Esther – Chapter 7

Old Testament10 Verses

Chapter Summary

Chapter 7 of Esther begins: "So the king and Aman went in, to drink with the queen." The chapter centers on Haman, Esther and Mordecai. Across its 10 verses, two threads run through the text: God's kingdom and kingship and sin and divine judgment. Taken as a whole, the chapter forms one movement in the account, preparing what follows and completing what came before.

1So the king and Aman went in, to drink with the queen.

2And the king said to her again the second day, after he was warm with wine: What is thy petition, Esther, that it may be granted thee? and what wilt thou have done: although thou ask the half of my kingdom, thou shalt have it.

3Then she answered: If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please thee, give me my life for which I ask, and my people for which I request.

4For we are given up, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. And would God we were sold for bondmen and bondwomen: the evil might be borne with, and I would have mourned in silence: but now we have an enemy, whose cruelty redoundeth upon the king.

5And king Assuerus answered and said: Who is this, and of what power, that he should do these things?

6And Esther said: It is this Aman that is our adversary and most wicked enemy. Aman hearing this was forthwith astonished, not being able to bear the countenance of the king and of the queen.

7But the king being angry rose up, and went from the place of the banquet into the garden set with trees. Aman also rose up to entreat Esther the queen for his life, for he understood that evil was prepared for him by the king.

8And when the king came back out of the garden set with trees, and entered into the place of the banquet, he found Aman was fallen upon the bed on which Esther lay, and he said: He will force the queen also in my presence, in my own house. The word was not yet gone out of the king's mouth, and immediately they covered his face.

9And Harbona, one of the eunuchs that stood waiting on the king, said: Behold the gibbet which he hath prepared for Mardochai, who spoke for the king, standeth in Aman's house, being fifty cubits high. And the king said to him: Hang him upon it.

10So Aman was hanged on the gibbet, which he had prepared for Mardochai: and the king's wrath ceased.

Important Verses in Esther 7

So the king and Aman went in, to drink with the queen.

Esther 7:1

For we are given up, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. And would God we were sold for bondmen and bondwomen: the evil might be borne with, and I would have mourned in silence: but now we have an enemy, whose cruelty redoundeth upon the king.

Esther 7:4

But the king being angry rose up, and went from the place of the banquet into the garden set with trees. Aman also rose up to entreat Esther the queen for his life, for he understood that evil was prepared for him by the king.

Esther 7:7

So Aman was hanged on the gibbet, which he had prepared for Mardochai: and the king's wrath ceased.

Esther 7:10

Historical Context

Esther belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for jews of the Diaspora, celebrating deliverance commemorated at Purim. Chapter 7 of 16 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a narrative passage recounting concrete events in salvation history with 10 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on Haman, Esther and Mordecai, the principal figures named in this chapter. It opens with the line: "So the king and Aman went in, to drink with the queen." It concludes: "So Aman was hanged on the gibbet, which he had prepared for Mardochai: and the king's wrath ceased. " The wider setting of Esther is this: Set in the Persian court of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I, 486-465 BC), Esther tells how a Jewish queen risked her life to save her people from the genocide plotted by Haman. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Probably 4th-2nd century BC.

Who Wrote It

Unknown; the Greek additions are part of the Catholic canon

When It Was Written

Probably 4th-2nd century BC

Catholic Commentary

The literal sense of Esther 7 presents a concrete episode in the history of providence and deliverance of God's people. A pivotal line is verse 1: "So the king and Aman went in, to drink with the queen." The passage repeatedly touches on God's kingdom and kingship.

Catholic exegesis reads Esther 7 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. God's hidden providence works through human courage (CIC 303). St. Athanasius and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 1095).

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.
  • God invites His people to approach Him confidently in prayer, trusting that He hears and answers.

People in This Chapter

Haman7 mentionsEsther4 mentionsMordecai2 mentions

Reflection for Today

Esther Chapter 7 belongs to the Old Testament and forms part of the Catholic canon proclaimed in the liturgy of the Word.

Through typology, the Church often reads Old Testament passages as preparing for Christ, while New Testament passages reveal Him explicitly. God's hidden providence works through human courage (CIC 303). Here the believer is invited to ponder the beatitudes as a program of life.

Let Esther Chapter 7 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Esther Chapter 7 about?

Esther 7 contains 10 verses. It opens with "So the king and Aman went in, to drink with the queen." and closes with "So Aman was hanged on the gibbet, which he had prepared for Mardochai: and the king's wrath ceased. ". The book as a whole is historical narrative (with deuterocanonical additions).

What is a key verse in Esther 7?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "So the king and Aman went in, to drink with the queen." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Esther Chapter 7?

This chapter mentions Haman, Esther, Mordecai.

Who wrote Esther and when?

Unknown; the Greek additions are part of the Catholic canon. Probably 4th-2nd century BC.

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