Esther 7:9

Esther 7:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.” The king said, “Impale him on it!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, "Moreover, the gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits high." And the king said, "Hang him on that."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, “Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king’s behalf, is standing at the house of Haman.” Then the king said, “Hang him on it!”

Context of Esther 7:9

7The king was furious as he got up from dinner and went into the palace garden. But Haman stayed to beg Queen Esther for his life, because he saw that the king had a terrible end in mind for him. 8When the king returned from the palace garden to the palace dining room, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was lying. The king thought, “Is he even going to rape the queen while I’m in the palace?” Then the king passed sentence on him, and servants covered Haman’s face. Harbona, 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!” 10So servants hung Haman’s ⌞dead body⌟ on the very pole he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king got over his raging anger.

Esther 7:9 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חַ֠רְבוֹנָה אֶחָ֨ד מִן־הַסָּרִיסִ֜ים לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ גַּ֣ם הִנֵּה־הָעֵ֣ץ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֪ה הָמָ֟ן לְֽמָרְדֳּכַ֞י אֲשֶׁ֧ר דִּבֶּר־ט֣וֹב עַל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ עֹמֵד֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הָמָ֔ן גָּבֹ֖הַּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אַמָּ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ תְּלֻ֥הוּ עָלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Harbonahחַרְבוֹנָאcharbônâ' charbônâh · HarbonaH2726
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• of the chamberlainsסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Behold also, the gallowsעֵץ‛êts · tree: stakeH6086
• fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
• cubitsאַמָּה'ammâh · cubitH520
• highגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
• which Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
• had madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• for Mordecaiמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782
• who had spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• standethעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• in the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• Hangתָּלָהtâlâh · to hangH8518

Cross-references for Esther 7:9

• Esther 1:10On the seventh day when the king was drunk on wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served under King Xerxes,
• Esther 6:14While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the dinner Esther had prepared.
• 2 Kings 9:32Looking up at the window, he asked, “Is anyone on my side? Anyone?” Then two or three eunuchs looked out at him.
• Esther 5:14Then 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.
• Job 27:20Terrors overtake him like a flood. A windstorm snatches him away at night.
• Psalms 7:15He digs a pit and shovels it out. Then he falls into the hole that he made ⌞for others⌟.
• Psalms 35:8Let destruction surprise them. Let the net that they hid catch them. Let them fall into their own pit and be destroyed.
• Psalms 141:10Let wicked people fall into their own nets, while I escape unharmed.
• Proverbs 11:5The righteousness of innocent people makes their road smooth, but wicked people fall by their own wickedness.
• Esther 2:21In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became angry and planned to kill King Xerxes.
• Esther 6:2The records showed how Mordecai had informed him that Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted a rebellion against King Xerxes.
• Esther 9:25But when this came to the king’s attention, he ordered, in the well-known letter, that the evil plan Haman had plotted against the Jews should turn back on his own head. As a result, they hung Haman and his sons on poles.
• 1 Samuel 17:51David ran and stood over the Philistine. He took Goliath’s sword, pulled it out of its sheath, and made certain the Philistine was dead by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw their hero had been killed, they fled.
• Psalms 9:15The nations have sunk into the pit they have made. Their feet are caught in the net they have hidden ⌞to trap others⌟.
• Psalms 37:35I have seen a wicked person ⌞acting like⌟ a tyrant, spreading himself out like a large cedar tree.
• Psalms 73:19They are suddenly destroyed. They are completely swept away by terror!

Commentaries on Esther 7:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Behold also, the gallows - As if he had said, Besides all he has determined to do to the Jews, he has erected a very high gallows, on which he had determined, this very day, to hang Mordecai, who has saved the king's life. Hang him thereon - Let him be instantly impaled on the same post. "Harm watch, harm catch," says the proverb. Perillus was the first person burnt alive in the brazen bull which he had made for the punishment of others; hence the poet…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-10Verses 7-10 The king was angry: those that do things with self-will, reflect upon them afterward with self-reproach. When angry, we should pause before we come to any resolution, and thus rule our own spirits, and show that we are governed by reason. Those that are most haughty and insolent when in power and prosperity, commonly, like Haman, are the most abject and poor-spirited when brought down. The day is coming when those that hate and persecute God's…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9He had it built for Mordecai: Harbona, one of the king’s seven eunuchs (Esther 1:10), did not seem to be Haman's friend and already knew about Haman’s plot. Hang him on it!: This major reversal of fortunes shows God's guiding hand. For more on impalement, see study note on Esther 2:23.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows--This eunuch had probably been the messenger sent with the invitation to Haman, and on that occasion had seen the gallows. The information he now volunteered, as well it may be from abhorrence of Haman's cold-blooded conspiracy as from sympathy with his amiable mistress, involved with her people in imminent peril.Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 7:9

• Gallows
• Harbona
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Mordecai
• Banquet
• Esther
• Harbona
• Chamberlain
• Esther, Book of
• Hanging
• Persians
• Punishments

Commentaries on Esther 7

• 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