Esther 5:9-14

Haman's Pride

9 Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai ¹in the king's gate and ²that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai.

10 Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house and sent for his friends and his wife ³Zeresh.

11 Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the ⁴number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had ⁵promoted him above the princes and servants of the king.

12 Haman also said, "Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and ⁶tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king.

13 "Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at ⁷the king's gate."

14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "⁸Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet." And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.

Esther 5:9-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 5

This chapter gives an account of Esther's going in to the king, and of his holding out the golden sceptre to her, on which she invited him and Haman to a banquet of wine that day, and to another the next day, Es 5:1-8, which highly delighted Haman; and he went to his house and family with great joy, and yet chagrined at Mordecai's not bowing to him; wherefore, at the advice of his wife and friends, he erected a gallows to hang him upon, proposing to get a grant for it from the king the next day, Es 5:9-14.

Cross References

• 1. Esther 2:19
• 2. Esther 3:5
• 3. Esther 6:13
• 4. Esther 9:7-10
• 5. Esther 3:1
• 6. Esther 5:8
• 7. Esther 5:9
• 8. Esther 6:4; Esther 7:9, 10

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "move for"
• [b]. Lit "sent and brought"
• [c]. Lit "multitude"
• [d]. Lit "lifted"
• [e]. Lit "summoned to her"
• [f]. Lit "is not suitable to me"
• [g]. Lit "tree"
• [h]. Lit "thing"