Глава 5

1–2. 5th addition to the book: details of Esther’s visit to King Agasber. 3–8. Esther's first feast for the king and Haman. 9–14. A new clash between Haman and Mordecai and preparations for the execution of the latter first. Esther 5:1. On the third day Esther [stopped praying, took off her garments of mourning and] dressed like a king, Esther.5_1ä) [and having become magnificent, calling on the all-seeing God and Savior, she took two maidservants, and leaned on one, as if surrendering to bliss, and the other followed her, supporting her robe. Esther.5_1b She was beautiful in the color of her beauty, and her face was joyful, as if filled with love, but her heart was oppressed with fear]. Esther 5_1c And she stood in the inner court of the king's house, in front of the king's house; The king was then sitting on his royal throne, in the royal house, directly opposite the entrance to the house, [clothed in all the robe of his greatness, all in gold and precious stones, and was very terrible]. Esther 5_1d [Turning his face, ablaze with glory, he looked with great anger; and the queen lost heart and changed her face from weakness and bowed down on the head of the maid who accompanied her. Esther.5_1d1 When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she found mercy in his eyes. Esther 5_1е) And God changed the king’s spirit to meekness, and he hastily rose from his throne and took her into his arms until she came to her senses. Then he consoled her with kind words, telling her: Esther.5_1f what do you want, Esther? I am your brother; take heart, you will not die, for our dominion is common; come here.] Esther 5:2. And the king stretched out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand, and Esther came and touched the end of the scepter, Esther 5_2'' [and the king laid the scepter on her neck and kissed her and said: Speak to me. Esph.5_2ä) And she said: I saw in you, sir, as if it were an angel of God, and my heart was troubled with fear of your glory, for you are wonderful, sir, and your face is filled with grace. – Esther.5_2b But during the conversation she fell from weakness; and the king was embarrassed, and all his servants consoled her]. The words enclosed in parentheses in verses 1 and 2 of this chapter represent the 5th major insertion in the book, which tries with its details to more adequately describe the majestic moment of Esther’s appearance before Agasver, so dryly conveyed by the original (Hebrew) text that, for example, it is not at all clear from it that Esther experienced any shock and fear from the king before her conversation with him. The “favour” of the king here foreshadows everything, completely coinciding with the moment when the king “saw” Esther. Esther 5:3. And the king said to her: What do you want, Queen Esther, and what is your request? Even up to half a kingdom will be given to you. Esther 5:4. And Esther said: [Today is a holiday for me;] if it pleases the king, let the king come with Haman today to the feast that I have prepared for him. Esther 5:5. And the king said: Go quickly for Haman, so that you can do according to the word of Esther. And the king came with Haman to the feast that Esther had prepared. Esther 5:6. And the king said to Esther while drinking wine, “What is your desire?” it will be satisfied; and what is your request? at least until half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled. Esther 5:7. And Esther answered and said, This is my desire and my request: Esther 5:8. If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it pleases the king to satisfy my desire and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come [tomorrow] to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will fulfill the king’s word. Without immediately announcing her request, Esther invites the king, along with her worst enemy, to a meal: since the royal whim decided the fate of individuals and peoples with wine, and with wine the most important state difficulties were usually resolved, then with wine - after a feast in Esther’s palace, and in this case the king inquires about the desires of the queen. However, Esther - apparently - did not feel strong enough on the first day to make such a risky attempt to overthrow the king's favorite, and appoints a new feast for the next day, at which she promises to express her case. The writer does not tell us what other means came to Esther’s aid here in order to shake the strong position of the temporary worker; but it is in any case plausible that the monarch was influenced from another side in order to shake his disposition towards Haman, and therefore, as if Agasver’s insomnia on the night following the feast at Esther could not, as it seems, be a simple accident. Esther 5:9. And Haman went out that day cheerful and good-natured. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, and he did not get up or move from his place in front of him, then Haman was filled with anger at Mordecai. Even after Mordecai’s non-worship of Haman gave rise and, as it were, an indirect reason for the mortal danger for the Jews, Mordecai remains consistent and true to himself, confirming the truth of his words (see his prayer - Esther 4:17), which is not out of “pride”, but out of religious conviction. Esther 5:10. However, Haman held his ground. And when he came to his house, he sent to call his friends and Zeresh his wife. Esther 5:11. And Haman told them about his great wealth and about the multitude of his sons and about all how the king had exalted him and how he had exalted him above the princes and servants of the king. Esther 5:12. And Haman said, “Yes, and Queen Esther did not invite anyone with the king to the feast that she had prepared except me; so tomorrow I am invited to her with the king. Esther 5:13. But all this is not enough for me, as long as I see Mordecai the Judah sitting at the king's gate. Esther 5:14. And Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him: Let them prepare a tree fifty cubits high, and in the morning tell the king to hang Mordecai on it, and then go joyfully to the feast with the king. And Haman liked this word, and he prepared the tree. Haman’s pride and ambition consumed him so much that he could no longer tolerate Mordecai, who was disobedient to him; he could not wait for the fate prepared for him to suffer along with the other Jews, and he was trying to speed up this fate for him and make it as shameful as possible. At a meeting of his friends and relatives, Haman gives full vent to his bitter feeling of wounded pride, compares such a sharp contrast with his exalted position at court - Mordecai’s impudent attitude and complains that he can no longer be calm as long as he sees Mordecai “sitting at the king’s gate.” A meeting of friends, led by Haman’s wife, responds to this with advice that is most pleasing to Haman himself; prepare a gallows for Mordecai and obtain permission from the king to hang the disobedient man the next day. You might be interested in: