Esther 5:7

Est 5:7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request [is];

Ver. 7. My petition and my request is] She speaks to the king in his own very words: and so must we if we mean to speed in heaven. Take unto you words, and say, Take away all iniquity, and give good, &c. Produce God’s own words in prayer, and say, as she did to Judah, "Whose are these?" Gen 38:25. He loves to be set upon in his own words, to be pressed with his promise, to be sued upon his bond. This David knew, and therefore cries, Psa 86:11, "Unite my heart to fear thy name": it is as if he should say, Thou hast promised, Lord, to give me one heart, Eze 11:19; behold, I find mine heart divided, my thoughts dissipated, and myself disabled for duty (for Anima dispersa fit minor), Unite it, I beseech thee, &c. This is the way to make our prayers to be nigh the Lord day and night, as Solomon phraseth it, 1Ki 8:59.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7, 8. Esther’s form of reply suggests that for the moment she meant to declare her grief, but suddenly breaks off for some reason which remains hidden from the reader. She virtually acknowledges, however, that she has a weighty petition to present, and promises that, if her two guests will repeat their visit under similar circumstances next day, she will postpone no longer.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then answered Esther and said, my petition and my request is. What she should for the present make; the principal one she had to ask, for wise reasons, she still deferred.

Then answered Esther and said, my petition and my request is. What she should for the present make; the principal one she had to ask, for wise reasons, she still deferred.

Esther 5:8

est 5:8

est 5:8

est 5:8If I have found favour in the sight of the king,.... Or, seeing she had; for it was a clear case she had, both by his holding out the golden sceptre to her, and by accepting her invitation to her banquet:

and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request; as he had been so gracious as to promise in such a large and liberal manner as before expressed:

let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them; the Targum says, in the evening; but from Est 5:12, it appears to be on the morrow; and which agrees with what follows:

and I will do tomorrow as the king hath said; make her petition and request to him; which she had deferred, partly in hope of still increasing his affection to her, and partly to prepare him to expect something of moment and importance to be asked of him. Jarchi restrains this to what he supposes the king had often importuned her to tell, namely, who were her people and her kindred.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

My petition and my request is. Esther still hesitates to prefer her real request. We are not likely to be able in the nineteenth century to understand all the motives that actuated her, or all the workings of her mind. Perhaps nothing kept her back but the natural fear of a repulse, and a desire to defer the evil day; perhaps she saw some real advantage in putting off the determination of the matter. At any rate, she again declined to declare herself, and merely gave her two guests a second invitation for the ensuing evening. She concludes, however, with a promise that she will ask no further respite. I will do to-morrow as the king hath said. i.e. I will prefer my real request; I will ask the favour which was in my thoughts when I adventured myself in the inner court without having received an invitation.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

My petition and my request

The words "petition" and "request" mean the same thing. She probably used these words together as a way of speaking very formally and respectfully to the king. (See: Doublet)

if I have found favor in the eyes of the king and if it pleases the king

In order to show respect to a king, people sometimes did not call him "you." This can be translated with the word "you" along with other words that show respect. AT: "if you are pleased with me, O King, and if it pleases you" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

if I have found favor in the eyes of the king

"Find favor" here is an idiom that means be approved of or that he is pleased with her. "In the eyes of the king" is a metaphor representing his evaluation. AT: "if the king evaluates me and approves" or "if the king is pleased with me" (See: Idiom and Metaphor)

let the king and Haman come

This can be translated with the word "you" along with other words that show respect. AT: "please come and bring Haman" or "please come and let Haman come with you" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

I will answer the king's question

This can be translated with the word "you" along with other words that show respect. AT: "I will answer your question" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

translationWords

favor

honor

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.