Berean Standard Bible
Esther 5:14
14His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows fifty cubits high,1 and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.”
The advice pleased Haman, and he had the gallows constructed.
Esther 5:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast." This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.” And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made.
Context of Esther 5:14
12“What is more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she prepared, and I am invited back tomorrow along with the king. 13Yet none of this satisfies me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows fifty cubits high, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, and he had the gallows constructed.
Read all of Esther 5Esther 5:14 word by word
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לוֹ֩ זֶ֨רֶשׁ אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ וְכָל־אֹֽהֲבָ֗יו יַֽעֲשׂוּ־עֵץ֮ גָּבֹ֣הַּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אַמָּה֒ וּבַבֹּ֣קֶר׀ אֱמֹ֣ר לַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְיִתְל֤וּ אֶֽת־מָרְדֳּכַי֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבֹֽא־עִם־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה שָׂמֵ֑חַ וַיִּיטַ֧ב הַדָּבָ֛ר לִפְנֵ֥י הָמָ֖ן וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָעֵֽץ׃ פRead the interlinear
- His wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- Zereshזֶ֫רֶשׁzeresh · ZereshH2238
- and allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- his friendsאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: friendH157
- toldאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Have them buildעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- a gallowsעֵץ‛êts · tree: stakeH6086
- fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
- cubitsאַמָּה'ammâh · cubitH520
- highגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- in the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
- to have Mordecaiמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782
- hangedתָּלָהtâlâh · to hangH8518
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- on itעַל‛al · uponH5921
- Then goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- the banquetמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
- withעִם‛im · withH5973
- and enjoy yourselfשָׂמֵחַώâmêach · gladH8056
- The adviceדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- The adviceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- pleasedיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
- Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
Cross-references for Esther 5:14
- 2 Samuel 13:3Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,
- 1 Kings 21:7But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
- 2 Chronicles 22:3Ahaziah also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor in wickedness.
- Mark 6:19So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable,
- Esther 7:9Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said: “There is a gallows fifty cubits high at Haman’s house. He had it built for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” “Hang him on it!” declared the king.
- Esther 3:8Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
- Esther 6:4“Who is in the court?” the king asked. Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him.
- Esther 3:15The couriers left, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.
- Amos 6:4You lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge upon your couches. You dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall.
- Revelation 11:10And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send one another gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them.
- 2 Samuel 16:21Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”
- 2 Samuel 17:1Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
- Mark 14:10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.
- Acts 23:14They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.
- Romans 1:32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.
- Esther 7:10So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.
Commentaries on Esther 5:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high - The word עץ ets, which we translate gallows, signifies simply wood, a tree, or pole; and this was to be seventy-five feet high, that he might suffer the greater ignominy, and be a more public spectacle. I believe impaling is here also meant. See the note, Esther 2:23; (note). In former times the Jews were accustomed to burn Haman in effigy; and with him a wooden cross, which they pretended to be in memory of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14A gallows, in the ordinary sense, is scarcely intended, since hanging was not a Persian punishment. The intention, no doubt, was to crucify (see the Esther 2:23 note) or impale Mordecai; and the pale or cross was to be 75 feet high, to make the punishment more conspicuous. Speak thou unto the king - Requests for leave to put persons to death were often made to Persian kings by their near relatives, but only rarely by others.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-14Verses 9-14 This account of Haman is a comment upon Pr 21:24. Self-admirers and self-flatterers are really self-deceivers. Haman, the higher he is lifted up, the more impatient he is of contempt, and the more enraged at it. The affront from Mordecai spoiled all. A slight affront, which a humble man would scarcely notice, will torment a proud man, even to madness, and will mar all his comforts. Those disposed to be uneasy, will never want something to be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14A sharpened pole was a common execution device (see also Esther 2:23; Genesis 40:19, 22; Joshua 8:29). Seventy-five feet (fifty cubits) is very high, but Haman wanted to make an example of Mordecai, allowing everyone to see his body. The number might be an exaggeration for effect—fifty cubits is a round number—or it might mean a stake placed high on the city wall for public viewing.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-141. Esther put on her royal apparel--It was not only natural, but, on such occasions, highly proper and expedient, that the queen should decorate herself in a style becoming her exalted station. On ordinary occasions she might reasonably set off her charms to as much advantage as possible; but, on the present occasion, as she was desirous to secure the favor of one who sustained the twofold character of her husband and her sovereign, public as well as…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 5:14
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Esther 5:14 50 cubits is approximately 75 feet or 22.9 meters high. ↩
Commentaries on Esther 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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