Esther 5:14

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have a gallows constructed, seventy-five feet high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself." This suggestion pleased Haman, and he had the gallows built.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לוֹ֩ זֶ֨רֶשׁ אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ וְכָל־אֹֽהֲבָ֗יו יַֽעֲשׂוּ־עֵץ֮ גָּבֹ֣הַּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אַמָּה֒ וּבַבֹּ֣קֶר ׀ אֱמֹ֣ר לַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְיִתְל֤וּ אֶֽת־מָרְדֳּכַי֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבֹֽא־עִם־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֶל הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה שָׂמֵ֑חַ וַיִּיטַ֧ב הַדָּבָ֛ר לִפְנֵ֥י הָמָ֖ן וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָעֵֽץ

Transliteration

And wattōʾmer to-him zereš ʾištô and-all-ʾōhăbāyw, let-them-yaʿăśû-ʿēṣ gābōah fifty ʾammâ, and-in-the-bōqer ʾĕmōr to-the-melek and-yitlû ʾet-mordŏkay upon-it, and-bōʾ-with-the-melek to the-mišteh śāmēaḥ, and wayyîṭab the-dābār before hāmān and wayyaʿaś the-ʿēṣ

Grammar Details

• *wattōʾmer*: waw-consecutive imperfect, 3fs - and she said
• *zereš*: proper noun - Zeresh
• *ʾištô*: noun, feminine singular + 3ms suffix - his wife
• *ʾōhăbāyw*: participle, masculine plural + 3ms suffix - his friends/lovers
• *yaʿăśû*: imperfect, 3mp - they should make
• *ʿēṣ*: noun, masculine singular - tree/gallows/wood
• *gābōah*: adjective, masculine singular - high/tall
• *ʾammâ*: noun, feminine singular - cubit
• *bōqer*: noun, masculine singular - morning
• *ʾĕmōr*: imperative, ms - say/speak
• *melek*: noun, masculine singular - king
• *yitlû*: imperfect, 3mp - they will hang
• *mordŏkay*: proper noun - Mordecai
• *bōʾ*: imperative, ms - come/go
• *mišteh*: noun, masculine singular - feast/banquet
• *śāmēaḥ*: adjective, masculine singular - joyful
• *wayyîṭab*: waw-consecutive imperfect, 3ms - and it was good
• *dābār*: noun, masculine singular - word/matter
• *hāmān*: proper noun - Haman
• *wayyaʿaś*: waw-consecutive imperfect, 3ms - and he made

Word Meanings

• *yaʿăśû-ʿēṣ*: let them make gallows/prepare wooden pole
• *gābōah ḥămišîm ʾammâ*: fifty cubits high/tall (75-80 feet)
• *yitlû*: hang/impale/execute
• *bōʾ-ʿim-hammelek ʾel-hammišteh śāmēaḥ*: go with the king to the banquet joyful/attend the feast happily
• *wayyîṭab haddābār*: the matter pleased/the suggestion was good
• *wayyaʿaś hāʿēṣ*: he had the gallows made/prepared the wooden structure

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Then said Zerh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Then Zeresh, his wife, and all his friends said to him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak to the king that Mordecai may be hanged on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet. And this pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Then sayde Seres his wife and all his frendes vnto him: Let the make a galowe of fiftye cubites hie, & tomorow speake thou vnto the kynge, that Mardocheus maye be hanged theron, yf thou comest merely with the kynge vnto the bancket. Aman was well content withall, and caused a galowe to be prepared.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then sayde Zeresh his wife and all his friends vnto him, Let them make a tree of fiftie cubites hie, and to morowe speake thou vnto the King, that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then shalt thou goe ioyfully with the King vnto the banket; the thing pleased Haman, and he caused to make the tree.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Then saide Zares his wyfe and all his friendes vnto him: Let them make a galous of fiftie cubites hie, and to morowe speake thou vnto the king that Mardocheus may be hanged thereon: then go thou in meryly with the king vnto the banket. And Haman was well content withall, and caused the galous to be made.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends to him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak you to the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go you in merrily with the king to the banquet. The thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And Zeresh his wife saith to him, and all his friends, `Let them prepare a tree, in height fifty cubits, and in the morning speak to the king, and they hang Mordecai on it, and go thou in with the king unto the banquet rejoicing;' and the thing is good before Haman, and he prepareth the tree.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, Let a pillar, fifty cubits high, be made ready for hanging him, and in the morning get the king to give orders for the hanging of Mordecai: then you will be able to go to the feast with the king with a glad heart. And Haman was pleased with the suggestion, and he had the pillar made.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet." This pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Haman’s wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him,“Have a gallows seventy-five feet high built, and in the morning tell the king that Mordecai should be hanged on it. Then go with the king to the banquet contented.” It seemed like a good idea to Haman, so he had the gallows built.

Referenced Verses

• Esth 6:4 : 4 The king asked, "Who is in the courtyard?" Now Haman had just entered the outer courtyard of the king’s palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him.
• Esth 7:9-9 : 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "Look! The gallows that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke up for the king’s benefit, is standing at Haman’s house, fifty cubits tall." The king said, "Hang him on it!" 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided.
• 1 Kgs 21:7 : 7 Jezebel, his wife, said to him, 'Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up, eat, and cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.'
• Ps 7:13-16 : 13 If a person does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready. 14 He has prepared His deadly weapons; He makes His arrows fiery shafts. 15 Behold, the wicked conceives evil, is pregnant with mischief, and gives birth to lies. 16 They dig a pit and hollow it out, only to fall into the hole they have made.
• Ps 37:14 : 14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and the needy, to slaughter those whose ways are upright.
• Ps 37:32 : 32 The wicked person lies in wait for the righteous and seeks to kill him.
• Prov 1:18 : 18 But these men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
• Prov 4:16 : 16 For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble.
• Amos 6:4-6 : 4 You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs from the flock and fattened calves from the stall. 5 You strum away on your harps like David and fashion instruments for music. 6 You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
• Mark 6:19-24 : 19 So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but she was unable to do so. 20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard John speak, he was greatly perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. 21 Finally, the opportune time came. On his birthday, Herod gave a banquet for his high officials, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, 'Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.' 23 And he promised her with an oath, 'Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.' 24 She went out and asked her mother, 'What should I ask for?' Her mother answered, 'The head of John the Baptist.'
• Mark 14:10-11 : 10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11 When they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray him.
• Acts 23:14-15 : 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, 'We have bound ourselves under a solemn curse not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.' 15 Now then, you and the council should notify the commander to bring Paul down to you, as though you are going to investigate his case more thoroughly. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.
• Rom 1:32 : 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things but also approve of those who practice them.
• Rom 3:15 : 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood.
• Rev 11:10 : 10 The inhabitants of the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, sending gifts to one another, because these two prophets had tormented those who dwell on the earth.
• Ps 9:15 : 15 So that I may recount all your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion; I will rejoice in your salvation.
• 1 Kgs 21:25 : 25 There was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel.
• 2 Chr 22:3-4 : 3 He also walked in the ways of Ahab’s family, for his mother encouraged him to do evil. 4 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, like the house of Ahab, for they were his advisers after his father's death, leading to his ruin.
• Esth 3:8-9 : 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws differ from those of every other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws. Therefore, it is not beneficial for the king to tolerate them. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be written to destroy them, and I will weigh out ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry out the work, to be deposited in the king’s treasuries." 10 So the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 The king said to Haman, "The silver is given to you, as well as the people, to do with them as it seems good to you." 12 On the thirteenth day of the first month, the king’s scribes were summoned and an edict was written according to all that Haman commanded. It was addressed to the satraps of the king, to the governors of each province, and to the officials of every people, to each province in its script and to each people in its language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces, ordering the destruction, killing, and annihilation of all the Jews—young and old, children and women—in a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions. 14 A copy of the edict was to be issued as a law in every province and made known to all the peoples, so that they would be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in the citadel of Susa. And while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion.
• 2 Sam 13:3-5 : 3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 4 Jonadab asked him, 'Why are you, the king's son, so downcast morning after morning? Won't you tell me?' Amnon replied, 'I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.' 5 Jonadab said to him, 'Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. When your father comes to see you, say to him, "Please let my sister Tamar come and prepare some food for me here in my sight, so I may watch her and eat it from her hand."'
• 2 Sam 16:21-17:4 : 21 Ahithophel answered, "Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he left to care for the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be strengthened." 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 Now the advice Ahithophel gave in those days was like someone inquiring of God. Such was all of Ahithophel’s advice to both David and Absalom. 1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, 'Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight.' 2 I will attack him while he is weary and weak-handed, and I will frighten him. All the people with him will flee, and I will strike down only the king. 3 I will bring back all the people to you, as though everyone returns to the man you seek. Then all the people will be at peace. 4 This plan seemed good in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.