- In the Hebrew Text, we see that Mordecai’s rescuing King Ahasuerus from assassination was written before the king’s face ( לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ Esther 2:23) and was later read out loud before the king’s face ( לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ Esther 6:1-2)
- The book of the record of the chronicles was read out loud before the king and Mordecai was honored for saving the king’s life from assassination about 5 years after Mordecai had done so! (Esther 2:16-23; 3:7ff; Esther 6:1-11)
- The Book of Esther demonstrates very well how God exalts the humble and brings low the haughty!
- In Esther 5:11 and 6:13, the word “told” is the same word in the Hebrew, as well. The Hebrew word has to do with giving a tally or recounting.
In Esther 5:11, Haman was giving a “tally” of all the riches and advancements he had. He was recounting to his loved-ones and wife how high and wealthy he was. While in Esther 6:13, Haman ends up recounting how he just had to bestow lavish honor on Mordecai the Jew. The very honor that Haman thought in his heart that he would receive himself! This definitely shows God turning the tables on Israel’s adversary. - Notice the contrasts between Haman’s two meetings with the people at his home: In Esther 5:10-14, Haman went home -and- called for his loved-ones and wife. He recounted his glorious riches and high status to them, yet that he was so angry about Mordecai the Jew that none of those things satisfied him. His wife and all his loved-ones advised Haman to build 75 foot gallows, talk with the king about getting Mordecai hanged on it, and go merrily on his way to the king’s banquet.
In Esther 6:12-14, Haman hurries home mourning with his head covered after God flips the script on him. He recounts to his wife and all his loved-ones how he ended up honoring Mordecai with the very honor Haman thought he’d receive himself. This time Haman’s wise men and his wife respond to him and basically tell him that since Mordecai is of the seed of the Jews, Haman is a goner! They basically tell him that because Mordecai is a Jew, Haman will not be able to prevail and will only fail before Mordecai! Haman then has some eunuchs anxiously hurrying to take him to the second banquet.
About this Chapter:
- Verse 1– The phrase “the king could not sleep” (NKJV) in the Hebrew text has the sense that the king’s sleep fled or even was chased away.
- Verse 1– The Hebrew word translated “read” (NKJV) can be translated that way. Yet, it also means “called” and is used many times in Scripture that way.
- Verse 3– The word “honor” (NKJV) in the Hebrew has to do with weighty wealth or weighty value.
- Verse 3– The word “dignity” (NKJV) in Hebrew is the word for “greatness.”
- Verse 3– The word translated “servants” (NKJV) here is the same word used for “servants” (NKJV) in Esther 2:2 which means young men servants.
- Verse 3– The phrase “Nothing has been done for him” in the Hebrew is more like “There was not done a word.”
- Verse 4– It appears that Haman has no trouble coming before the king any time he wants. This may appear to contradict what Esther mentioned to Mordecai in chapter 4 where she told Mordecai that if one goes before the king without being called that person would be put to death unless the king extended the golden scepter to that person. Remember, according to Esther 1:14, the king had certain people who always had access to him. Therefore, there is no contradiction between what Esther had said (Esther 4:10-11) and what is happening here.
- Verse 4– “Prepared” (NKJV) in the Hebrew has the sense of setting something up; setting something upright; establishing something.
- Verses 4-6– Note that Haman was set on talking to the king about hanging Mordecai. So far, Haman has been so focused on his venomous anger toward Mordecai for not bowing (kneeling) before him or shaking in fear at the sight of him. Haman’s mind was fixed on Mordecai’s death. That was the very thing he was thinking would bring him such immense satisfaction.
Would there be anything that could distract Haman from requesting Mordecai to be hung on the 75 foot gallows that Haman made for Mordecai? A situation where it looks like the king is going to totally shower Haman with accolades, praise, and honor will work! - Verses 1-6– Note the perfect timing of God!
- Verse 6– One might be able to say that Haman’s rise to power, the fact that he was seeming to get anything he wanted from the king, he was the only one invited to dinner with the king and queen, and he was invited alone to another dinner with the king and queen- were all setting Haman up for the very thing he said in his heart. Of course, Haman would think he was the only one the king was talking about honoring! The fact that Haman was full of pride made him all the more susceptible to the set up!
- Verse 8– A royal crown on a horse? Actually, this is a detail in The Book of Esther that gives this Book historical merit as seen by this quote:
“There are remarkable similarities between the book’s [The Book of Esther’s] statements about fifth-century Persia and what is known about that country and society from archeology. That the author had more than a casual knowledge of Persian life during this period is displayed in his references to Persian vocabulary and customs as well as in his awareness that the king had seven advisors (Est 1:4), that eating was undertaken while reclining on couches (7:8) and that royal horses could wear crowns (6:8).”
(From the Article Is Esther Religious Fiction? correlating to Esther 5 in The NIV Archaeological Study Bible © 2005 by The Zondervan Corporation) - Verse 9– The phrase “most noble” (NKJV) in the Hebrew text is a word of Persian origin meaning a nobleman or prince -and- the word “princes” (NKJV) is from a Hebrew word meaning prince. This would give amplification to this passage to the reader of the original text. Not only is a Persian word used for a nobleman/prince, but a Hebrew word right after it which basically means the same thing!
- Verses 6-9– The king asks what should be done for “the man whom the king delights to honor.” (NKJV) Haman thinks in his heart that there is no one but himself that fits that description and is totally wrapped up in delight over that phrase. Notice, Haman uses the king’s phrase “the man whom the king delights to honor” three times in his advice to the king and even suggests that phrase be part of what a most nobleman proclaims as he brings that honored man through a street of the city!
- Verse 9– The phrase “parade him on horseback through the city square” (NKJV) more literally in the Hebrew is “mount (him) to ride on a horse through a street in the city.” It could also be translated as having him ridden through the city square.
- Verse 10– The phrase “Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken” (NKJV) in the Hebrew has the sense of being “Let not fall/fail a word of all you worded.”
- Verses 6-11– Think of what an awesome thing God did for Mordecai. By using Mordecai’s enemy (in fact- The Enemy of the Jews), God assured that Mordecai would be utterly lavished with honor from the king before the city square in splendor. Not only that, his very enemy was going to have to bestow honor he (the enemy) felt should be for himself! Halleluyah!
- Verse 12– Mordecai’s response is so humble. He basically goes right back to business! He is not haughty. He doesn’t rub Haman’s face in it. He receives elaborate honor from the king via the hand of his enemy and afterwards- returns to the king’s gate!
- Verse 12– “Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.” (NKJV) When looking at the Hebrew text, this is exactly what happened. Haman was mourning as if someone had died.
- Verse 13– The phrase translated “of Jewish descent” (NKJV) is more literally “seed of the Jews.”
This Doesn’t Look Good:
- Heathens are living large and in charge. This could be seen as a deep reminder every day to the children of Israel about how they rebelled against the One true God Who had loved them so much He had given them a mighty deliverance from slavery and severe servitude. God’s warnings had come to pass in a major way. Now they were under the rule of their enemies.
- Those ruling over Israel do so without seeking God’s understanding on things. They rely on themselves and the way they see things.
- There’s no prophet seen or heard. No one is before the king with a word or direction from The Lord.
- Mordecai is a Jew in exile about to have his cousin who he adopted as a daughter taken away from him.
- Esther, the cousin/daughter of Mordecai, had already had both of her parents die. Now she is about to be taken away from her adopted father who loves her so dearly and be taken to the king of the invaders of her country.
- Mordecai had saved the kings life, but we don’t know if he will get the recognition he deserves. (We’ll find out very soon, though.)
- Mordecai’s heroics are forgotten and his life is threatened along with his whole race.
- Instead of a noble man like Mordecai being promoted by King Ahasuerus, the king gives a very high promotion to the very wicked and murderous Haman.
- Haman is given the king’s authority to do whatever he wanted to the Jews.
- All of the Jews are sentenced to die while the king and Haman sit down to drink.
- The Jewish people throughout King Ahasuerus’ empire are in great mourning, lamentation, distress, wailing and anguish as they see the day of their destruction written out as a decree from the king right before their eyes.
- Although Esther receives much love and favor from the king and it looks like her plans to seek deliverance for her people are underway, it looks like Mordecai is about to be hanged on gallows 75 feet high by Haman (who hates Mordecai and his people with such venom).
- Haman goes to the king to get Mordecai hanged on the 75 foot gallows Haman made.
God is Setting Things Up:
- Queen Vashti rebels against the drunken king’s order and his advisors mention the importance of finding a beautiful, humble, submissive queen to replace Vashti. A queen that could be an example to all women, rather than men having to deal with their wives wanting to be rebellious like Queen Vashti.
- The Persian/Median Empire had a good courier system so the King’s messages/laws could go out to everyone in the empire in everyone’s language.
- The King is reminded to look for a replacement for Queen Vashti that is better than she.
- Esther is absolutely the perfect anti-Vashti for the king!
- Esther is beautiful, pleasant, and people absolutely love her.
- Esther is favored highly left and right.
- The King absolutely loves Esther and makes her queen.
- Mordecai finds out about plot to kill the king and relates it to his daughter/cousin Queen Esther who relates it to the king in Mordecai’s name thus saving the king’s life! It was “written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.” (Esther 2:23)
- The fact that Mordecai’s heroics in saving the king’s life were overlooked- will play a factor later.
- Haman is feeling like he can do whatever he wants and the king will be all for it!
- Haman feels like the king’s right hand man.
- The edict for the destruction of the Jews goes out way before the day they are set to be destroyed. There is time for something to happen.
- The Jewish people are moved to cry out to God with fasting.
- Mordecai sees that Esther was appointed by God as queen for the purpose of being used to deliver her people from a great calamity.
- Esther steps up into her calling even at the risk of her own life.
- Queen Esther, the maidens with her, Mordecai, and the people with Mordecai set out to seek God out through fasting. In other words, people inside the castle and outside the castle are seeking God’s help through serious fasting.
- Esther has tremendous favor before the king.
- Haman thinks he is above everyone else before the king and queen.
- Haman thinks he can get whatever he wants from the king.
- Haman’s loved ones are aware that Mordecai is Jewish, but don’t recall God’s mighty hand of deliverance for the Jewish people.
- Haman’s loved ones suggest he build the 75 foot gallows for Mordecai and go before the king to request that Mordecai be hanged on it.
- Haman is happy to take up their “advise”. We’ll see later how the timing of the whole thing is perfect for an awesome out-of-the-blue victory over the “Enemy of The Jews.”
- The king’s slept fled.
- The king asks for the book of the records of the chronicles to be read.
- The king hears about how Mordecai saved his life (something that had happened about five years earlier) and that not a word was done to show Mordecai any honor.
- Right when the king was wondering what to do to honor Mordecai, there was Haman in the outer court for the king to call.
- Everything seemed to have gone Haman’s way before the king so when the king asked what should “be done to whom the king delights to honor”, Haman had it in his heart that he was that man. Therefore, Haman laid it on thick!
- Haman got distracted by thinking he was going to receive whatever display of honor he wanted from the king which meant he never got a chance to ask the king to hang Mordecai.
- Haman’s hurried to the next banquet with the king and queen.
God’s Follow Through:
- Esther perfectly fits the hole left behind by Queen Vashti. She truly is better than Queen Vashti and is now put into the position she needs to be in so that God can bring forth a mighty work through her for all her people.
- Esther gets the fact that she is in the position she is in for a good and important reason before God. (Refer to the points mentioned in the “God Is Setting Things Up” section: chapter 1 point 1 and the first five points mentioned from chapter 2)
- In chapter 5, we are just beginning to see God’s mighty answer to the cry and fasting of His people.
- Although Esther was not called by the king for about 30 days, Esther is received by the king with a whole lot of love and favor.
- The king is very happy to have Queen Esther as his wife reigning with him. This is seen in chapter five and will be seen throughout The Book of Esther.
- The king looks on Queen Esther with abundant favor/grace. He is ready and totally set to hear and meet her requests even up to half his great kingdom!
- Mordecai received the honor due him for saving the king’s life and received abundant honor at that from the king via Mordecai’s enemy Haman! (Refer to the points mentioned in the “God Is Setting Things Up” section: chapter 2 point 6; chapter 3 the first three points; and chapter 6 the first five points.)
- Mordecai doesn’t just get honored, he gets honored with the very thing prideful Haman wanted to be lavished on himself! (Refer to the points mentioned in the “God Is Setting Things Up” section: chapter 2 point 6; chapter 3 the first three points; chapter 5 in points 2 and 3; and chapter 6 the first five points.)
- Mordecai is not only recognized as an honorable heroic man, his life is saved from being hanged! (Refer to the points mentioned in the “God Is Setting Things Up” section: chapter 5 points 5 and 6 -and- chapter 6 points 4 through 6.)
- Haman’s advisors and loved ones’ minds are clued in to the fact that because Mordecai is of the “seed of the Jews” (Esther 6:13 and compare with Esther 5:9-14), Haman can’t overcome Mordecai and Haman’s downfall is certain. They tell Haman that he is a goner! (Refer to the points mentioned in the “God Is Setting Things Up” section: chapter 5 points 4 through 6.)
A Deeper Look:
- In this chapter of Esther, we see a common theme throughout Scripture displayed before our eyes! We see God exalting the humble (Mordecai) and bringing low the prideful (Haman). Mordecai handled his situation very well. It would appear that Mordecai never faltered before God. It would appear that Mordecai never threw up his hands at the success of his enemy and said, “Forget it God. The wicked prosper and I’ve followed you in vain.” When going through despair, he sought after God! He stayed the course and received honor from the king via his enemy’s hand! Later we will see Mordecai receive even more!
That said- there was a psalmist who served God and saw the “prosperity” of the wicked. He was starting to think that the wicked were doing better than he and that he was serving God in vain. He was starting to think that God just let the wicked have their way and that God let the haughty be puffed up in their haughtiness. He came very close to slipping until he got into the sanctuary and was in God’s presence. This brought clarity to him about how God deals with the wicked and truly blesses those who belong to Him. You could find this in Psalm 73. This is an awesome Psalm to read right alongside what we have read so far in The Book of Esther.
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Sources:
Bibles:
- HiSB- Hebrew interpolated Study Bible (With Strong’s Numbers, English Gloss, Transliteration, Morpheme Indicators) 10/10/2014 [Module for MySword Bible Software for Android 7.2 © 2011-2015)
- KJV- King James Version
- NIV (New International Version) Archaeological Study Bible © 2005 by The Zondervan Corporation
- NKJV- New King James Version
Concordances and Dictionaries:
- Brown-Driver-Brigg’s Hebrew Definitions
- King James Concordance
- Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary
Thoughts and Writings of Jaron 