Esther 5:3 kjv
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.
Esther 5:3 nkjv
And the king said to her, "What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you?up to half the kingdom!"
Esther 5:3 niv
Then the king asked, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you."
Esther 5:3 esv
And the king said to her, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom."
Esther 5:3 nlt
Then the king asked her, "What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!"
Esther 5 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 3:5 | "Ask what you wish, and I will give it to you." | God's offer of open-ended generosity to Solomon. |
| Mt 7:7 | "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find..." | Jesus' teaching on persistent asking and receiving. |
| Mk 6:23 | "Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom." | Herod's rash promise to Herodias's daughter. |
| Jn 14:13 | "Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do..." | Believers asking the Father in Christ's name. |
| Prov 21:1 | "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD..." | God's sovereignty influencing rulers' decisions. |
| Ps 2:8 | "Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations as Your inheritance..." | The Father's promise of inheritance to the Messiah. |
| Is 65:24 | "Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear." | God's prompt and anticipatory response to His people. |
| Phil 4:6 | "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer..." | Trusting God with all petitions and thanksgiving. |
| Eph 3:20 | "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask..." | God's boundless power beyond human requests. |
| Gen 41:40 | "You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves..." | Pharaoh's extensive grant of authority to Joseph. |
| 2 Chr 1:7 | "...God appeared to Solomon and said to him, 'Ask what I shall give you.'" | Reiteration of God's offer of asking. |
| Mt 20:20-21 | "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit... at your right hand and one at your left..." | Mother's request for position in Christ's kingdom. |
| Jn 15:7 | "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish..." | The promise of answered prayer through abiding in Christ. |
| Jas 1:5 | "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God..." | God's readiness to grant wisdom generously. |
| Jas 4:3 | "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly..." | Condition for receiving from God: asking with right motives. |
| 1 Jn 5:14 | "...if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." | Assurance of prayer when aligned with God's will. |
| Ezra 7:6 | "...and the king granted him all he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him." | Artaxerxes's significant favor shown to Ezra. |
| Neh 2:4-6 | "Then the king said to me, 'What do you request?' ...So I prayed..." | Nehemiah's silent prayer before a king's offer. |
| Ps 37:4 | "Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." | Aligning one's heart with God leads to fulfillment. |
| Lk 11:13 | "...how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" | The Father's greater generosity in spiritual gifts. |
| Ps 145:18-19 | "The LORD is near to all who call on him... He fulfills the desire of those who fear him..." | God's closeness and attentiveness to His faithful. |
| Jer 29:12 | "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you." | God's promise to listen when genuinely sought. |
Esther 5 verses
Esther 5 3 Meaning
Esther 5:3 describes King Ahasuerus's generous and unreserved offer to Queen Esther. After she approached him unsummoned, risking her life, and he extended his scepter to spare her, the king immediately inquired about her wish or request. His profound pledge, "It shall be granted to you up to half the kingdom," indicated his willingness to concede to almost any demand within his vast royal power, highlighting both his authority and his magnanimity in that crucial moment.
Esther 5 3 Context
Esther 5:3 is embedded in the climax of a highly dramatic moment within the Persian court. Having previously enacted a royal decree mandating the annihilation of all Jews in the empire, Haman's malice had prompted Esther and Mordecai into desperate action. After a three-day fast by the Jewish community in Susa, Queen Esther courageously approached King Ahasuerus unbidden, an act punishable by immediate death. Her life hung on whether the king would extend his golden scepter to her, which he mercifully did in the preceding verse. Thus, Esther 5:3 immediately follows this critical act of royal grace, with the king verbally confirming his favor and readiness to fulfill virtually any request. Historically, Persian kings wielded absolute power, and such a hyperbolic offer as "up to half the kingdom" underscores the king's arbitrary authority and Esther's exceptional moment of influence.
Esther 5 3 Word analysis
- Then the king said to her, Marks the king's active response, validating Esther's approach and signaling his readiness to engage.
- What do you wish, (מַה-לָּךְ, mah-lach): A Hebrew idiom meaning "What is to you?" or "What troubles you?" It is a direct and inviting inquiry into her purpose, demonstrating his immediate interest and openness.
- Queen Esther?: The formal address highlights her royal status, signifying respect and confirming the legitimacy of her presence and forthcoming request.
- What is your request?: (וּמַה-בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ, u-mah-baqqāshātēkh) This clarifies the nature of his inquiry, explicitly inviting a specific, formal petition. It distinguishes his offer from casual inquiry, signaling the weight and importance he attaches to her words.
- It shall be granted to you: A binding promise from an absolute monarch, reassuring Esther of his commitment to fulfill whatever she asks. It establishes a decree of acceptance.
- up to half the kingdom: (עַד חֲצִי הַמַּלְכוּת, ʿad chătzi hammalḵūṯ) A well-known hyperbole found in ancient Near Eastern royal courts, implying boundless generosity and willingness to grant almost anything. It signifies granting anything within the king's power and domain, short of compromising his throne or integral parts of his empire. This phrase conveys the immeasurable extent of his favor towards Esther at that moment.
Esther 5 3 Bonus section
- The king's promise, "up to half the kingdom," does not literally suggest dividing the empire but is an emphatic figure of speech, common in ancient Near Eastern monarchies, to convey ultimate generosity and the vast extent of a ruler's power to grant wishes.
- This verse underscores the profound difference between human power, even absolute monarchy, and divine omnipotence. While the king's authority appears boundless, it is nonetheless restricted by practicalities and influenced by God's unseen hand guiding events for His purposes.
- The immediate, open-ended offer by Ahasuerus showcases his susceptibility to persuasion and his somewhat impulsive character, a trait also evident in previous and subsequent decisions recorded in Esther.
- Esther's choice to delay her actual, life-saving petition after receiving such a generous offer reveals her exceptional discernment and strategic acumen, indicating that merely having permission to speak is not enough; the timing and method are also crucial.
Esther 5 3 Commentary
Esther 5:3 is a critical turning point in the Book of Esther, illustrating a moment of dramatic shift from potential death to extraordinary favor. King Ahasuerus's offer, "up to half the kingdom," while hyperbolic, vividly expresses his immediate desire to satisfy Esther. This impulsive declaration, mirroring King Herod's in the New Testament (Mark 6:23), highlights the capricious nature of human kingship and serves as a literary device to intensify the narrative suspense. Crucially, Esther does not immediately present her urgent request for her people's deliverance. Instead, her strategic decision to invite the king and Haman to two separate banquets demonstrates profound wisdom and restraint, allowing for the further unfolding of God's hidden providential plan and Haman's inevitable downfall. This delay is key, transforming a moment of immense potential into a carefully orchestrated series of events leading to salvation.