5:1 Esther, adventuring on the king's favour, obtains the grace of the golden sceptre, and invites the king and Haman to a banquet;
5:6 She, being encouraged by the king in her suit, invites them to another banquet the next day;
5:9 Haman, proud of his advancement, repines at the contempt of Mordecai;
5:14 By the counsel of Zeresh he prepares for him a gallows. Verse 1on theEsther 4:16; Matthew 27:64 royalEsther 1:11, 8:15; Matthew 10:16, 11:8; 1 Peter 3:3-5 innerEsther 4:11, 6:4 sat1 Kings 10:18-20; Luke 22:30; Revelation 3:21ReciprocalGenesis 22:4 - third; 24:22 - took; 41:14 - he shaved; Ruth 3:3 - put thy; 2 Samuel 1:2 - the third; 1 Kings 22:10 - having put; Esther 2:5 - Shushan; Proverbs 31:22 - clothing; Luke 7:25 - are in; 1 Timothy 2:9 - not Verse 2sheGenesis 32:28; Nehemiah 1:11; Psalm 116:1; Proverbs 21:1; Acts 7:10, 10:4 golden sceptreEsther 4:11, 8:4ReciprocalNumbers 32:5 - if we have; Psalm 69:13 - in an; Jeremiah 38:10 - the king Verse 3WhatEsther 5:6; 7:2, 9:12; 1 Kings 2:20, 3:5; Matthew 20:20-22; Luke 18:41 toEsther 5:6; Mark 6:23ReciprocalNehemiah 2:4 - For what; Matthew 14:7 - General; 20:21 - What; Acts 23:19 - What Verse 4If it seemEsther 5:8; Proverbs 29:11 the banquetMishteh, from shathah, "to drink," a compotation. feast, or banquet accompanied with drinking; the drinking in the East being at the beginning, and not at the end of the entertainment. Olearius, describing an entertainment at the Persian court, says, "The floor of the hall was covered with cotton cloth, which was covered with all sorts of fruits and sweetmeats in basons of gold. With them was served up excellent Shiraz wine. After an hour's time, the sweetmeats were removed, to make way for the more substantial part of the entertainment, such as rice, boiled and roast mutton, etc. When the company had been at table an hour and a half, warm water was brought, in a ewer of gold, for washing; and grace being said, they began to retire without speaking a word, according to the custom of the country." Esther 5:8, 3:15; Genesis 27:25, 32:20; Psalm 112:5; 1 Corinthians 14:20ReciprocalEzra 6:11 - timber; Esther 1:9 - the queen Verse 5Cause HamanEsther 6:14

Verse 6the king saidEsther 5:3, 7:2, 9:12ReciprocalNehemiah 2:4 - For what; Psalm 69:13 - in an; Matthew 14:7 - General; Mark 6:23 - Whatsoever Verse 8performHeb. dolet the kingEsther probably wished another interview, that she might ingratiate herself more fully into the king's favour, and thus secure the success of her design. But Providence disposed of things thus, to give time for the important event mentioned in the following chapter.to morrowEsther 6:1-13; Proverbs 16:9ReciprocalNehemiah 2:5 - If it please; Esther 1:9 - the queen; 5:4 - If it seem; 6:14 - hasted to bring; 7:1 - banquet; Proverbs 31:26 - openeth; Amos 6:7 - and the Verse 9joyfulJob 20:5; Amos 6:12, 6:13; Luke 6:25; John 16:20; James 4:9 he stood not upEsther 3:2; Psalm 15:4; Matthew 10:28 he was fullEsther 3:5; 1 Kings 21:4; Job 31:31; Psalm 27:3; Daniel 3:13, 3:16-19; Matthew 2:16; Acts 7:54Reciprocal1 Kings 21:6 - Because; Psalm 73:6 - Therefore; Jonah 4:6 - So Verse 10refrainedGenesis 43:30, 43:31, 45:1; 2 Samuel 13:22, 13:23; Ecclesiastes 7:9 called for his friendsHeb. caused his friends to come, Zeresh. Esther 6:13Reciprocal2 Samuel 13:3 - a friend; Proverbs 14:20 - but; Malachi 3:15 - we call Verse 11the gloryEsther 1:4; Genesis 31:1; Job 31:24, 31:25; Psalm 49:6, 49:16, 49:17; Isaiah 10:8; Jeremiah 9:23, 9:24; Daniel 4:30; Mark 10:24; Luke 12:19, 12:20; 1 Timothy 6:17 the multitudeEsther 9:7-10, 9:12, 9:13; Job 27:14, 27:15; Hosea 9:13, 9:14 and how he hadEsther 3:1ReciprocalNumbers 22:17 - I will promote; Esther 6:6 - To whom; 9:10 - ten sons; Job 1:2 - seven sons; 20:5 - the triumphing; Psalm 37:35 - I have; 49:20 - Man; 94:3 - the wicked; Proverbs 14:20 - but; Ecclesiastes 6:3 - a man; Isaiah 16:14 - the glory; Amos 6:9 - if; Matthew 4:8 - and showeth; Luke 4:6 - and the; 1 Thessalonians 2:6 - of men Verse 12EstherPlutarch, in his life of Artaxerxes, informs us, that none but the king's mother, and his real wife, were permitted to sit at his table; and therefore he mentions it as a condescension in that prince, that he sometimes invited his brothers. Haman, therefore, had some reason to be proud of this favour.to morrowJob 8:12, 8:13, 20:5-8; Psalm 37:35, 37:36; Proverbs 7:22, 7:23, 27:1; Luke 21:34, 21:35; 1 Thessalonians 5:3ReciprocalPsalm 94:3 - the wicked; Isaiah 21:4 - the night; Amos 6:7 - and the Verse 13Yet all thisPride will ever render its possessor unhappy. Haman, though possessed of immense riches, glory, and honour, and the prime favourite of his king, is wretched, because he could not have the homage of that man whom his heart even despised! Oh, how distressing are the inquietudes of pride and vanity. 1 Kings 21:4-6; Job 15:20, 18:4; Ecclesiastes 1:2, 1:14; Philippians 4:11, 4:12Reciprocal2 Samuel 13:4 - Why art; 1 Kings 20:43 - went; Esther 2:19 - sat in the king's gate Verse 14said Zeresh2 Samuel 13:3-5; 1 Kings 21:7, 21:25; 2 Chronicles 22:3, 22:4; Mark 6:19-24 Let a gallowsHeb. Let a tree, Esther 7:9 speak thou3:8-15, 6:4 go thou in3:15; 1 Kings 21:7; Amos 6:4-6; Revelation 11:10 the thing2 Samuel 16:21-23, 17:1-4; Mark 14:10, 14:11; Acts 23:14, 23:15; Romans 1:32 he causedEsther 7:10; Psalm 7:13-16, 9:15, 37:14, 37:32; Proverbs 1:18, 4:16; Romans 3:15ReciprocalGenesis 45:16 - it pleased Pharaoh well; 2 Samuel 13:4 - Why art; 17:4 - the saying; 2 Kings 8:5 - the woman; Esther 2:23 - hanged; 6:14 - hasted to bring; Psalm 36:4 - deviseth; 140:9 - let the mischief; 146:9 - the way; Isaiah 51:13 - were ready; Micah 2:1 - to