Esther 5:14

14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, "Have them build a gallows 75 feet[a] high. Ask the king in the morning to hang Mordecai on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself." The advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed.[b]

Esther 5:14 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 5:14

Then said Zeresh his wife, and all his friends, unto him
His wife very probably first moved it, and all his friends present approved of it and united in it:

let a gallows be made, of fifty cubits, high;
that the person hanged thereon might be seen at a distance, and so be a greater reproach to him, and a terror to others, to take care they were not guilty of the same offence: Cartalo was ordered by his father to be fixed to the highest cross in the sight of the city F12; and it was usual for crosses to be erected very high F13 both for that purpose, and for greater infamy and disgrace F14:

and tomorrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged
thereon;
get a grant from him for it; of which they made no doubt, since Haman had such an interest in him, and had already obtained an order to destroy all Jews in his dominions:

then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet;
eased of the burden of his mind, and honoured to be a guest with the royal pair:

and the thing pleased Haman, and he caused the gallows to be made;
but it was for himself, as it proved in the issue. See ( Esther 7:10 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F12 Justin e Trogo, l. 18. c. 7. Vid. l. 22. c. 7.
F13 Vid. Lipsium de Cruce, l. 3. c. 13.
F14 Suetonius in Galba, c. 9.

Esther 5:14 In-Context

12 "What's more," Haman added, "Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she had prepared. I am invited again tomorrow to join her with the king.
13 Still, none of this satisfies me since I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King's Gate all the time."
14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, "Have them build a gallows 75 feet high. Ask the king in the morning to hang Mordecai on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself." The advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed.

Footnotes 2

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