Haman’s ill-fated plan exemplifies how pride often leads to a dramatic fall.
Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made. (v.14)
The verse opens with the voice of Haman’s wife and his cohort of friends, urging him to “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made.” In the ancient Near Eastern context, fifty cubits (around seventy-five feet) meant an exceptionally tall structure, ensuring the humiliating public display of Mordecai’s fate. The text specifies that Haman should “ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” This reveals Haman’s deep animosity toward Mordecai and his desire to remove any threat to his power or sense of honor before attending the queen’s invitation. The words “And the advice pleased Haman” make evident how much pride and hatred motivated Haman, propelling him to take immediate action: “so he had the gallows made.” Haman’s plan is set in motion, foreshadowing the dramatic reversal soon to unfold. Scripture repeatedly shows that schemes born of pride and hatred can be upended, underscoring that God sees the heart and brings justice on behalf of His people (Proverbs 16:18).
Historically, Esther, also known by her Jewish name Hadassah, lived under the reign of King Xerxes of Persia (referred to as Ahasuerus in the Hebrew text) between 486 BC-465 BC. He ruled a vast empire stretching from India to Ethiopia, with the capital at Susa (Shushan). Haman, an Agagite official, rose to power during Xerxes’s rule. Mordecai, from the tribe of Benjamin, refused to bow before Haman, igniting the official’s intense resentment. In this verse, Haman’s circle—particularly his wife, Zeresh—demonstrates how Haman’s pride is fed by those around him. They show no sympathy or restraint, urging him toward tyrannical violence (Esther 5:14).
The meaning of Esther 5:14 hinges on the ironic tension that builds toward the next series of events. The gallows appear to be the very instrument on which Haman will triumph over his enemy; instead, in the chapters that follow, it becomes the symbol of his downfall (Esther 7:10). This paradox mirrors repeated biblical themes where prideful intentions lead to a sudden reversal of fortune (Proverbs 29:23; Matthew 23:12). Esther’s role as queen, called “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14), is pivotal in orchestrating God’s providential rescue of the Jewish people.
God then uses this setting of impending disaster and cunning plans to highlight that no plot or gallows, no matter how tall, can interfere with His deliverance. Much like Joseph’s reassurance in Genesis 50:20, what was intended for harm is turned for good in order that God’s people be spared. The gallows meant to destroy God’s covenant people serve to reveal the sovereignty of the LORD and preserve the lineage leading toward Jesus (Matthew 1:17).
God often uses unlikely circumstances to reveal His care, and the Book of Esther is no exception. Another Old Testament story highlights a plan turned on its head—like how Daniel’s enemies ended up being devoured by the lions meant for Daniel himself (Daniel 6:24). Likewise, Haman’s gallows come to represent pride giving way to humbling judgment, where the hateful intent is undone by God’s strategic moves to rescue those who trust in Him.
This verse underscores humanity’s tendency to scheme for personal gain and revenge, with the reminder that only God can truly control outcomes. Haman’s plot will be overturned through Esther’s intervention, reflecting God’s pattern of bringing deliverance through faithful individuals who put others before themselves. Ultimately, this passage affirms that vengeance and violence are fleeting when contrasted with God’s redemptive plan of protection and salvation for His people.
Haman embraces the plan to execute Mordecai, confident it will erase his irritant and let him savor the banquet with Xerxes in peace. Unbeknownst to him, he is walking straight into God’s overarching plot: the proud will be humbled, and the lowly (Mordecai the Jew) will be exalted.
Mordecai’s imminent peril stands as a powerful illustration of many biblical accounts where the righteous are threatened by those in power, yet God works quietly behind the scenes. Esther 5:14 thus cements this theme: those who choose pride and violence climb a scaffold that ultimately reveals their own downfall.
This verse reminds us that schemes rooted in malice end up being the seeds of their originator’s ruin.
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Esther 5:14 meaning
Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made. (v.14)
The verse opens with the voice of Haman’s wife and his cohort of friends, urging him to “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made.” In the ancient Near Eastern context, fifty cubits (around seventy-five feet) meant an exceptionally tall structure, ensuring the humiliating public display of Mordecai’s fate. The text specifies that Haman should “ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” This reveals Haman’s deep animosity toward Mordecai and his desire to remove any threat to his power or sense of honor before attending the queen’s invitation. The words “And the advice pleased Haman” make evident how much pride and hatred motivated Haman, propelling him to take immediate action: “so he had the gallows made.” Haman’s plan is set in motion, foreshadowing the dramatic reversal soon to unfold. Scripture repeatedly shows that schemes born of pride and hatred can be upended, underscoring that God sees the heart and brings justice on behalf of His people (Proverbs 16:18).
Historically, Esther, also known by her Jewish name Hadassah, lived under the reign of King Xerxes of Persia (referred to as Ahasuerus in the Hebrew text) between 486 BC-465 BC. He ruled a vast empire stretching from India to Ethiopia, with the capital at Susa (Shushan). Haman, an Agagite official, rose to power during Xerxes’s rule. Mordecai, from the tribe of Benjamin, refused to bow before Haman, igniting the official’s intense resentment. In this verse, Haman’s circle—particularly his wife, Zeresh—demonstrates how Haman’s pride is fed by those around him. They show no sympathy or restraint, urging him toward tyrannical violence (Esther 5:14).
The meaning of Esther 5:14 hinges on the ironic tension that builds toward the next series of events. The gallows appear to be the very instrument on which Haman will triumph over his enemy; instead, in the chapters that follow, it becomes the symbol of his downfall (Esther 7:10). This paradox mirrors repeated biblical themes where prideful intentions lead to a sudden reversal of fortune (Proverbs 29:23; Matthew 23:12). Esther’s role as queen, called “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14), is pivotal in orchestrating God’s providential rescue of the Jewish people.
God then uses this setting of impending disaster and cunning plans to highlight that no plot or gallows, no matter how tall, can interfere with His deliverance. Much like Joseph’s reassurance in Genesis 50:20, what was intended for harm is turned for good in order that God’s people be spared. The gallows meant to destroy God’s covenant people serve to reveal the sovereignty of the LORD and preserve the lineage leading toward Jesus (Matthew 1:17).
God often uses unlikely circumstances to reveal His care, and the Book of Esther is no exception. Another Old Testament story highlights a plan turned on its head—like how Daniel’s enemies ended up being devoured by the lions meant for Daniel himself (Daniel 6:24). Likewise, Haman’s gallows come to represent pride giving way to humbling judgment, where the hateful intent is undone by God’s strategic moves to rescue those who trust in Him.
This verse underscores humanity’s tendency to scheme for personal gain and revenge, with the reminder that only God can truly control outcomes. Haman’s plot will be overturned through Esther’s intervention, reflecting God’s pattern of bringing deliverance through faithful individuals who put others before themselves. Ultimately, this passage affirms that vengeance and violence are fleeting when contrasted with God’s redemptive plan of protection and salvation for His people.
Haman embraces the plan to execute Mordecai, confident it will erase his irritant and let him savor the banquet with Xerxes in peace. Unbeknownst to him, he is walking straight into God’s overarching plot: the proud will be humbled, and the lowly (Mordecai the Jew) will be exalted.
Mordecai’s imminent peril stands as a powerful illustration of many biblical accounts where the righteous are threatened by those in power, yet God works quietly behind the scenes. Esther 5:14 thus cements this theme: those who choose pride and violence climb a scaffold that ultimately reveals their own downfall.
This verse reminds us that schemes rooted in malice end up being the seeds of their originator’s ruin.