Harbonah

10On the seventh day the king felt merry from the wine. He called seven servants who waited on him: Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas.

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

NoteThe King James calls these men "chamberlains." They were trusted servants who looked after the king's rooms and his family.

11He told them to bring Queen Vashti to him, wearing her royal crown. He wanted to show the people and the officials how beautiful she was. She was lovely to look at.

To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.

NoteThe king wanted to show her off, the way he had shown off his gold and his riches.

12But Queen Vashti said no. She would not come when the servants brought the king's order. The king was very angry. His anger burned inside him.

But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

NoteThe King James says the king was "wroth." That is an old word for very angry.

1So the king and Haman came to eat the meal Esther had made.

So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.

NoteA banquet was a big special meal with lots of food and drink. Haman was the king's most important helper, and everyone had to bow to him.

2While they drank their wine on this second day, the king asked again. "Queen Esther, what do you want? I will give it to you. What are you asking for? I will do it, even if you ask for half my kingdom."

And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.

NoteThe King James says "petition" and "request." Both words just mean something you ask for. "Even to the half of the kingdom" was a king's fancy way of saying he would give almost anything. He did not really plan to hand over half his land.

3Queen Esther answered him. "King, if you are pleased with me, and if it seems good to you, then this is what I ask. Please let me live. And please let my people live too.

Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:

Note"If I have found favour in thy sight" is an old way of saying "if you like me." Esther's people were the Jews. The king did not know that Esther was a Jew, because she had kept it secret.

4Someone has sold me and my people to be killed. Every one of us is meant to die. If we had only been sold to be servants, I would have stayed quiet. That trouble would not have been worth bothering you about."

For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.

NoteHaman had promised the king a huge pile of silver for the chance to kill the Jews. That is why Esther says her people were "sold." The King James word "bondmen" means slaves, people who are owned and must work without pay. Esther says even that would not have been worth bothering the king about.

5Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther a question. "Who is this man? Where is he? Who would dare to plan such a thing?"

Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?

NoteAhasuerus is also called Xerxes. He was king of Persia, a very big country far away, long ago. The King James words "durst presume in his heart" mean "dared to plan such a thing."

6Esther said, "The one against us is this wicked man, Haman!" Then Haman was terrified in front of the king and queen.

And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.

Note"Adversary" is an old word for someone who works against you. It means enemy.

7The king was very angry. He got up from his wine and went out to the palace garden. Haman stayed behind and begged Queen Esther to spare his life. He could see the king had already decided something terrible for him.

And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.

NoteThe palace had a big garden right outside the room where they ate. Haman stayed behind because only the king or the queen could save him now.

8The king came back in from the garden to the room where they had been eating. Haman had thrown himself down on the couch where Esther was resting. The king said, "Will he even attack the queen while I am here in the house?" As soon as the king said this, servants covered Haman's face.

Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.

NoteAt big meals in those days, people lay down on long couches to eat. They did not sit on chairs. So Esther was lying on a couch, and Haman threw himself down beside her to beg. The king walked in and thought Haman was hurting her. Covering someone's face was a sign that the person was about to be killed.

9Harbonah was one of the king's servants who worked close to him. He said, "There is also a tall wooden pole standing at Haman's house. It is fifty cubits high. Haman built it to hang Mordecai on. And Mordecai is the one who warned the king and saved him." The king said, "Hang Haman on it!"

And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.

NoteThe King James calls Harbonah a "chamberlain." That means a servant who worked inside the palace, close to the king. A cubit is about as long as a grown-up's arm from elbow to fingertips, around eighteen inches. Fifty cubits is about seventy-five feet, taller than most houses. The King James word "gallows" means a tall wooden frame or pole used to kill people. Mordecai was Esther's cousin, and he had raised her like a father. Earlier he had heard about a plan to hurt the king and warned him.

10So they hanged Haman on the pole he had built for Mordecai. Then the king was not angry anymore.

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.