Esther 6:8

have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one with a royal crest placed on its head.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Haman proposes to King Ahasuerus the exact method for honoring a man the king delights to reward. He specifies that the ceremony must use the monarch’s personal regalia and mount.

The words — The text highlights לְב֣וּשׁ מַלְכ֔וּת (le.Vush mal.Khut), literally "royal clothing," and לָֽבַשׁ הַ/מֶּ֑לֶךְ (la.vash ha./Me.lekh), meaning "which the king has worn." These terms establish that the honor must originate from the monarch’s own possessions rather than from public funds or personal gifts.

The thread — This deployment of royal garments and the king’s mount parallels 1 Kings 1:33 and 1 Samuel 18:4, where royal attire and mounts signal transferred authority. The imagery of royal regalia also mirrors Esther 1:11, where Vashti is presented before the court wearing her crown.

Why it lands — The passage demands recognition that public honor is conferred through direct royal provision rather than inherent worth. It asks the reader to observe how tangible symbols of authority are used to establish and display status.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

יָבִ֙יאוּ֙ya.Vi.'ulet people bring לְב֣וּשׁle.Vushclothing of מַלְכ֔וּתmal.Khutroyalty אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich לָֽבַשׁ־la.vash-he has wornבּ֖וֹb/oon/ himהַמֶּ֑לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ king וְס֗וּסve./Susand/ a horse אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhich רָכַ֤בra.Khavhe has ridden עָלָיו֙'a.La/von/ it הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ king וַאֲשֶׁ֥רva./'a.Sherand/ which נִתַּ֛ןni.Tanit has been put כֶּ֥תֶרKe.tera head-dress of מַלְכ֖וּתmal.Khutroyalty בְּרֹאשֽׁוֹ׃be./ro.Sh/oon/ head/ its

King James Version

Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:

Cross-references

1 Kings 1:33 “Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.
1 Samuel 18:4 And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
Esther 1:11 to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
Esther 2:17 And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
Luke 15:22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.