And the king arose in his wrath…went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther…the king returned…as Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. And the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?”
Esther 7
Esther’s second banquet went well into the night with eating and drinking reminiscent of the party atmosphere in the opening verses of the book of Esther. Finally, Esther requests of Ahasuerus what he had asked, “What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” So, Esther requested, “…For we have been sold, I and my people (the Jews), to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.” When the king said, “Who…?” Esther answered, “A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!” Ahasuerus, in his drunkenness, rises in great anger, storms from the presence of Esther and Haman and, goes into the garden out of Esther’s quarters. Haman begged Esther for his life, crying and falling onto the couch where Esther was seated. Just then, the king entered to see Haman falling onto Esther’s couch! Ahasuerus said, “Will he (Haman) even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?” As the king spoke, the king’s eunuchs covered Haman’s head, taking him into custody and said to the king, “Moreover, the gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.” At this, Ahasuerus commanded, “Hang him on that.” There is another saying today, “Be careful what you ask for!” God, sovereign over all, gave Haman what Haman’s hatred had built, someone hanged upon the gallows Haman had built! Christians, let us consider that whatever we do or decide is under the watchful eyes of God Almighty and, we are subject to do God’s will in whatever it is we decide to do.
Source: S C Ball September 16, 2023
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