Esther 5:1-8

Esther 5:1-8

[1] Now it came to pass on the third  day,  that Esther  put on  her royal  apparel, and stood  in the inner  court  of the king's  house,  over against  the king's  house:  and the king  sat  upon his royal  throne  in the royal  house,  over against  the gate  of the house.  [2] And it was so, when the king  saw  Esther  the queen  standing  in the court,  that she obtained  favour  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.  [3] Then said  the king  unto her, What wilt thou, queen  Esther?  and what is thy request?  it shall be even given  thee to the half  of the kingdom.  [4] And Esther  answered,  If it seem good  unto the king,  and Haman  come  this day  unto the banquet  that I have prepared  for him. [5] Then 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.  [6] And the king  said  unto Esther  at the banquet  of 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.  [7] Then answered  Esther,  and said,  My petition  and my request  [8] If I have found  favour  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  to morrow  as the king  hath said. 

What does Esther 5:1-8 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Here we have another remarkable example of how God controls the hearts of kings ( Esther 5:2; Proverbs 21:1; cf. Genesis 39-41; Ezra 1:1-4; Nehemiah 2; Daniel 2; Daniel 3; Daniel 4; Daniel 5; Acts 2:23). "To half of the kingdom" ( Esther 5:3) is hyperbole and means, "I will grant even a very large request" (cf. Esther 5:6; Esther 7:2; Mark 6:22-23). Esther must have had a very good reason for postponing her request of the king ( Esther 5:8), since delaying it opened the door to any number of complications. For example, the king"s mood might have changed, or Haman might have discovered the reason for the banquet.
Esther"s "procedure is part of a shrewd and deliberate plan in which Esther is taking the initiative and determining the course of events, as a close reading of the narrative will clearly show." [1]
"What Esther did ranks among the great deeds of faith in Scripture and could have been recorded in Hebrews 11." [2]
"The spiritual application to the gospel message is remarkable. Because of our sin, we cannot enter the presence of an infinitely holy God. But this same God, in His incomparable love and grace, has provided a plan whereby even the worst of sinners may enter His presence and touch, as it were, His golden scepter." [3]