The Climax of the Story (Esther 7:1-10)
In quick fashion—especially after the elaborate build up and seeming hesitation on Esther’s part, delaying her request over the course of these two banquets—we get the climax of our story. The king again asks Esther what she wants, and again offers her up to half the empire. Esther finally gives an answer: she wants her life spared.
The exchange is poetic, delivered in couplets. It has the feel of a skilled verbal game on Esther’s part, responding to the kings stilted, repetitive speech in kind, but with great impact. The king is shocked. So shocked, he blurts out his question with even more verbal challenge. “Said, speaking” shows that the word in the text is duplicated. His question is also repetitive, as if he is stammering. When Esther reveals the villain, the king must remove himself, overcome with rage. (This is saying something, as we have seen already how emotional and impulsive the king can be.)
In a panic, Haman tries to appeal to Esther for mercy. This seems to involve bowing and throwing himself at her feet. (Irony again asserts itself, as Haman was incensed that Mordecai would not bow to him.) When the king returns, he sees Haman stumbling on Esther’s couch or feet or something like this, and assumes the worst. Is Haman sexually assaulting the queen in the king’s palace? Harbona reminds the king that Haman had set up gallows (or more likely a pike) to be used on Mordecai. The king has him executed, hoisted on his own petard.
In this climax, we see more of the dramatic and artistic skill of the storyteller. The irony is thick and delicious. We love to see arrogant, evil men defeated. Yet here again we see a strange lack of direct divine intervention. Clearly the implication is that God is working through events and His people, but it is unusual for a biblical text to not be blatant in communicating this.
The exchange is poetic, delivered in couplets. It has the feel of a skilled verbal game on Esther’s part, responding to the kings stilted, repetitive speech in kind, but with great impact. The king is shocked. So shocked, he blurts out his question with even more verbal challenge. “Said, speaking” shows that the word in the text is duplicated. His question is also repetitive, as if he is stammering. When Esther reveals the villain, the king must remove himself, overcome with rage. (This is saying something, as we have seen already how emotional and impulsive the king can be.)
In a panic, Haman tries to appeal to Esther for mercy. This seems to involve bowing and throwing himself at her feet. (Irony again asserts itself, as Haman was incensed that Mordecai would not bow to him.) When the king returns, he sees Haman stumbling on Esther’s couch or feet or something like this, and assumes the worst. Is Haman sexually assaulting the queen in the king’s palace? Harbona reminds the king that Haman had set up gallows (or more likely a pike) to be used on Mordecai. The king has him executed, hoisted on his own petard.
In this climax, we see more of the dramatic and artistic skill of the storyteller. The irony is thick and delicious. We love to see arrogant, evil men defeated. Yet here again we see a strange lack of direct divine intervention. Clearly the implication is that God is working through events and His people, but it is unusual for a biblical text to not be blatant in communicating this.
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