Esther 5:6

6 ¹And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, ²"What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? ³Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled."

Esther 5:6 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 5:6

And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine
For such it seems the banquet was she prepared; it was not properly a meal, neither dinner nor supper, but a drinking bout; or, however, it was at that part of the banquet in which wine was drank that the king accosted Esther, when he began to be cheerful with it. The Persians at their meals had two courses: the first consisted of meats at which they drank water, the other of fruits, when they drank wine; Aelianus ^F9 says, the Persians, after they are filled with food, indulge themselves in drinking wine:

what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy
request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed;
by which it appears he retained the same affection for Esther, and the same disposition to show her kindness. See ( Esther 5:3 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Var. Hist. l. 12. c. 1.

Esther 5:6 In-Context

4 And Esther said, "If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king."

5 Then the king said, "Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked." So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared.

6 And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, "What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled."

7 Then Esther answered, "My wish and my request is:

8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my wish and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said."

Cross References

• 1. Esther 7:2
• 2. ver. 3; Esther 7:2; Esther 9:12
• 3. [See ver. 3 above]