So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. ] Or, "to drink with her" F5, that is, wine; for in the next verse it is called a banquet of wine; so they did according to the invitation the queen had given them, ( Esther 5:8 ) .
FOOTNOTES:
F5 (twtvl) "ut biberent", V. L. Tigurine version; "ad bibendum", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, Vatablus.
1
So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther.
2
They were drinking wine on the second day. The king again asked, "What do you want, Queen Esther? I'll give it to you. What do you want me to do for you? I'll even give you up to half of my kingdom."
3
Then Queen Esther answered, "King Xerxes, I hope you will show me your favor. I hope you will be pleased to let me live. That's what I want. Please spare my people. That's my appeal to you.
4
"My people and I have been sold to be destroyed. We've been sold to be killed and wiped out. Suppose we had only been sold as male and female slaves. Then I wouldn't have said anything. That kind of suffering wouldn't be a good enough reason to bother you."
5
King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, "Who is the man who has dared to do such a thing? And where is he?"