Esther 7:8

Esther 7:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the king returned from the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, as Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. And the king said, "Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?" As the word left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman's face.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?” As the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
• New Living Translation (NLT)In despair he fell on the couch where Queen Esther was reclining, just as the king was returning from the palace garden. The king exclaimed, “Will he even assault the queen right here in the palace, before my very eyes?” And as soon as the king spoke, his attendants covered Haman’s face, signaling his doom.

Context of Esther 7:8

6Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?” As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9Then 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!” 10So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.

Esther 7:8 word by word

וְהַמֶּ֡לֶךְ שָׁב֩ מִגִּנַּ֨ת הַבִּיתָ֜ן אֶל־בֵּ֣ית׀ מִשְׁתֵּ֣ה הַיַּ֗יִן וְהָמָן֙ נֹפֵ֔ל עַל־הַמִּטָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶסְתֵּ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הֲ֠גַם לִכְבּ֧וֹשׁ אֶת־הַמַּלְכָּ֛ה עִמִּ֖י בַּבָּ֑יִת הַדָּבָ֗ר יָצָא֙ מִפִּ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּפְנֵ֥י הָמָ֖ן חָפֽוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• out of the palaceבִּיתָןbîythân · palaceH1055
• gardenגִּנָּהginnâh · gardenH1594
• into the placeבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• of the banquetמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
• of wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• and Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
• was fallenנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• upon the bedמִטָּהmiţţâh · bedH4296
• whereon Estherאֶסְתֵּר'estêr · EstherH635
• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Will he forceכָּבַשׁkâbash · to subdueH3533
• the queenמַלְכָּהmalkâh · queenH4436
• As the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: speakH3318
• mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• they coveredחָפָהchâphâh · to coverH2645
• faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440

Cross-references for Esther 7:8

• Esther 1:6The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones.
• Isaiah 49:23Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”
• Esther 6:12Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief,
• Job 9:24When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it?
• Isaiah 22:17“Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you and hurl you away, you mighty man.

Commentaries on Esther 7:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Will he force the queen - On the king's return he found him at the queen's knees; and, professing to think that he intended to do violence to her honor, used the above expressions; though he must have known that, in such circumstances, the thought of perpetrating an act of this kind could not possibly exist. They covered Haman's face - This was a sign of his being devoted to death: for the attendants saw that the king was determined on his destruction…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Like the Greeks and Romans, the Persians reclined at their meals on sofas or couches. Haman, in the intensity of his supplication, had thrown himself upon the couch at Esther‘s feet. They covered Haman‘s face - The Macedonians and the Romans are known to have commonly muffled the heads of prisoners before executing them. It may have also been a Persian custom.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. 8Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining: This was a major mistake because no one should touch the queen or be on the same couch with her. Would he actually assault the queen while I am in the palace?: This exaggerated rhetorical question suggests Haman has the worst possible motives.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was--We do not know the precise form of the couches on which the Persians reclined at table. But it is probable that they were not very different from those used by the Greeks and Romans. Haman, perhaps, at first stood up to beg pardon of Esther; but driven in his extremity to resort to an attitude of the most earnest supplication, he fell prostrate on the couch where the queen was recumbent. The king…Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 7:8

• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Esther
• Banquet
• Esther, Book of
• Face
• Garden
• Head
• Persians

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