Esther 5:14

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’s more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she had prepared. I am invited again tomorrow to join her with the king. 13Still, none of this satisfies me since I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King’s Gate all the time.” His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows seventy-five feet tall. Ask the king in the morning to hang Mordecai on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed.

Esther 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Zereshזֶ֫רֶשׁzeresh · ZereshH2238
• his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• and all his friendsאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: friendH157
• unto him, Let a gallowsעֵץ‛êts · tree: stakeH6086
• be madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• of fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
• cubitsאַמָּה'ammâh · cubitH520
• highגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
• and to morrowבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
• thou unto the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• that Mordecaiמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782
• may be hangedתָּלָהtâlâh · to hangH8518
• thereon: then goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• thou in merrilyשָׂמֵחַώâmêach · gladH8056
• unto the banquetמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
• And the thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• pleasedפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• pleasedיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
• Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001

Cross-references for Esther 5:14

• 2 Samuel 13:3Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, a son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,
• 1 Kings 21:7Then his wife Jezebel said to him, “Now, exercise your royal power over Israel. Get up, eat some food, and be happy. For I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
• 2 Chronicles 22:3He walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother gave him evil advice.
• Mark 6:19So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not,
• Esther 7:9Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “There is a gallows seventy-five feet tall at Haman’s house that he made for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” The king said, “Hang him on it.”
• Esther 3:8Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, “There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom, keeping themselves separate. Their laws are different from everyone else’s and they do not obey the king’s laws. It is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
• Esther 6:4The king asked, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman was just entering 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 royal command, and the law was issued in the fortress of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was in confusion.
• Amos 6:4They lie on beds inlaid with ivory, sprawled out on their couches, and dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall.
• Revelation 11:10Those who live on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
• 2 Samuel 16:21Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become repulsive to your father, everyone with you will be encouraged.”
• 2 Samuel 17:1Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out in pursuit of David tonight.
• Mark 14:10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.
• Acts 23:14These men went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn curse that we won’t eat anything until we have killed Paul.
• Romans 1:32Although they know God’s just sentence — that those who practice such things deserve to die — they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.
• Esther 7:10They hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s anger 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

• Gallows
• Malice
• Women
• Zeresh

In the dictionaries

• Mordecai
• Banquet
• Esther, the Rest of
• Faint
• Hanging
• Punishments
• Relationships, Family
• Zeresh

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