Discovery BoxEsther 5:6 
Context5:6 While at the banquet of wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your request? It shall be given to you. What is your petition? Ask for as much as half the kingdom, 1 and it shall be done!”
Esther 5:9
Context5:9 Now Haman went forth that day pleased and very much encouraged. 2 But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, and he did not rise nor tremble in his presence, 3 Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai.
1 sn As much as half the kingdom. Such a statement would no doubt have been understood for the exaggeration that it clearly was. Cf. the similar NT scene recorded in Mark 6:23, where Herod makes a similar promise to the daughter of Herodias. In that case the request was for the head of John the Baptist, which is a lot less than half the kingdom.
2 tn Heb “happy and good of heart”; NASB “glad and pleased of heart”; NIV “happy and in high spirits.”
3 tn Heb “tremble from before him”; NIV “nor showed fear in his presence”; TEV “or show any sign of respect as he passed.”
