| Esther 5 | |
|---|---|
 "The Feast of Esther" by Johannes Spilberg the Younger. | |
| Book | Book of Esther |
| Category | Ketuvim |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 17 |
Esther 5 is the fifth chapter of the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible,[1] The author of the book is unknown and modern scholars have established that the final stage of the Hebrew text would have been formed by the second century BCE.[2] Chapters 3 to 8 contain the nine scenes that form the complication in the book.[3] This chapter records that Esther's risky behavior to appear uninvited before the king Ahasuerus is richly rewarded, because the king generously offers to give her whatever she wants, 'even to the half of my kingdom' (5:3), but Esther cleverly asks for nothing more than an opportunity to entertain her husband and his chief officer, Haman.[4] Both men were pleased at her hospitality, but when the king again offers her half the empire, this time she requests only a second banquet.[4] While Haman was happy to have been entertained by the queen, he became intensely distressed when Mordecai once more refused to bow down before him.[4] Haman's wife, Zeresh, advised him to erect a monumental gallows intended for Mordecai, and only then Haman felt happy again to look forward to Esther's second banquet.[4]
- ^ Halley 1965, p. 238.
- ^ Meyers 2007, p. 324.
- ^ Clines 1988, pp. 387–388.
- ^ a b c d Meyers 2007, p. 328.