Bible Commentaries
Esther 5

Verses 1-14

Chapter 5

Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and she stood in the inner court of the king's house: and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre ( Esther 5:1-2 ).

No doubt some kind of a protocol or ceremony.

Then the king said to her, What do you want, Queen Esther? what is your request? it shall be given to you to the half of the kingdom. And Esther answered, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to a banquet that I have prepared for him. And the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is your petition? it shall be granted to you: what is your request? even to the half of the kingdom it will be performed. And answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, tomorrow as the king has said. Then Haman went forth that day joyful and with a glad heart ( Esther 5:3-9 ):

He really thought, "Man, I'm in. The queen is inviting only me to come with the king to this banquet." He was just really exalted, until he got to the gate and everyone was bowing and he saw that Mordecai standing. Just wiped him out. Oh, he got angry.

He saw Mordecai at the king's gate, and he stood up, and he did not move for him, he was full of indignation. Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called his friends, and Zeresh his wife. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above all the princes and servants. And Haman said moreover, Yes, Esther the queen didn't let any man come in with the king to the banquet which she had prepared but myself; tomorrow I'm invited unto her also with the king. And yet all of this avails me nothing, as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. Then said Zeresh his wife and all of his friends to him, [Hey,] why don't you build some gallows seventy-five feet high [and string that little guy up when the day comes, and just swing him from the gallows seventy-five feet? That'll satisfy you when you see him swinging from that gallows.] So it pleased Haman; [the idea sounded great to him,] and so he had built a gallows seventy-five feet high in which he was preparing to hang Mordecai ( Esther 5:9-14 ). "