The plot builds as Esther looks for the right time to plead her people’s case, while Haman’s scheming takes a new turn.

July 3, 2012

Esther 5 & 6

After three days of seeking GOD and preparing herself, Esther audaciously approaches her husband the king in his throne room; by coming unannounced, she has put her life on the line. Fortunately, both GOD and the king smile on her, and he extends the scepter as a sign of acceptance and permission to approach. She then makes a countersign by touching the scepter’s tip; this means she wishes to make a request of the king. She asks that both he and Haman be her guests at a banquet she is preparing especially for them; this serves two purposes – first, it allows Esther to replenish her body from the three day fast, and second, with both the king and Haman present, it puts all her eggs in one basket, so to speak.

Esther apparently decides that she needs another day to gather her courage and/or prepare her husband for the revelation she is going to make with her plea. Perhaps she was unnerved somewhat by the presence of Haman, who planned to annihilate her people and held a special hatred for Mordecai. Whatever the reason, it allows Haman to steal a march on her, putting his next move into play.

Following the private feast, Haman travels home feeling triumphant; he has achieved a measure of intimacy with the king that he is also trusted in the presence of the queen (perhaps not unlike Nehemiah later on). As he passes the gate, however, he espies Mordecai and observes that he does not regard Haman in either fear or respect; Haman’s threat of annihilation bruised him emotionally, but it has not broken or beaten him into submission or defeat. His seeming inability to affect Mordecai infuriates Haman, but he checks himself for the sake of his plan; attacking Mordecai early and without permission will raise too many questions. He proceeds home, still steaming along the way.

Once he arrives at home, he boasts to his family and friends of his success; his position, wealth, and power are seemingly unmatched by anyone. Yet, Mordecai proves to be both the fly in the ointment and a persistent thorn in Haman’s side. As a means of satisfying his jealous anger, they recommend that he build Mordecai a grand execution: a 75 foot high gallows in the courtyard of his own house, so that everyone may see what happens when someone crosses Haman. Presumably, the feast Haman is to attend will be in the afternoon, so he plans to ask the king for permission to hang Mordecai in the morning.

That night, however, GOD moves to thwart Haman and protect Mordecai from harm. King Xerxes is unable to sleep, so he asks for the chronicles recording the acts of his reign to be read to him. I suppose that reveling in the memories of past glories would help him be more at ease. As the records are read, a crucial point that arises is the assassination attempt by two of the king’s servants in chapter 2. Furthermore, it is discovered that, although Mordecai played a crucial role in saving the king’s life by reporting the plot, he has as of yet received no reward for his valorous service.

In the morning, when Haman arrives to ask permission to hang Mordecai, Xerxes asks him for advice on how to honor/reward a man who has pleased him. Being the egotistical type, Haman believes that the king means this reward for himself, and recommends royal treatment (wearing the king’s robe, riding the king’s horse, etc.). Pleased with his advice, Xerxes orders Haman to personally deliver these honors to Mordecai; much to his own chagrin, Haman does so, caught by his own words and pride. Following Mordecai’s public reward, Haman quickly runs home, so embarrassed that he puts a bag over his head.

Seeking comfort from his wife and friends, Haman receives only a foreboding warning. While the Jews are a conquered people, their reputation is still widely known among the nations; the legends of the Exodus, David and Solomon, and all the rest are hard to forget. Based on the past experiences of those who have opposed the Jews, they suspect that Haman has set himself up for a fall, and that this is only the beginning. Just then, the king’s servants arrive to escort Haman to Esther’s banquet, and he goes to where his and the Jews’ fates will be sealed.