Esther 5:14

Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

Ver. 14. Then said Zeresh his wife] Thrasos shall never want for Gnathos. Such as have first flattered themselves shall have others enough to soothe them, and to say with them. Zeresh sets the motion of revenge on foot, she was a fit helve for such a hatchet, wittily wicked. The wit of women hath wont to be noted for more sudden and more shrewd.

And all his friends unto him] Indeed, no friends, because flatterers and furtherers in evil Sed divitibus ideo amicus deest, quia nihil deest. The rich hath many friends, saith Solomon, seeming friends, but true enemies, parasites, brokers coal carters, good to scour a hot oven with. Such a one was that Adullamite to Judah, Genesis 38:20; Jonadab to Amnon, 2 Samuel 13:3; 2 Samuel 13:8; those green headed counsellors to Rehoboam, &c. Haman should have made a better choice, and have come more calm to counsel. It is not good sowing in a tempest, nor taking medicine in a fit. These friends of Haman deserved to speed as ill as those of Sejanus did, who were executed with him, because they served his lust, and added fuel to his flame.

Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high] A cubit was half a yard at least. In those parts they had trees very tall, or they might piece one to another. But why so high a gallows, but for the greater disgrace to Mordecai, and terror to all that should slight the king's favourite? So Canute, the first Danish king of England, caused the false Edric's head to be set upon the highest part of the Tower of London. And our gunpowder traitors were served in like manner.

And tomorrow] But why so soon, since in case of life, Nulla cunctatio satis diuturna esse possit? were it not fit that he were tried first? Haman's malice will bear no delays, he is in pain till the business be despatched; he cannot sleep till he have caused this innocent man to fall, Proverbs 4:16, though he fall with him, as the dragon doth with the elephant, whose blood he sucketh out, and perisheth by his falling weight (Philippians 1. viii. c. 12).

Speak thou unto the king] It will be but dictum, factum, said and done, he will lightly say as Zedekiah did to his princes, requiring Jeremiah to the stocks. The king is not he that can deny you anything. How much better that Roman emperor, who being to subscribe a warrant for execution of a certain malefactor, cried out, Non nisi coactus, full sore against my will! and another, Utinam literas nescirem, I would I could not write my name. So when one Joan Butcher was to be burned for her deserts, all the Council could not prevail with our Edward VI for a long time to set to his hand. But these wicked friends of Haman question not the king's readiness to gratify him, though they could not but know that Mordecai had once at least saved the king's life, Esther 2:21,23, and what could they tell, but the king might now remember it? Sed Deus quem destruit dementat, when God has a mind to undo a man, he first infatuateth him.

That Mordecai may be hanged thereon] And that before Haman's door, that he may feed his eyes on that sweet spectacle, and say as that bloody Prince Charles IX of France did, when he saw the noble admiral's carcass hanging and stinking upon the gallows, Quam suaviter olet cadaver inimici! How sweetly smelleth the dead body of an enemy!

Then go thou in merrily with the king, &c.] They knew that he could not be heartily merry till then, and forced smiles are but as counterfeit complexion, the hypocrisy of mirth. So Richard III would not sit down to dinner till the Lord Hastings were beheaded; nor Stephen Gardiner, till he had the news brought him that the bishops were burnt at Oxford. Oh that we could be as restless till the hindrances of our true spiritual joy were removed, I mean those stubborn corruptions that will not stoop to the power of grace.

And the thing pleased Haman] As being agreeable to his malicious humour, and that which he doubted not to be able to effect. Man purposeth, but God disposeth.

And he caused the gallows to be made] Little thought he for whom. Aequum est ut faber quas fecit compedes ipse gestet. So let thine enemies perish, O Lord.