How did the tables turn on Haman?
At Esther's second banquet she names the enemy, Haman falls at her feet, and the king hangs him on the gallows he built. Then a new decree lets the Jews defend their lives.
This question arose from studying How did the king's sleepless night save a nation?.
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What the Scripture says
Let my life be given me, and my people
At the banquet the king offers Esther up to half his kingdom. She answers that if she has found favor, let her life be given her at her petition, and her people at her request, for they are sold to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. She names the enemy by naming the crime.
Then Esther the queen answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.”
Will he even assault the queen in front of me?
The king storms into the garden and finds Haman fallen on the couch where Esther sits. The word of the king's mouth condemns him before any trial: the man who meant to kill the queen is judged by his own posture.
Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
Hang him on it!
An attendant mentions the gallows fifty cubits high that Haman made for Mordecai. The king says, 'Hang him on it,' and they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. The trap closes on its builder.
Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were with the king said, “Behold, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, is standing at Haman’s house.” The king said, “Hang him on it!” So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.
The king granted the Jews to defend their life
Haman's decree cannot be reversed, so the king gives his ring again and lets the Jews write a second letter. In those letters the king granted the Jews in every city 'to defend their life' against any who would assault them.
Write also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may not be reversed by any man.”
In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to defend their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,
The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor
Where there was a sentence of death, there is now a feast. 'The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor,' and many from among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of them had fallen on all. Deliverance spreads beyond the rescued.
The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor. In every province, and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast, and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen on them.
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What is the feast of Purim?→“as the days in which the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending presents of food to one another, and gifts to the needy.”How does Esther point to Christ?→““Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.””How does the book of Esther point forward to the greater exodus?→“Letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to plunder their possessions.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.
In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to defend their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,
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