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.
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Esther 3:9
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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.