Esther 7:10

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

So they hanged {H8518} Haman {H2001} on the gallows {H6086} that he had prepared {H3559} for Mordecai {H4782}. Then was the king's {H4428} wrath {H2534} pacified {H7918}.

So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordekhai. Then the king's anger subsided.

So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.

Esther 7:10 (KJV) marks the climactic moment of Haman's downfall, delivering swift and ironic justice. After Esther bravely revealed Haman's malicious plot against her people, the Jews, King Ahasuerus's fury reached its peak. This verse describes the immediate and decisive execution of the antagonist, Haman, on the very instrument he had prepared for Mordecai.

Context

The book of Esther, set in the Persian Empire during the reign of King Ahasuerus (often identified with Xerxes I), tells the story of a plot orchestrated by Haman, the king's chief minister, to annihilate all Jews in the empire. Haman's hatred for Mordecai, a Jew who refused to bow to him, escalated into a decree for genocide. In a dramatic turn of events, Queen Esther, Mordecai's cousin, courageously exposed Haman's treachery during a private banquet she arranged for the king and Haman. The king's rage, ignited by the realization that Haman sought to destroy his queen's people, led directly to this verse's resolution. Earlier in the narrative, Haman had proudly constructed a gallows (a high stake) 50 cubits (approx. 75 feet) high, specifically intended for Mordecai, as advised by his wife Zeresh and his friends.

Key Themes

  • Poetic Justice and Retribution: The most striking theme is the perfect irony of Haman's death. He is executed on the very structure he designed for his enemy. This serves as a powerful testament to the principle that "Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein."
  • Divine Providence: While God is not explicitly mentioned in the book of Esther, His unseen hand is evident throughout the narrative. The reversal of fortune, the king's sleepless night (Esther 6:1) leading to Mordecai's honor, and Esther's timely intercession all point to a divine orchestration that ensured the salvation of His people and the defeat of their enemy.
  • The King's Authority and Wrath: King Ahasuerus wielded absolute power. Once his wrath was fully aroused against Haman, the execution was swift and irreversible. The verse emphasizes that "the king's wrath pacified," indicating that Haman's demise was the ultimate satisfaction for the king's intense anger.

Linguistic Insights

The word translated "gallows" in the KJV is from the Hebrew 'ets (עֵץ), which literally means "tree" or "wood." In this context, it refers to a tall stake or pole used for impalement or hanging, a common form of public execution in the ancient Near East, designed to be highly visible and humiliating. The term "pacified" comes from the Hebrew shakak (שָׁכַךְ), meaning to sink, subside, or settle down, illustrating the complete abatement of the king's intense fury once justice was served.

Practical Application

Esther 7:10 offers profound lessons for believers today:

  • Justice Prevails: It reassures us that ultimately, evil schemes will not triumph. Though justice may seem delayed, God is sovereign and ensures that the wicked often fall into their own traps (Psalm 7:16).
  • Consequences of Malice: Haman's fate is a stark warning against pride, hatred, and plotting evil against others. What we sow, we often reap.
  • God's Unseen Hand: Even when circumstances seem dire and God's presence is not overtly declared, this story reminds us that He is actively working behind the scenes, providentially guiding events for the good of His people and the fulfillment of His purposes.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 7:16

    His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

  • Daniel 6:24

    And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast [them] into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

  • Judges 15:7

    And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.

  • Ezekiel 5:13

    Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken [it] in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.

  • Zechariah 6:8

    Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.

  • Esther 2:1

    ¶ After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

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