Esther 6:14

And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Esther 6:14. The king’s chamberlains hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet — Who was now slack to go thither, by reason of the great dejection of his own mind, and the fear of a worse entertainment from the king and queen than he had formerly received.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:12-14 Mordecai was not puffed up with his honours, he returned to his place and the duty of it. Honour is well bestowed on those that do not think themselves above their business. But Haman could not bear it. What harm had it done him? But that will break a proud man's heart, which will not break a humble man's sleep. His doom was, out of this event, read to him by his wife and his friends. They plainly confessed that the Jews, though scattered through the nations, were special objects of Divine care. Miserable comforters are they all; they did not advise Haman to repent, but foretold his fate as unavoidable. The wisdom of God is seen, in timing the means of his church's deliverance, so as to manifest his own glory.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It is quite consonant with Oriental notions that Mordecai, after receiving the extraordinary honors assigned him, should return to the palace and resume his former humble employment.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14. came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared—Besides the invitation given to an entertainment, a message is always sent to the guests, immediately at the day and hour appointed, to announce that all things are ready.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He was now slack to go thither, by reason of the great dejection of his own mind, and the fear of a worse entertainment from the king and queen than he had formerly received.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And while they were yet talking with him,.... About these things, and giving their opinion of the issue of them, upon the present appearance of them:

came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared; the time appointed for it being very near, or quite up, and Haman being backward and dilatory, having no stomach to go to it, and perhaps fearing worse things were coming upon him he should hear of there.

Geneva Study Bible

And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. The dramatic instinct of the writer presents us with a sudden change of scene, and contrasts Haman’s exultant anticipations (Esther 5:12) of splendour attaching to the royal banquet with the dark forebodings which now oppressed the apparently so highly honoured guest.

hasted to bring Haman] We need not suppose that the coming of the attendants implies fear on the part of Esther that through a presentiment of his approaching fall he might fail to arrive. The Eastern custom of fetching guests is well known. Cp. Luke 14:17.

Esther 7:3. Haman’s humiliation of the morning doubtless encourages Esther to prefer her petition without further delay. The abruptness perceptible in her speech is itself indicative of the emotion with which its utterance was accompanied.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - Came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman. This is a custom not elsewhere mentioned as Persian, but quite in accordance with Oriental ideas. The polite host sends his servants to escort guests of importance from their own homes to the place of entertainment.



Esther 6:14

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

During this conversation certain courtiers had already arrived, who hastily brought Haman to the banquet of the queen, to which he would certainly go in a less happy state of mind than on the preceding day.