Esther 5:8
in Esther 5If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, may the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to-morrow as the king hath said.
KJV
If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.
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This verse in Esther 5
Commentary
6 notes on this verseI will do to-morrow - She saw she was gaining on the king’s affections; but she was not yet sufficiently confident; and therefore wished another interview, that she might ingratiate herself more fully in the king’s favor, and thus secure the success of her design. But Providence disposed of things thus, to give time for the important event mentioned in the succeeding chapter.
This site's exposition
And as they drank their wine
on Esther 5:6-8
The king repeats his offer, and Esther defers a second time. It is sound statecraft, giving her time to judge Haman's temper and the king's mood. It also makes room for the story, since this postponement leaves the king with unfinished business on the very night that follows.
This site's exposition
If I have found favor
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that a Persian king ate alone, so a place at the queen’s table was a rare honor. Haman read it that way in verse 12. Adam Clarke sees Esther still securing the king’s favor before she spoke.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Perhaps her heart failed her now when she was going to make her request, and she desired to take some further time for prayer, that God would give her a mouth and wisdom. The putting of it off thus, it is likely, she knew would be well taken as an expression of the great reverence she had for the king, and her unwillingness to be too pressing upon him.
If I have found favour in the sight of the king,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare--The king ate alone, and his guests in an adjoining hall; but they were admitted to sit with him at wine. Haman being the only invited guest with the king and queen, it was natural that he should have been elated with the honor.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
27 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| מָצָ֨אתִי | matzati | I have found | H4672 → | 455 times |
| חֵ֜ן | chen | favor | H2580 → | 69 times |
| בְּעֵינֵ֣י | beeinei | in [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וְאִם־ | veim- | and if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [is] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| ט֔וֹב | tov | good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| לָתֵת֙ | latet | to grant | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔י | sheelati | petition my | H7596 → | 14 times |
| וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹת | velaasot | and to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בַּקָּשָׁתִ֑י | bakashati | request my | H1246 → | 8 times |
| יָב֧וֹא | yavo' | let him come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וְהָמָ֗ן | vehaman | and Haman | H2001 → | 54 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙ | hamishteh | the feast | H4960 → | 46 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֣ה | ʾeeseh | I will make | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לָהֶ֔ם | lahem | for them | ||
| וּמָחָ֥ר | umachar | and tomorrow | H4279 → | 52 times |
| אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה | ʾeeseh | I will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| כִּדְבַ֥ר | kidvar | according to [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
מָצָ֨אתִיI have found
matzatiH4672 →455 times
חֵ֜ןfavor
chenH2580 →69 times
בְּעֵינֵ֣יin [the] eyes of
beeineiH5869 →887 times
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וְאִם־and if
veim-H518 →1069 times
עַל־[is] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
ט֔וֹבgood
tovH2896 →538 times
לָתֵת֙to grant
latetH5414 →2011 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔יpetition my
sheelatiH7596 →14 times
וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹתand to do
velaasotH6213 →2628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בַּקָּשָׁתִ֑יrequest my
bakashatiH1246 →8 times
יָב֧וֹאlet him come
yavo'H935 →2568 times
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וְהָמָ֗ןand Haman
vehamanH2001 →54 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙the feast
hamishtehH4960 →46 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֣הI will make
ʾeesehH6213 →2628 times
לָהֶ֔םfor them
lahem
וּמָחָ֥רand tomorrow
umacharH4279 →52 times
אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖הI will do
ʾeesehH6213 →2628 times
כִּדְבַ֥רaccording to [the] word of
kidvarH1697 →1440 times
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 16:9A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
it leads to
- Proverbs 19:21
Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Psalms 37:23
The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey.
- Proverbs 16:1
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.
- Proverbs 20:24
A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?
- Jeremiah 10:23
I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.
- Proverbs 19:21
Through
Esther 7:3Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life as my petition, and the lives of my people as my…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 38:26
then tell them, ‘I was presenting to the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.’”
- Job 2:4
“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.
- Jeremiah 38:26
Through
Esther 8:5“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor in his sight, and the matter seems proper to the king, and I am pleasing in his sight, may an order…
it leads to
- Esther 7:3
Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life as my petition, and the lives of my people as my…
- Esther 7:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Esther
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and W. F. Adeney, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther (Expositor's Bible).