Esther 7 3

Esther 7:3 kjv

Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:

Esther 7:3 nkjv

Then Queen Esther answered and said, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.

Esther 7:3 niv

Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life?this is my petition. And spare my people?this is my request.

Esther 7:3 esv

Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request.

Esther 7:3 nlt

Queen Esther replied, "If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared.

Esther 7 verses

Esther 7 3 meaning

Esther 7:3 describes Queen Esther's humble yet courageous response to King Ahasuerus's offer to grant her anything. She seizes the crucial moment to appeal to the king's favor and goodwill, pleading first for her own life and then for the lives of her people. Her petition is framed respectfully, seeking mercy and acknowledging the king's ultimate authority, setting the stage for the revelation of Haman's plot against the Jewish community.

Esther 7 3 Context

Esther 7:3 marks the dramatic turning point in the book of Esther. King Ahasuerus, at the second banquet hosted by Esther, prompts her with an open invitation, "What is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to half the kingdom, it shall be done" (Esth 7:2). This verse immediately follows that open-ended question. Esther, having carefully cultivated the king's goodwill and curiosity over two banquets, now initiates her carefully planned revelation. The historical context is the Persian Empire during the reign of Xerxes I (Ahasuerus), with Jewish exiles living in its various provinces. Haman, a high-ranking official, has secured a decree for the annihilation of all Jews. Esther, formerly fearful of approaching the king without summons, has chosen to risk her life (Esth 4:16) for her people. Her answer in 7:3 is her opening move to expose Haman and reverse the genocidal decree.

Esther 7 3 Word analysis

• Then Queen Esther answered: Indicates an immediate and direct response. Esther had patiently waited, and now the moment was ripe for her calculated approach. This is the payoff to her carefully planned strategy of holding two banquets before making her request.
• and said, 'If I have found favor (מָצָאתִי חֵן - matzati khen) in your sight (בְּעֵינֶיךָ - b'eineykha), O king,':
  • Matzati khen ("found favor") is a common Hebrew idiom expressing a desire for acceptance, grace, or goodwill from an authority figure. It is a humble and diplomatic way to approach a powerful ruler, acknowledging his sovereignty while seeking his beneficence. It sets a respectful and non-confrontational tone for a life-or-death petition.
  • B'eineykha ("in your eyes" or "in your sight") reinforces the king's perception and judgment being critical.
  • This phrase acknowledges the king's absolute power and places the success of her petition entirely on his goodwill and benevolence, which he himself had just affirmed in his repeated pledge.
• 'and if it please (ט֣וֹב - tov) the king,':
  • Tov literally means "good" or "agreeable." This reiterates Esther's deference to the king's judgment and desire. It suggests that her request is reasonable and within the bounds of what the king might deem just or acceptable.
  • It's not a demand but a careful test of his promised generosity, aligning her petition with his announced desire to please her.
• 'let my life (נַפְשִׁי - nafshi) be granted (תִּנָּתֶן - tinnaten) me at my petition (שֶׁאֵלָתִי - she'elatí),:
  • Nafshi refers to her "soul" or "life." Pleading for her own life first makes the danger personal and immediate. It signifies that the imminent threat touches even the queen, raising the stakes considerably.
  • Tinnaten is in the passive form, "let it be given" or "granted," again deferring to the king's action and authority.
  • She'elati ("my petition" or "my asking") is the general request for a desired object or outcome. This sets the initial frame for the request as a plea for preservation.
• 'and my people (וְעַמִּי - v'ammi) at my request (בַקָּשָׁתִי - bakashati);':
  • V'ammi ("my people") is critical. Here, Esther publicly and explicitly identifies with her Jewish people, revealing her true heritage and implicitly putting her own life on the line with theirs. This is the fulfillment of Mordecai's charge to her in Esther 4:14.
  • Bakashati ("my request" or "my urgent plea") emphasizes the urgency and importance of this particular appeal for her people. Some scholars suggest a subtle distinction from she'elati, with bakashati perhaps being a more urgent, fervent plea or specifying the concrete content of the petition after the initial general request for favor. The repetition adds emphasis to the solemnity and crucial nature of her twin plea for herself and her community.

Esther 7 3 Bonus section

• Esther's strategy here highlights wisdom in presenting petitions: humble approach, securing initial goodwill, articulating the foundational threat (life itself), and linking personal danger to the fate of one's community.
• The carefully chosen words underscore the precarious position of a foreign queen in a Persian court and the immense courage required to step into the role of intercessor for a condemned people.
• Though God is not explicitly mentioned in the Book of Esther, the careful, providential timing of Esther's words and the king's receptive posture clearly demonstrate divine guidance working through human agents for the deliverance of His people.
• The phrase "my petition" and "my request" not only shows earnestness but also hints that she has distinct components to her plea – initially to spare her, and then specifically her people from the hidden enemy.

Esther 7 3 Commentary

Esther's opening statement in 7:3 is a masterful display of diplomacy, courage, and dependence. She doesn't immediately accuse Haman. Instead, she artfully pivots the king's generous offer ("up to half the kingdom") to the more fundamental issue of life itself, for her and her people. By first seeking favor and expressing deference ("If I have found favor... if it please the king"), she maintains decorum and ensures the king's continued positive disposition. Her immediate plea for "my life" heightens the drama, making the threat incredibly personal, before widening the scope to "my people." This links her fate inextricably with theirs, positioning the danger as something that threatens even the highest person in the court, if not directly the king himself. This verse lays the essential groundwork: it is not a request for riches or power, but for fundamental existence against an unseen, life-threatening conspiracy, thus setting up the shocking revelation to follow.