Bible Strands
Esther 8:5
“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor in his sight, and the matter seems proper to the king, and I am pleasing in his sight, may an order be written to revoke the letters that the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Esther addresses King Ahasuerus immediately after he extends the gold scepter and grants her audience. She stands before him to petition for the revocation of Haman’s written decree.
The words — The phrase אִם־עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב (im-'al ha-melekh tov) literally renders "if [it is] good on the king." Esther also uses מָצָאתִי חֵן (ma.Tza.ti chen), meaning "I have found favor."
The thread — This conditional petition structure echoes her earlier appeals in Esther 5:8 and Esther 7:3, while the request to revoke Haman’s written letters directly responds to the decree recorded in Esther 3:12.
Why it lands — The text demands a clear acknowledgment of royal authority before presenting a legal remedy. It requires the reader to observe how formal protocol frames a plea for communal survival.
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
King James Version
And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king’s provinces:
Cross-references
- Esther 7:3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life as my petition, and the lives of my people as my request.
- Esther 3:12 On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of each people, in the script of each province and the language of every people. It was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the royal signet ring.
- Esther 5:8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, may the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”
- Exodus 33:13 Now if indeed I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know Your ways, that I may know You and find favor in Your sight. Remember that this nation is Your people.”
- Exodus 33:16 For how then can it be known that Your people and I have found favor in Your sight, unless You go with us? How else will we be distinguished from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
- 1 Samuel 20:29 saying, ‘Please let me go, because our clan is holding a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has told me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go and see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”
- Esther 2:4 Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.
- 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.