God’s Word Translation
Esther 5:14
14Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, 75 feet high, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai’s ⌞dead body⌟ hung on it. Then go with the king to the dinner in good spirits.” Haman liked the idea, so he had the pole set up.
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
12Haman went on to say, “What’s more, Queen Esther allowed no one except me to come with the king to the dinner she had prepared. And again tomorrow I am her invited guest together with the king. 13Yet, all this is worth nothing to me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, 75 feet high, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai’s ⌞dead body⌟ hung on it. Then go with the king to the dinner in good spirits.” Haman liked the idea, so he had the pole set up.
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
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 by the name of Jonadab, a son of David’s brother Shimea. Jonadab was a very clever man.
- 1 Kings 21:7His wife Jezebel said to him, “Aren’t you king of Israel? Get up, eat, and cheer up. I’ll give you the vineyard belonging to Naboth from Jezreel.”
- 2 Chronicles 22:3Ahaziah also followed the ways of Ahab’s family, because his mother gave him advice that led him to sin.
- Mark 6:19So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she wasn’t allowed to do it
- Esther 7:9Harbona, one of the eunuchs present with the king, said, “What a coincidence! The 75-foot pole Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke up for the well-being of the king, is still standing at Haman’s house.” The king responded, “Hang him on it!”
- Esther 3:8Now, Haman told King Xerxes, “Your Majesty, there is a certain nationality scattered among—but separate from—the nationalities in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws differ from those of all other nationalities. They do not obey your decrees. So it is not in your interest to tolerate them, Your Majesty.
- Esther 6:4The king asked, “Who is in the courtyard?” At that moment, Haman came through the courtyard to the king’s palace to ask the king about hanging Mordecai on the pole he had prepared for him.
- Esther 3:15The messengers hurried out as the king told them. The decree was also issued at the fortress of Susa. So the king and Haman sat down to drink a toast, but the city of Susa was in turmoil.
- Amos 6:4How horrible it will be for those who sleep on ivory beds. They sprawl out on their couches and eat lambs from their flocks and calves from their stalls.
- Revelation 11:10Those living on earth will gloat over the witnesses’ death. They will celebrate and send gifts to each other because these two prophets had tormented those living on earth.
- 2 Samuel 16:21Ahithophel told Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear about how you have made your father despise you. Everyone who is with you will support you even more.”
- 2 Samuel 17:1Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men and leave tonight to go after David.
- Mark 14:10Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus.
- Acts 23:14They went to the chief priests and leaders ⌞of the people⌟ and said, “We’ve asked God to curse us if we taste any food before we’ve killed Paul.
- Romans 1:32Although they know God’s judgment that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do these things but also approve of others who do them.
- Esther 7:10So servants hung Haman’s ⌞dead body⌟ on the very pole he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king got over his raging anger.
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
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries