Berean Standard Bible
Esther 5:3
3“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.”
Esther 5:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the king said to her, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!”
Context of Esther 5:3
1On the third day, Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace across from the king’s quarters. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing the entrance. 2As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his sight. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter. “What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.” 4“If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for the king.” 5“Hurry,” commanded the king, “and bring Haman, so we can do as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
Read all of Esther 5Esther 5:3 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מַה־לָּ֖ךְ אֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֑ה וּמַה־בַּקָּשָׁתֵ֛ךְ עַד־חֲצִ֥י הַמַּלְכ֖וּת וְיִנָּ֥תֵֽן לָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
- Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- Queenמַלְכָּהmalkâh · queenH4436
- Estherאֶסְתֵּר'estêr · EstherH635
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- inquiredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- your requestבַּקָּשָׁהbaqqâshâh · requestH1246
- Even up toעַד‛ad · tillH5704
- halfחֲצִיchêtsîy · halfH2677
- the kingdomמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
- it will be givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
Cross-references for Esther 5:3
- Esther 5:6And as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”
- Esther 7:2and as they drank their wine on that second day, the king asked once more, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”
- Esther 9:12who said to Queen Esther, “In the citadel of Susa the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given to you. And what further do you request? It will be fulfilled.”
- 1 Kings 2:20“I have just one small request of you,” she said. “Do not deny me.” “Make your request, my mother,” the king replied, “for I will not deny you.”
- 1 Kings 3:5One night at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “Ask, and I will give it to you!”
- Matthew 20:20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him.
- Luke 18:41“What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “let me see again.”
- Mark 6:23And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
Commentaries on Esther 5:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3It shall be even given thee - Xerxes, on another occasion, when pleased with one of his wives, offered to grant her any request whatever, without limitation. Compare the margin reference.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you: This common saying meant the king would be generous with her request. The king wanted nothing to stop Esther from telling the whole truth.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom--This mode of speaking originated in the Persian custom of appropriating for the maintenance of great men, or royal favorites, one city for his bread, another for his wine, a third for his clothes, &c., so that the phrase denoted great liberality.Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 5:3
In the dictionaries
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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