Christian Standard Bible
Esther 8:3
3Then Esther addressed the king again. She fell at his feet, wept, and begged him to revoke the evil of Haman the Agagite and his plot he had devised against the Jews.
Esther 8:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
- New International Version (NIV)Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews.
Context of Esther 8:3
1That same day King Ahasuerus awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed her relationship to Mordecai. 2The king removed his signet ring he had recovered from Haman and gave it to Mordecai, and Esther put him in charge of Haman’s estate. Then Esther addressed the king again. She fell at his feet, wept, and begged him to revoke the evil of Haman the Agagite and his plot he had devised against the Jews. 4The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, so she got up and stood before the king. 5She said, “If it pleases the king and I have found favor with him, if the matter seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let a royal edict be written. Let it revoke the documents the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.
Read all of Esther 8Esther 8:3 word by word
וַתּ֣וֹסֶף אֶסְתֵּ֗ר וַתְּדַבֵּר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַתִּפֹּ֖ל לִפְנֵ֣י רַגְלָ֑יו וַתֵּ֣בְךְּ וַתִּתְחַנֶּן־ל֗וֹ לְהַֽעֲבִיר֙ אֶת־רָעַת֙ הָמָ֣ן הָֽאֲגָגִ֔י וְאֵת֙ מַֽחֲשַׁבְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָשַׁ֖ב עַל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Estherאֶסְתֵּר'estêr · EstherH635
- spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- yet againיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- and fell downנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- his feetרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
- and besoughtחָנַןchânan · be graciousH2603
- him with tearsבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
- to put awayעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: bringH5674
- the mischiefרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
- of Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
- the Agagiteאֲגָגִי'ăgâgîy · AgagiteH91
- and his deviceמַחֲשָׁבָהmachăshâbâh machăshebeth · plotH4284
- that he had devisedחָשַׁבchâshab · to devise: designH2803
- against the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
Cross-references for Esther 8:3
- 1 Samuel 25:24She knelt at his feet and said, “The guilt is mine, my lord, but please let your servant speak to you directly. Listen to the words of your servant.
- 2 Kings 4:27When she came up to the man of God at the mountain, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone — she is in severe anguish, and the Lord has hidden it from me. He hasn’t told me.”
- Isaiah 38:2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord.
- Hosea 12:4Jacob struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with him.
- Hebrews 5:7During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
- 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 7:4For my people and I have been sold to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept silent. Indeed, the trouble wouldn’t be worth burdening the king.”
Commentaries on Esther 8:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Though Haman was dead, his work was not yet undone. The royal decree had gone forth, and, according to Persian notions, could not be directly recalled or reversed Esther 8:8. Mordecai did not dare, without express permission from the king, to take any steps even to stay execution. And Esther, being in favor, once more took the initiative.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-14Verses 3-14 It was time to be earnest, when the church of God was at stake. Esther, though safe herself, fell down and begged for the deliverance of her people. We read of no tears when she begged for her own life, but although she was sure of that, she wept for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most Christ-like. According to the constitution of the Persian government, no law or decree could be repealed or recalled. This is so far from…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Esther likely thought the king would cancel Haman’s decree immediately after Haman died, but that did not occur. This time, she was more determined to address Haman’s plan against her people.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet--The king was then not reclining at table, but sitting on a divan, most probably in the Persian attitude, leaning back against the cushions, and one foot under him. besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman--that is, to repeal the sanguinary edict which, at the secret instigation of Haman, had been recently passed (Es 3:12).Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 8:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Esther 8
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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