Esther 5:12 kjv
Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king.
Esther 5:12 nkjv
Moreover Haman said, "Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her, along with the king.
Esther 5:12 niv
"And that's not all," Haman added. "I'm the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow.
Esther 5:12 esv
Then Haman said, "Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king.
Esther 5:12 nlt
Then Haman added, "And that's not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow!"
Esther 5 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Direct link to Haman's impending ruin. |
| Jas 4:6 | God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. | Illustrates divine opposition to Haman. |
| Lk 14:11 | For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. | Haman's self-exaltation foreshadows his fall. |
| Prov 29:23 | A man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor. | Another proverb reinforcing the outcome of pride. |
| Isa 2:12 | For the LORD of hosts will have a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up and that shall be brought low; | Prophetic warning against the proud, applied to Haman. |
| Job 40:11–12 | Pour out the overflowings of your anger...and bring low all who are proud. | God's justice against arrogance. |
| Ps 73:6 | Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. | Describes the demeanor of the arrogant. |
| Dan 4:30 | The king answered and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?" | Nebuchadnezzar's pride leading to humiliation. |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” | Echoes James on divine opposition to pride. |
| Ps 7:15–16 | He makes a pit and digs it out, and falls into the hole that he has made... His mischief returns upon his own head... | Direct prophecy of Haman's self-dug pit. |
| Ps 9:15–16 | The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught... | God's justice turning plots on plotter. |
| Esth 7:9 | Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, "Moreover, the gallows that Haman has built for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, stands at Haman's house, fifty cubits high." | Immediate fulfillment of the irony discussed. |
| Ps 33:10 | The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. | God's sovereignty over human plans. |
| Prov 19:21 | Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. | Divine purpose supersedes human intent. |
| Gen 50:20 | As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. | God's turning human evil for good, like Haman's plot. |
| Acts 12:21–23 | On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes... immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory... | Another instance of pride met with divine judgment. |
| Phil 2:3 | Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. | Contrasting Christian virtue to Haman's pride. |
| 1 John 2:16 | For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. | Pride as a worldly evil, characteristic of Haman. |
| Obadiah 1:3–4 | The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock... Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down... | Divine judgment against extreme arrogance. |
| Jer 9:23 | Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches." | A direct prohibition against boasting, relevant to Haman's actions. |
Esther 5 verses
Esther 5 12 Meaning
Esther 5:12 captures Haman's escalating pride and profound self-delusion. It reveals his boastful declaration to his family and friends, exalting himself above all others in the Persian court, including the king's other officials. He highlights his exclusive invitation, alongside King Ahasuerus, to Queen Esther's private banquet, emphasizing not only the initial invitation but also the unprecedented second one for the following day. This verse demonstrates his belief that he possesses a unique and unparalleled favor from the queen, reinforcing his inflated ego just before his sudden and dramatic downfall.
Esther 5 12 Context
Esther 5:12 follows immediately after Haman returns home, full of self-importance after attending Queen Esther's initial banquet alongside the King. Despite his high position and unique honor, he is consumed by bitterness due to Mordecai's refusal to bow to him (Esth 5:9). This verse describes Haman's gathering of his closest friends and Zeresh, his wife, to recount his vast riches, his numerous sons, his promotion by the king, and now, what he perceives as the pinnacle of his favor: his exclusive invitation by Queen Esther, twice. This public boast reveals the extent of his ego and the deep-seated pride that would lead to his swift downfall. It is the moment where Haman, in his inflated perception of invincibility, verbalizes the precise honor that Esther has shrewdly bestowed upon him, ironically using it to build his case for destroying Mordecai. This entire sequence sets the stage for the dramatic reversal in the next chapter.
Esther 5 12 Word analysis
And Haman said: Introduces the speaker. This act of speaking aloud his thoughts indicates a need for external validation and deep-seated pride that cannot be contained. Haman's character is consistently presented as one who seeks public adoration and prestige.
"Even Queen Esther invited no one but me...": The word "even" (וְגַ֛ם, vegam) highlights the astounding nature of the invitation in Haman's mind. The phrase "no one but me" (לְבַדִּי֙, levaddi, meaning "alone, by myself") strongly emphasizes his exclusivity. This reflects Haman's immense ego and belief in his own unique favor. He views himself as exceptionally privileged, even above other royal officials or noblemen.
"...to the feast with the king whom she prepared.": This emphasizes the supreme honor bestowed. Being invited with the King (לַמִּשְׁתֶּ֥ה עִם־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ, lamishteh im-hammeleḵ) indicates a special status and direct access to royal presence. The mention that Queen Esther prepared the feast signifies a personal touch, making the honor seem even greater in Haman's eyes. This perceived intimacy fuels his grandiosity.
"And tomorrow also I am invited by her along with the king.": The repetition ("tomorrow also" - וְגַם־מָחָ֗ר, vegam-maḥar) amplifies Haman's sense of self-importance and exclusivity. It suggests a pattern of favor and validates his perception of unmatched influence with the queen. He misinterprets Esther's strategic invitation as genuine honor, failing to see the subtle trap she is setting for him. This declaration foreshadows the ultimate irony, where the second invitation becomes the stage for his complete disgrace and demise.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Even Queen Esther invited no one but me... And tomorrow also I am invited...": This phrase reveals Haman's primary preoccupation with his perceived special status and exclusive favor. The repetition emphasizes the extraordinary nature of his position in his own mind. It is a picture of deep self-deception driven by boundless pride, positioning himself as the only one deserving of such honor from the queen. This hyper-focus on his personal glory blinds him to the subtle intricacies of Esther's plan.
- "to the feast with the king whom she prepared... along with the king": The consistent pairing of Haman's invitation with the king underscores his inflated sense of importance. He sees himself as being on par with, or very near to, royal status. This highlights his hubris and ultimate vulnerability, as the king's favor is precisely what he believes he enjoys, and ironically, it will be the king's judgment that brings him low.
Esther 5 12 Bonus section
- The irony in this verse is profound: Haman's greatest pride, the exclusive invitation, is precisely the instrument of his destruction. He unknowingly walks into his own trap.
- The emphasis on "tomorrow also" (וְגַם־מָחָ֗ר, vegam-maḥar) shows not just pride but a sense of invulnerability and extended favor, suggesting he believed this elevated status was not a one-off but a sustained privilege.
- The passage reveals that Esther’s strategy of delayed exposure was masterfully effective. It allowed Haman’s pride to fully swell, ensuring that when the truth was revealed, his fall would be more spectacular and justified in the eyes of the King and the court.
Esther 5 12 Commentary
Esther 5:12 presents Haman at the apex of his worldly ambition and arrogance, just moments before his dramatic downfall. His elaborate boasting to his family and friends, detailing his unique invitation to Queen Esther's banquet not once, but twice, perfectly illustrates the principle that pride precedes destruction (Prov 16:18). He revels in his exclusive status, completely misreading Esther's intentions. What he perceives as unprecedented favor and a validation of his power is, in fact, the calculated snare set by the queen. His declaration, particularly his emphasis on "no one but me" and the continuation of this privilege "tomorrow also," reveals a man whose identity is entirely bound up in external honors and comparisons. This spiritual blindness to the true state of affairs, where he stands against God's chosen people, ensures his doom. The verse is a powerful demonstration of human hubris leading to self-destruction, serving as a reminder that God opposes the proud, and often orchestrates their downfall through their own misguided actions and misplaced confidence (Jas 4:6).