Esther 7:2
in Esther 7and as they drank their wine on that second day, the king asked once more, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.
KJV
And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.
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This verse in Esther 7
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAt the banquet of wine - Postquam vino incaluerat, after he had been heated with wine, says the Vulgate. In such a state the king was more likely to come into the measures of the queen.
This site's exposition
to dine with Esther the queen
on Esther 7:1-2
The second banquet opens on the same formula, "Even up to half the kingdom," and Esther is finally asked the petition she has twice deferred. Two banquets and one sleepless night stand between this verse and 5:8, and the narrator has let the reader watch what filled the space.
This site's exposition
and as they drank their wine
The king asked Esther for her petition again at the second banquet, before she had to raise it. Henry counts this the third time the king has promised up to half the kingdom, and the promise now binds him. Clarke cites the Vulgate: the wine had warmed him.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
If the king had now forgotten that Esther had an errand to him, and had not again asked what it was, she could scarcely have known how to renew it herself; but he was mindful of it, and now was bound with the threefold cord of a promise thrice made to favour her.
And the king said again to Esther on the second day, at the banquet of wine,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Let my life be granted me. That I should not be slain on the thirteenth of Adar, for you have issued an edict of massacre upon my people and my heritage.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמֶר֩ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| לְאֶסְתֵּ֜ר | leester | to Esther | H635 → | 55 times |
| גַּ֣ם | gam | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| בַּיּ֤וֹם | baiyom | on the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַשֵּׁנִי֙ | hasheni | <the> second | H8145 → | 156 times |
| בְּמִשְׁתֵּ֣ה | bemishteh | at [the] feast of | H4960 → | 46 times |
| הַיַּ֔יִן | haiyayin | <the> wine | H3196 → | 141 times |
| מַה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| שְּׁאֵלָתֵ֛ךְ | sheelatekh | [is] petition your | H7596 → | 14 times |
| אֶסְתֵּ֥ר | ʾester | O Esther | H635 → | 55 times |
| הַמַּלְכָּ֖ה | hamalkah | the queen | H4436 → | 35 times |
| וְתִנָּ֣תֵֽן | vetinaten | so it may be given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לָ֑ךְ | lakh | to you | ||
| וּמַה־ | umah- | and what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| בַּקָּשָׁתֵ֛ךְ | bakashatekh | [is] request your | H1246 → | 8 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | up to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| חֲצִ֥י | chatzi | <the> half of | H2677 → | 125 times |
| הַמַּלְכ֖וּת | hamalkhut | the kingdom | H4438 → | 91 times |
| וְתֵעָֽשׂ׃ | veteas | and it may be done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
וַיֹּאמֶר֩and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
הַמֶּ֨לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
לְאֶסְתֵּ֜רto Esther
leesterH635 →55 times
גַּ֣םalso
gamH1571 →769 times
בַּיּ֤וֹםon the day
baiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַשֵּׁנִי֙<the> second
hasheniH8145 →156 times
בְּמִשְׁתֵּ֣הat [the] feast of
bemishtehH4960 →46 times
הַיַּ֔יִן<the> wine
haiyayinH3196 →141 times
מַה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
שְּׁאֵלָתֵ֛ךְ[is] petition your
sheelatekhH7596 →14 times
אֶסְתֵּ֥רO Esther
ʾesterH635 →55 times
הַמַּלְכָּ֖הthe queen
hamalkahH4436 →35 times
וְתִנָּ֣תֵֽןso it may be given
vetinatenH5414 →2011 times
לָ֑ךְto you
lakh
וּמַה־and what?
umah-H4100 →752 times
בַּקָּשָׁתֵ֛ךְ[is] request your
bakashatekhH1246 →8 times
עַד־up to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
חֲצִ֥י<the> half of
chatziH2677 →125 times
הַמַּלְכ֖וּתthe kingdom
hamalkhutH4438 →91 times
וְתֵעָֽשׂ׃and it may be done
veteasH6213 →2628 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
John 16:24Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
it leads to
- Matthew 7:7–8
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- James 4:2–3
You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
- John 15:11
I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
- John 16:23
In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who by grace has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope,
- Matthew 7:7–8
Through
Esther 5:3“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.”
it leads to
- Esther 9:12
who said to Queen Esther, “In the citadel of Susa the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces?…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Esther 5:6
And as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 6:23
And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
- Esther 9:12
Where this verse is studied
About Esther
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.