SCRIPTURE: ESTHER 7
HAMAN HANGED (vs. 1-10)
The king and Haman went to the banquet Queen Esther had prepared for them. As they were drinking wine on the second day, the king asked Esther her petition and request. The Queen Esther answered: “If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life – this is my petition. And spare my people – this is my request. For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we have merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king” (vs. 3-4)
King Xerxes asked queen who was the man who dared to do such a thing. Esther pointed to Haman as the adversary and enemy. The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. Haman stayed to beg Queen Esther for his life. When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed: Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?” (v, 8). After saying that, they covered Haman’s face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs told the king that there was a gallows 75 feet high at Haman’s house which had it made for Mordecai. He gave this information to help the king on how to deal with Haman. So, the king told him to hang Haman on the gallows. Then the king’s fury subsided.
THOUGHTS:
God had given Esther the wisdom of what to say, how to say and when to say. Her brief reply revealed her nationality, her danger and the presence of an enemy in the palace. She did not directly mentioned his name and wait for the king’s reaction.
Haman was hanged on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai. He wanted to dig a pit for his enemy, but he fell into it himself. Remember the saying: “You reap what you sow.” When you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself.
When the king heard what Esther said, he was very disturbed. He left the banquet hall and went to the garden. Haman remained there begging Esther for mercy and falling into the queen’s couch. When the king returned and saw it, he was very furious. He thought this evil man may also molest the queen in his our house. So he ordered him to be executed which was done on the very gallows Haman had prepared for Mordecai.