New King James Version
Esther 5:2
2So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.
Esther 5:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
- New International Version (NIV)When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
- New Living Translation (NLT)When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter.
Context of Esther 5:2
1Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter. 3And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!” 4So Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”
Read all of Esther 5Esther 5:2 word by word
וַיְהִי֩ כִרְא֨וֹת הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־אֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֗ה עֹמֶ֙דֶת֙ בֶּֽחָצֵ֔ר נָשְׂאָ֥ה חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֑יו וַיּ֨וֹשֶׁט הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לְאֶסְתֵּ֗ר אֶת־שַׁרְבִ֤יט הַזָּהָב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָד֔וֹ וַתִּקְרַ֣ב אֶסְתֵּ֔ר וַתִּגַּ֖ע בְּרֹ֥אשׁ הַשַּׁרְבִֽיט׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it was so, when the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- Estherאֶסְתֵּר'estêr · EstherH635
- the queenמַלְכָּהmalkâh · queenH4436
- standingעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- in the courtחָצֵרchâtsêr · courtH2691
- she obtainedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: kindnessH5375
- favourחֵןchên · favorH2580
- in his sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- held outיָשַׁטyâshaţ · to extendH3447
- the goldenזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
- sceptreשַׁרְבִֿיטsharbîyţ · scepterH8275
- in his handיָדyâd · handH3027
- drew nearקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
- and touchedנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
- the topרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
Cross-references for Esther 5:2
- Genesis 32:28And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
- Nehemiah 1:11O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” For I was the king’s cupbearer.
- Psalms 116:1I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications.
- Proverbs 21:1The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
- Acts 7:10and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
- Acts 10:4And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
- Esther 4:11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.”
- Esther 8:4And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king,
Commentaries on Esther 5:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2She obtained favor in his sight - The Septuagint represents "the king as being at first greatly enraged when he saw Esther, because she had dared to appear before him unveiled, and she, perceiving this, was so terrified that she fainted away; on which the king, touched with tenderness, sprung from his throne, took her up in his arms, laid the golden scepter on her neck, and spoke to her in the most endearing manner." This is more circumstantial than the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther: She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (Esther 4:11, 16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand--This golden scepter receives an interesting illustration from the sculptured monuments of Persia and Assyria. In the bas-reliefs of Persepolis, copied by Sir Robert Ker Porter, we see King Darius enthroned in the midst of his court, and walking abroad in equal state; in either case he carries in his right hand a slender rod or wand, about equal in length to his own height, ornamented…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 5:2
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries