Esther 6-7, The Fall of Haman

Esther 6: Mordecai is honored

·       6:1-2: The king could not sleep (because of the influence of God).  He had the book of Chronicles (Persian version) read to him where he was reminded of Mordecai saving his life.  The timing was perfect.

·       6:3: The king found out that Mordecai had not been rewarded, and the king was upset.

·       6:4-9: Haman was consulted about the reward and thought it was for him.  He gave advice, then was told to do what he suggested for Mordecai.  Haman was at this time bent on the murder of Mordecai.  Both focusing on the same man.  Both wanted Mordecai to be the first item of business for the day.  God waited until the last minute to do anything.

o   If the king had remembered Mordecai 30 days before he probably would have forgotten and let Haman kill him.  This shows the danger of pride; Haman thought only of himself and was brought to great embarrassment.

·       6:10: Mordecai’s reward was to be dressed in the king’s clothes and put on the king’s horse and taken through the city.  He was greatly honored. 

·       6:12: Mordecai was humble and shrank from public view.  So did Haman, but a different humility and a different motivation.

·       6:13: Haman tells his family what had happened to him.  They told him what was going to happen to him (that he didn’t have a chance against the Jews). 

·       6:14: Haman hurried to his execution.

Esther 7: Haman’s execution.

·       7:1-2: Again, the king offers half the kingdom.

·       7:3-4: Esther’s request is made in beautiful language, written in couplets (as is common in Hebrew poetry).  Her expression in the form of her words greatly impressed the king.  She tells the king that she and her people were going to be put to death.  Then she tells him how this would ruin his kingdom.  It would destroy the economy of his kingdom because Jews are good at making money.

·       7:6: Here Esther’s words are dramatic: “This is the man!”  She told the king that Haman was the man that would destroy her and her people.

·       7:7: The king left the room in anger.  Haman appealed to Esther for his life.

·       7:8: Haman was on Esther’s bed and the king got the wrong idea which made him even more angry.  In his anger, the king thought that this was Haman’s highest attempt to seize the government and a threat to chastity of the queen and to the king’s position.  The king’s servants covered Haman’s face; he stood condemned.

·       7:9: Then the king ordered Haman hung on his own gallows.  Harbonah told of gallows 75 feet high; all the servants must have been aware of it.  Harbonah knew that Mordecai had been faithful and Haman wicked.  Mordecai never had to do a thing to Haman; it was all done by others: Haman built the gallows, Harbonah made the suggestion, Ahasuerus gave the order; exit Haman!  “Vengeance is mine,” saith the Lord, “I will repay.”