Haman Hanged on His Own Gallows
June 9, 2019
Commentary
This chapter gives a pointed example of reaping what you sow (Gal. 6:7). This final banquet for Haman was prepared by Esther in her apartment and attended by her husband (the king), Haman and herself (v. 1). While they lingered at the table after a nice meal, the king once again pressed Esther to share her request (v. 2). Esther knew that the proper moment had come and to delay now could prove to be disaster. As she began, she was very careful in her choice of words. She didn’t demand; she didn’t accuse; she only appealed (v. 3). The wise person knows what to say and how and when to say it (Prov. 15:28; 16:23).
Finally, when she felt she had the king’s ear, Esther blurted out, “For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain and to perish.” (v. 4). The king recoiled in shock and asked who it was that had devised such a plan (v. 5). When Esther pointed to Haman and said, “this is the wicked man!” (v. 6), the king became very angry and left for a walk in the garden. What a blow it must have been to the king’s pride when he learned that the man he promoted was a self-seeking traitor. A person who digs a pit for others runs the risk of falling into it himself (Prov. 26:27). What happened to Haman shows the tragic results of what can take place when we set any kind of trap for others.
Haman realized that the intent of the king was now fully against him, and his only hope was to persuade the queen to spare his life (v. 7). He fell down at her couch pleading for her to save his life. When the king returned and found him in this position, he assumed that Haman had immoral intentions with the queen and immediately orders Haman’s execution (vv. 8-9). One of the servants suggested that they hang Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai and that was what happened (v. 10).
Application
Haman might have lived and kept his position if he had only ignored Mordecai’s slight. I must never try to take revenge on those who may not treat me the way I think they should (Rom. 12:19).
Esther 7:1– 10 (NET)
1 So the king and Haman came to dine with Queen Esther. 2 On the second day of the banquet of wine the king asked Esther, “What is your request, Queen Esther? It shall be granted to you. And what is your petition? Ask for up to half the kingdom, and it shall be done.”
3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have met with your approval, O king, and if the king is so inclined, grant me my life as my request, and my people as my petition. 4 For we have been sold —both I and my people—to destruction and to slaughter and to annihilation. If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not have been sufficient for troubling the king.”
5 Then King Ahasuerus responded to Queen Esther, “Who is this individual? Where is this person to be found who is presumptuous enough to act in this way?”
6 Esther replied, “The oppressor and enemy is this evil Haman!”
7 In rage the king arose from the banquet of wine and withdrew to the palace garden. Meanwhile, Haman stood to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king had now determined a catastrophic end for him.
8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet of wine, Haman was throwing himself down on the couch where Esther was lying. The king exclaimed, “Will he also attempt to rape the queen while I am still in the building?”
9 Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Indeed, there is the gallows that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke out on the king’s behalf. It stands near Haman’s home and is 75 feet high.”
10 So they hanged Haman on the very gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The king’s rage then abated.