Esther 7:3

Esther 7:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
• New International Version (NIV)Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Queen Esther answered and said, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.

Context of Esther 7:3

1So the king and Haman came to dine with Queen Esther, 2and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king asked Esther again, “Whatever you request, even as much as half of the kingdom, it will be given to you.” So Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare the life of my people—this is my request! 4For we have been sold, I and my people, for destruction, slaughter and annihilation. If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not be worth disturbing the king.” 5King Ahasuerus responded to Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is the man that presumed to do this?”

Esther 7:3 word by word

וַתַּ֨עַן אֶסְתֵּ֤ר הַמַּלְכָּה֙ וַתֹּאמַ֔ר אִם־מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ ט֑וֹב תִּנָּֽתֶן־לִ֤י נַפְשִׁי֙ בִּשְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔י וְעַמִּ֖י בְּבַקָּשָׁתִֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then Estherאֶסְתֵּר'estêr · EstherH635
• the queenמַלְכָּהmalkâh · queenH4436
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• If I have foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• favourחֵןchên · favorH2580
• in thy sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
• O kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• and if it pleaseטוֹבţôb · be pleasingH2895
• let my lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• be givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• me at my petitionשְׁאֵלָהshe'êlâh shêlâh · petitionH7596
• and my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• at my requestבַּקָּשָׁהbaqqâshâh · requestH1246

Cross-references for Esther 7:3

• Esther 7:7Enraged, the king got up from the banquet of wine and withdrew to the palace garden. But Haman stayed behind to plead with Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king had determined a catastrophic end for him.
• 1 Kings 20:31His officials said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let’s put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and surrender to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
• 2 Kings 1:13So the king again sent the captain of a third 50 with his 50. But when the third captain of 50 went up and came near, he knelt before Elijah, and begged him saying, “O man of God, please, let my life and the lives of these 50 servants of yours be precious in your eyes!
• Job 2:4The satan replied to Adonai saying, “Skin for skin! A man will give up all he has for his own life.
• Jeremiah 38:26Then you will tell them, ‘I was presenting my petition before the king, not to make me return to Jonathan’s house to die there.’”
• Esther 4:8He also gave him a written copy of the decree, which had been distributed in Shushan, for their annihilation, to show to Esther and to explain it to her. He instructed her to go in to the king, to beg his favor and plead before him on behalf of her people.
• Psalms 122:6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem— “May those who love you be at peace!

Commentaries on Esther 7:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Let my life be given me - This was very artfully, as well as very honestly, managed; and was highly calculated to work on the feelings of the king. What! is the life of the queen, whom I most tenderly love, in any kind of danger?Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4my life...and the lives of my people: The statement that someone wanted to kill the queen and her family likely surprised and shocked the king. my people and I have been sold: Esther carefully mentioned the large sum Haman paid the king to approve the decree (Esther 3:8–11). She also used the exact words from Haman’s decree, stating its purpose was to destroy, kill, and annihilate (see Esther 3:13). If we had merely been sold as menservants and…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-64. we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed--that is, by the cruel and perfidious scheme of that man, who offered an immense sum of money to purchase our extermination. Esther dwelt on his contemplated atrocity, in a variety of expressions, which both evinced the depth of her own emotions, and were intended to awaken similar feelings in the king's breast. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue--Though a great calamity…Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 7:3

• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Esther
• Banquet
• Esther, Book of

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