Esther 5:3

3 Then the king asked her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? What would you like? Even if it is up to half of the kingdom, it will be granted to you."

Esther 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 5:3

Then said the king unto her, what wilt thou, Queen Esther?
&c.] He supposed she had some business with him, some suit to make to him, by her coming in this manner:

and what is thy request?
signifying he was ready to grant it, be it what it would:

it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom;
as it was usual with the Persian kings to give their wives cities for certain purposes, (See Gill on Esther 2:18), here Ahasuerus, out of his great affection to Esther, offers half of his dominions, his one hundred and twenty seven provinces; meaning that he would grant her anything, and everything that was reasonable, and even magnificent; it is an hyperbolical and courtly way of speaking, and which has been used in later times, and in other countries; see ( Mark 6:23 ) .

Esther 5:3 In-Context

1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes. She stood in the courtyard of the king's palace, facing the king's throne room. The king was sitting on the royal throne inside the palace, facing the entrance.

2 When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the entrance, she won his favor. So the king held out the golden scepter that was in his hand to Esther. Esther went up to him and touched the top of the scepter.

3 Then the king asked her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? What would you like? Even if it is up to half of the kingdom, it will be granted to you."

4 So Esther answered, "If it pleases you, Your Majesty, come today with Haman to a dinner I have prepared for you."

5 The king replied, "Bring Haman right away, and do whatever Esther asks." So the king and Haman came to the dinner that Esther had prepared.