Ester 7

Humillación y muerte de Amán

1 El rey y Amán fueron al banquete de la reina Ester,

2 y al segundo día, mientras brindaban, el rey le preguntó otra vez:—Dime qué deseas, reina Ester, y te lo concederé. ¿Cuál es tu petición? ¡Aun cuando fuera la mitad del reino, te lo concedería!

3 Ester respondió:—Si me he ganado el favor de Su Majestad, y si le parece bien, mi deseo es que me conceda la vida. Mi petición es que se compadezca de mi pueblo.

4 Porque a mí y a mi pueblo se nos ha vendido para exterminio, muerte y aniquilación. Si solo se nos hubiera vendido como esclavos, yo me habría quedado callada, pues tal angustia no sería motivo suficiente para inquietar a Su Majestad.^[a]

5 El rey le preguntó:—¿Y quién es ese que se ha atrevido a concebir semejante barbaridad? ¿Dónde está?

6 —¡El adversario y enemigo es este miserable de Amán! —respondió Ester.Amán quedó aterrorizado ante el rey y la reina.

7 El rey se levantó enfurecido, dejó de beber y salió al jardín del palacio. Pero Amán, dándose cuenta de que el rey ya había decidido su fin, se quedó para implorarle a la reina Ester que le perdonara la vida.

8 Cuando el rey volvió del jardín del palacio a la sala del banquete, Amán estaba inclinado sobre el diván donde Ester estaba recostada. Al ver esto, el rey exclamó:—¡Y todavía se atreve este a violar a la reina en mi presencia y en mi casa!Tan pronto como el rey pronunció estas palabras, cubrieron el rostro de Amán.

9 Y Jarboná, uno de los eunucos que atendían al rey, dijo:—Hay una estaca a veinticinco metros^[b] de altura, junto a la casa de Amán. Él mandó colocarla para Mardoqueo, el que intervino en favor del rey.—¡Cuélguenlo en ella! —ordenó el rey.

10 De modo que colgaron a Amán en la estaca que él había mandado levantar para Mardoqueo. Con eso se aplacó la furia del rey.

Ester 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

Esther accuses Haman. (1-6) Haman hanged on his own gallows. (7-10)

Verses 1-6 If the love of life causes earnest pleadings with those that can only kill the body, how fervent should our prayers be to Him, who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell! How should we pray for the salvation of our relatives, friends, and all around us! When we petition great men, we must be cautious not to give them offence; even just complaints must often be kept back. But when we approach the King of kings with reverence, we cannot ask or expect too much. Though nothing but wrath be our due, God is able and willing to do exceeding abundantly, even beyond all we can ask or think.

Verses 7-10 The king was angry: those that do things with self-will, reflect upon them afterward with self-reproach. When angry, we should pause before we come to any resolution, and thus rule our own spirits, and show that we are governed by reason. Those that are most haughty and insolent when in power and prosperity, commonly, like Haman, are the most abject and poor-spirited when brought down. The day is coming when those that hate and persecute God's chosen ones, would gladly be beholden to them. The king returns yet more angry against Haman. Those about him were ready to put his wrath into execution. How little can proud men be sure of the interest they think they have! The enemies of God's church have often been thus taken in their own craftiness. The Lord is known by such judgments. Then was the king's wrath pacified, and not till then. And who pities Haman hanged on his own gallows? who does not rather rejoice in the Divine righteousness displayed in the destruction his own art brought upon him? Let the workers of iniquity tremble, turn to the Lord, and seek pardon through the blood of Jesus.

Footnotes

• [a]. "pues " "… " "Majestad" . Alt. "pero la compensación que nuestro adversario ofrece no puede compararse con la pérdida que sufriría Su Majestad" .
• [b]. "veinticinco metros" . Lit. "cincuenta codos" .

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 7

Esther, being solicited by the king to tell him her petition, asks for her life and the lives of her people, who were sold to be destroyed, Es 7:1-4, the king, amazed at her request, inquires who was the person that dared to do so vile a thing; and was told by her it was Haman there present, Es 7:5,6 on which the king went out into the garden in wrath, and, returning, found Haman on Esther's bed, which still more incensed him; and being told that Haman had prepared a gallows for Mordecai, the king ordered that he himself should be hanged upon it, which was done accordingly, Es 7:7-10.