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Thursday, June 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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Read the Bible

King James Version

Esther 5:4

And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Torrey's Topical Textbook - Entertainments;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Vashti;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Esther;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Banquet;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Chadias, They of;   Esther, Book of;   Esther, the Rest of;   Good;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Esther, Apocryphal Book of;   Gamaliel Ii;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for July 3;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for them.”
Hebrew Names Version
Ester said, If it seem good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.
English Standard Version
And Esther said, "If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king."
New Century Version
Esther answered, "My king, if it pleases you, come today with Haman to a banquet that I have prepared for you."
New English Translation
Esther replied, "If the king is so inclined, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him."
Amplified Bible
Esther said, "If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him."
New American Standard Bible
Esther said, "If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him."
World English Bible
Esther said, If it seem good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then saide Ester, If it please the King, let the King & Haman come this day vnto the banket, that I haue prepared for him.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Esther said, "If it seems good to the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the feast that I have prepared for him."
Berean Standard Bible
"If it pleases the king," Esther replied, "may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for the king."
Contemporary English Version
Esther answered, "Your Majesty, please come with Haman to a dinner I will prepare for you later today."
Complete Jewish Bible
"If it is all right with the king," answered Ester, "let the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for him."
Darby Translation
And Esther said, If it seem good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.
Easy-to-Read Version
Esther said, "I have prepared a party for you and Haman. Will you and Haman please come to the party today?"
George Lamsa Translation
And Esther answered, If it please the king, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I have pre pared for him.
Good News Translation
Esther replied, "If it please Your Majesty, I would like you and Haman to be my guests tonight at a banquet I am preparing for you."
Lexham English Bible
And Esther said, "If it is good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him."
Literal Translation
And Esther answered, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet which I have prepared for him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Hester sayde: Yf it please ye kynge, let ye kynge & Aman come this daye vnto ye banket yt I haue prepared.
American Standard Version
And Esther said, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.
Bible in Basic English
And Esther in answer said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the feast which I have made ready for him.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Esther aunswered: If it please the king, let the king and Haman come this day vnto the banket that I haue prepared for him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Esther said: 'If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.'
King James Version (1611)
And Esther answered, If it seeme good vnto the King, let the King and Haman come this day vnto the banquet that I haue prepared for him.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Esther said, To-day is my great day: if then it seem good to the king, let both him and Aman come to the feast which I will prepare this day.
English Revised Version
And Esther said, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And sche answeride, If it plesith the kyng, Y biseche, that thou come to me to dai, and Aaman with thee, to the feeste, which Y haue maad redi.
Update Bible Version
And Esther said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Esther answered, If [it shall seem] good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.
New King James Version
So Esther answered, "If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him."
New Living Translation
And Esther replied, "If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king."
New Life Bible
Esther said, "If it please the king, may the king and Haman come today to the special supper I have made ready for him."
New Revised Standard
Then Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet that I have prepared for the king."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Esther, If, unto the king, it seem good, let the king with Haman come in this day, unto the banquet which I have prepared for him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But she answered: If it please the king, I beseech thee to come to me this day, and Aman with thee to the banquet which I have prepared.
Revised Standard Version
And Esther said, "If it please the king, let the king and Haman come this day to a dinner that I have prepared for the king."
Young's Literal Translation
And Esther saith, `If unto the king [it be] good, the king doth come in, and Haman, to-day, unto the banquet that I have made for him;'
THE MESSAGE
"If it please the king," said Esther, "let the king come with Haman to a dinner I've prepared for him."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Esther said, "If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him."

Contextual Overview

1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. 2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. 3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom. 4 And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. 5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 6 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. 7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; 8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

If it seem: Esther 5:8, Proverbs 29:11

the banquet: Mishteh, from shathah, "to drink," a compotation. feast, or banquet accompanied with drinking; the drinking in the East being at the beginning, and not at the end of the entertainment. Olearius, describing an entertainment at the Persian court, says, "The floor of the hall was covered with cotton cloth, which was covered with all sorts of fruits and sweetmeats in basons of gold. With them was served up excellent Shiraz wine. After an hour's time, the sweetmeats were removed, to make way for the more substantial part of the entertainment, such as rice, boiled and roast mutton, etc. When the company had been at table an hour and a half, warm water was brought, in a ewer of gold, for washing; and grace being said, they began to retire without speaking a word, according to the custom of the country." Esther 5:8, Esther 3:15, Genesis 27:25, Genesis 32:20, Psalms 112:5, 1 Corinthians 14:20

Reciprocal: Ezra 6:11 - timber Esther 1:9 - the queen

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 5:1
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
Genesis 5:3
And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:
Genesis 5:7
And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
Genesis 5:10
And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:
Genesis 5:13
And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
Genesis 5:19
And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
Genesis 5:22
And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
Genesis 5:26
And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:
Genesis 5:30
And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Esther answered, if it seem good unto the king,.... She humbly submits it to his pleasure, suggesting it would be exceeding grateful to her, could it be granted:

let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him; for the king; and supposing it would be acceptable to him, and the rather engage him to come to it, she invited his favourite; and chiefly, that she might have an opportunity of accusing him before the king to his face, and when alone.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Esther seems to have been afraid to make her real request of Xerxes too abruptly. She concluded that the king would understand that she had a real petition in the background, and would recur to it, as in fact he did Esther 5:6; Esther 7:2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Esther 5:4. Let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet — It was necessary to invite Haman to prevent his suspicion, and that he might not take any hasty step which might have prevented the execution of the great design.


 
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