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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Esther 5:3

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.

It shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom. This mode of speaking originated in the Persian custom of appropriating for the maintenance of great men, or royal favourites, one city for his bread, another for his wine, a third for his clothes, etc., so that the phrase denoted great liberality.

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See also Esther 5:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    IT SHALL BE EVEN GIVEN THEE ... - Xerxes, on another occasion, when pleased with one of his wives, offered to grant her any request whatever, without limitation. Compare the margin reference....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    ESTHER AND THE KING AND HAMAN'S DELUSION CHAPTER 5 _ 1. Esther before the king and her request (Esther 5:1)_ 2. Haman's delusion (Esther 5:9) Esther 5:1. On the third day Esther put on her royal ap...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ESTHER 5. ESTHER OBTAINS THE KING'S FAVOUR AND INVITES HIM WITH HAMAN TO A BANQUET. Haman's Elation is DASHED BY VEXATION AT MORDECAI'S REFUSAL TO HONOUR HIM. In Esther 5:1 to Esther 8:3 we read how t...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    WHAT WILT THOU, QUEEN ESTHER? WHAT IS THY REQUEST? Her attitude and expression were those of. suppliant, and the king knew well that she would not have dared, timid and modest as she was, to have take...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    KINGDOM. Put by Figure of speech _Metonomy_ (of Adjunct), for. year's revenue. Compare Mark 6:23....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Esther 5:1-8. Esther's interview with the king Esther is received graciously. The king, however, obviously guesses that she has an important object to gain in thus presenting herself, and so enquires...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _it shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom_ The order of the words in the Heb. indicates the eagerness belonging to a rapid and authoritative declaration: _to the half of the kingdom, yea...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    V. The Plan of Esther, Esther 5:1-8 A. Coquetry TEXT: Esther 5:1-4 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, ov...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ESTHER'S PETITION TO THE KING An account of how Esther, being favourably received by the king, invited him, together with Haman, to a banquet whereat she promised to make known her petition, and how...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD IS IN CONTROL Book of Esther _ROBERT BRYCE_ CHAPTER 5 V1 On the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing. She stood in the inner yard of the king’s palace. This yard was in front of the ki...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    TO THE HALF OF THE KINGDOM. — This tremendous offer occurs in further promises of Ahasuerus (Esther 5:6; Esther 7:2). The same reckless promise is made by Herod Antipas to the daughter of Herodias (Ma...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ הַ מֶּ֔לֶךְ מַה ־לָּ֖ךְ

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    HATRED BREEDS CRIME Esther 5:1 Thus the soul clad in the royal garments of Christ's righteousness stands in the throne-room with its request. It has already obtained favor, for has it not been accept...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here we have the story of Esther's venture and its success. Things might have been very different, but the graciousness of the king, notwithstanding Esther's violation of the law of the palace, was un...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what [is] thy request? it shall be even (c) given thee to the half of the kingdom. (c) Meaning by this that whatever she asked would be...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Kingdom. Chap. vii. 2. This compliment only (Calmet) meant, that every rational (Haydock) request should be granted, Mark. vi. 23._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (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. Reader! do not overlook the hand of the LORD in this bu...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    Grace Given I. INTRODUCTION A. Last week we heard Mordecai say what is considered the most famous verse from the book of Esther: Esther 4:14 (NKJV) "For if you remain completely silent at this time,...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 1 THROUGH 10. The Book of Nehemiah has shewn us Judah reinstated in the land, but deprived of the presence of God, except as to general blessing, and unacknow...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THEN SAID THE KING UNTO HER, WHAT WILT THOU, QUEEN ESTHER?.... He supposed she had some business with him, some suit to make to him, by her coming in this manner: AND WHAT IS THY REQUEST? signifying...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 3. _Then said the king unto her_] He perceived both...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _What is thy request?_ &c. So far was the king from accounting her an offender, that he was glad to see her, and desirous to oblige her. Thus God, in his providence, often prevents the fears, and outd...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, Queen Esther? The Hebrew words are rendered more exactly by the phrase, What is the matter, Esther, the queen? AND WHAT IS THY REQUEST? IT SHALL BE EVEN GI...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Esther's Invitation To The King...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ESTHER'S BANQUET (vv. 1-8) After the three days of fasting, Esther's courage enabled her to enter the inner court of the king's palace, clothed in her royal robes. The king was sitting on his throne...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-8 Esther having had power with God, and prevailing, like Jacob, had power with men too. He that will lose his life for God, shall save it, or find it in a better life. The king encouraged her. Let...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    No text from Poole on this verse....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Esther 5:3 king H4428 said H559 (H8799) wish H1246 Queen H4436 Esther H635 given H5414 (H8735) half...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Esther's courage in proceeding to obtain favor. CHARACTERS: Ahasuerus, Esther, Haman, Mordecai, Zeresh. CONCLUSION: If we have had power with God in prayer we shall find favor with men in...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Esther 5:1. On _the third day,_ of the fast: Esther 4:16. Esther 5:3. _To the half of the kingdom._ This was a word of grace after the manner of kings. So Herod said to Herodias when she had pleased h...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel _ THERE IS NOTHING STATIONARY “Now it came to pass. ” These words call for special notice in a book which strikingly illus...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ESTHER—NOTE ON ESTHER 5:3 EVEN... HALF OF MY KINGDOM. Esther rightly understands this as a traditional, grand gesture rather than one to be taken seriously (see Mark 6:23)....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.] ESTHER 5:3. WHAT WILT THOU, QUEEN ESTHER?] Rather, what ails thee? According to Herodotus (ix. 109), Xerxes, when pleased with one of his wives, offered to grant her any request what...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION AHASUERUS RECEIVING ESTHER FAVOURABLY, SHE INVITES HIM AND HAMAN TO A BANQUET. ALLOWED TO ASK WHATEVER BOON SHE LIKES, SHE INVITES

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    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 i...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 2:20; 1 Kings 3:5; Esther 7:2; Esther 9:12; Esther 5:6;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    It shall be given — God in his providence often prevents the fears and outdoes the hopes of his servants. To the half of the kingdom — A proverbial expression: that is, nothing in reason shall be deni...

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