Esther 7:4

For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.

For we are sold {H4376}, I and my people {H5971}, to be destroyed {H8045}, to be slain {H2026}, and to perish {H6}. But if {H432} we had been sold {H4376} for bondmen {H5650} and bondwomen {H8198}, I had held my tongue {H2790}, although the enemy {H6862} could not countervail {H7737} the king's {H4428} damage {H5143}.

For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, killed, exterminated. If we had only been sold as men- and women-slaves, I would have remained quiet; since then [our] trouble would not have been worth the damage it would have caused the king [to alter the situation]."

For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as menservants and maidservants, I would have remained silent, because no such distress would justify burdening the king.”

for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s damage.

Commentary

Esther 7:4 captures Queen Esther's dramatic revelation to King Ahasuerus concerning Haman's plot to annihilate the Jewish people. This pivotal moment occurs during the second banquet Esther hosts, where she finally unveils the full extent of the danger facing her and her kinsmen.

Context of Esther 7:4

This verse is the climax of a meticulously planned strategy by Queen Esther. After inviting King Ahasuerus and Haman to two successive banquets, she finally chose this opportune moment to expose Haman's wicked scheme. Haman, oblivious to his impending doom, was present and heard Esther's plea directly. The immediate context is Esther's direct answer to the King's repeated question, "What is thy petition?" (See Esther 7:2). Her words are filled with urgency and a deep sense of peril, highlighting the difference between mere servitude and total annihilation.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Courageous Advocacy: Esther's words demonstrate immense courage. She risks her own life and standing by revealing her Jewish identity and accusing the powerful Haman. This moment fulfills the purpose for which Mordecai suggested she was brought to the kingdom "for such a time as this."
  • The Sanctity of Life: Esther emphasizes that being "sold for bondmen and bondwomen" would have been a regrettable but tolerable fate. The true horror, however, is the intent "to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish." This highlights the immeasurable value of human life over any material gain or political convenience.
  • Haman's Irredeemable Evil: The verse underscores Haman's extreme malice. His plan was not merely oppressive but genocidal, aiming for the complete eradication of a people. Esther's statement about the "king's damage" reveals that even Haman's vast bribe could not compensate for the loss of an entire segment of the empire's population.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "sold, I and my people" refers to the financial transaction Haman initiated, offering 10,000 talents of silver to the king's treasuries for the right to destroy the Jews (compare with Esther 3:9). Esther's choice of words, "to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish," is a powerful threefold expression, emphasizing the comprehensive and brutal nature of Haman's decree. The Hebrew terms convey utter annihilation. Her statement "the enemy could not countervail the king's damage" (literally, "the adversary would not be worth the king's damage") means that the monetary gain from Haman's bribe would be utterly insignificant compared to the irreplaceable loss of human lives and the economic and demographic impact on the kingdom.

Practical Application

Esther 7:4 serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of speaking out against injustice and evil, even when it involves personal risk. It underscores the profound value of human life and the call for believers to be advocates for the vulnerable. The narrative encourages strategic courage and highlights how God can work through individuals to thwart wicked schemes and bring about deliverance. It also reminds us that true victory often involves confronting evil directly, as Esther did, rather than passively accepting an unjust fate. This verse is a testament to the power of one voice raised for righteousness.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Esther 3:9 (7 votes)

    If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring [it] into the king's treasuries.

  • Deuteronomy 28:68 (6 votes)

    And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy [you].

  • Esther 3:13 (5 votes)

    And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, [even] upon the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and [to take] the spoil of them for a prey.

  • Esther 8:11 (3 votes)

    Wherein the king granted the Jews which [were] in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, [both] little ones and women, and [to take] the spoil of them for a prey,

  • Joel 3:6 (2 votes)

    The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.

  • Esther 4:7 (2 votes)

    And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

  • Esther 4:8 (2 votes)

    Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew [it] unto Esther, and to declare [it] unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.