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

7Then the king jumped to his feet in a rage and went out into the palace garden. Haman, however, stayed behind to plead for his life with Queen Esther, for he knew that the king intended to kill him. 8In 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. Then Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.” “Then impale Haman on it!” the king ordered. 10So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.

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 of the feast, when King Xerxes was in high spirits because of the wine, he told the seven eunuchs who attended him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas—
• Esther 6:14While they were still talking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.
• 2 Kings 9:32Jehu looked up and saw her at the window and shouted, “Who is on my side?” And two or three eunuchs looked out at him.
• Esther 5:14So Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it. When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king.” This pleased Haman, and he ordered the pole set up.
• Job 27:20Terror overwhelms them like a flood, and they are blown away in the storms of the night.
• Psalms 7:15They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves.
• Psalms 35:8So let sudden ruin come upon them! Let them be caught in the trap they set for me! Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.
• Psalms 141:10Let the wicked fall into their own nets, but let me escape.
• Proverbs 11:5The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.
• Esther 2:21One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king’s private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him.
• Esther 6:2In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.
• Esther 9:25But when Esther came before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman’s evil plot to backfire, and Haman and his sons were impaled on a sharpened pole.
• 1 Samuel 17:51Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.
• Psalms 9:15The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others. Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.
• Psalms 37:35I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
• Psalms 73:19In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.

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
• Harbona; Harbonah
• 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