Esther 5 · Verse 2

Esther 5:2

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
Esther 5:2, King James Version

Esther 5:2 in other translations

BSBAs soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his sight. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
WEBWhen the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter.
ASVAnd it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
YLTand it cometh to pass, at the king's seeing Esther the queen standing in the court, she hath received grace in his eyes, and the king holdeth out to Esther the golden sceptre that is in his hand, and Esther draweth near, and toucheth the top of the sceptre.
DARBYAnd it was so, when the king saw the queen Esther standing in the court, that she obtained grace in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand; and Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
BBEAnd when the king saw Esther the queen waiting in the inner room, looking kindly on her he put out the rod of gold in his hand to her. So Esther came near and put her fingers on the top of the rod.
WebsterAnd it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.

What does Esther 5:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand--This golden scepter receives an interesting illustration from the sculptured monuments of Persia and Assyria. In the bas-reliefs of Persepolis, copied by Sir Robert Ker Porter, we see King Darius enthroned in the midst of his court, and walking abroad in equal state; in either case he carries in his right hand a slender rod or wand, about equal in length to his own height, ornamented with a small knob at the summit. In the Assyrian alabasters, those found at Nimroud as well as those from Khorsabad, "the great king" is furnished with the same appendage of royalty, a slender rod, but destitute of any knob or ornament. On the Khorsabad reliefs the rod is painted red, doubtless to represent gold; proving that "the golden sceptre" was a simple wand of that precious metal, commonly held in the right hand, with one end resting on the ground, and that whether the king was sitting or walking. "The gold sceptre" has received little alteration or modification since ancient times [Goss]. It was extended to Esther as a token not only that her intrusion was pardoned, but that her visit was welcome, and a favorable reception given to the suit she had come to prefer. touched the top of the sceptre--This was the usual way of acknowledging the royal condescension, and at the same time expressing reverence and submission to the august majesty of the king.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 She obtained favor in his sight - The Septuagint represents "the king as being at first greatly enraged when he saw Esther, because she had dared to appear before him unveiled, and she, perceiving this, was so terrified that she fainted away; on which the king, touched with tenderness, sprung from his throne, took her up in his arms, laid the golden scepter on her neck, and spoke to her in the most endearing manner." This is more circumstantial than the Hebrew, but is not contrary to it. The golden scepter that was in his hand - That the kings of Persia did wear a golden scepter, we have the following proof in Xenophon: Ὁτι ου τοδε το χρυσουν σκηπτρον το την βασιλειαν διασωξον εστιν, αλλ' πιστοι φιλοι σκηπτρον βασιλευσιν αληθεστατον και ασφαλεστατον. See Cyrop., lib. viii., p. 139, edit. Steph. 1581. It is not, said Cyrus to his son Cambyses, the Golden Sceptre that saves the kingdom; faithful friends are the truest and safest scepter of the empire.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Esther 5:1-8

Esther having had power with God, and prevailing, like Jacob, had power with men too. He that will lose his life for God, shall save it, or find it in a better life. The king encouraged her. Let us from this be encouraged to pray always to our God, and not to faint. Esther came to a proud, imperious man; but we come to the God of love and grace. She was not called, but we are; the Spirit says, Come, and the Bride…

Read the full comment on Esther 5:1-8 →

Esther 5:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִי֩vay.Hiand it wasH1961
כִרְא֨וֹתkhir.'otwhen sawH7200
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֶסְתֵּ֣ר'es.TerEstherH635
הַמַּלְכָּ֗הha.mal.Kahthe queenH4436
עֹמֶ֙דֶת֙'o.Me.detstandingH5975
בֶּֽחָצֵ֔רbe.cha.Tzerin the courtH2691
נָשְׂאָ֥הna.se.'Ahshe boreH5375
חֵ֖ןchenfavorH2580
בְּעֵינָ֑יוbe.'ei.Navin view hisH5869
וַיּ֨וֹשֶׁטvai.Yo.o.shetand he extendedH3447
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
לְאֶסְתֵּ֗רle.'es.Terto EstherH635
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
שַׁרְבִ֤יטshar.Vit[the] scepter ofH8275
הַזָּהָב֙ha.za.Hav<the> goldH2091
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
בְּיָד֔וֹbe.ya.Do[was] in hand hisH3027
וַתִּקְרַ֣בva.tik.Ravand she drew nearH7126
אֶסְתֵּ֔ר'es.TerEstherH635
וַתִּגַּ֖עva.ti.Ga'and she touchedH5060
בְּרֹ֥אשׁbe.Rosh<in> [the] top ofH7218
הַשַּׁרְבִֽיט\׃\ \סha.shar.Vitthe scepterH8275

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Esther 5:2

  • Esther 8:4

    Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,

  • Esther 4:11

    All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

  • Proverbs 21:1

    The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

  • Esther 2:9

    And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.

  • Acts 7:10

    And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

  • Psalms 116:1

    I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

  • Genesis 32:28

    And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

  • Acts 10:4

    And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

  • Nehemiah 1:11

    O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
she.
Ge 32:28; Ne 1:11; Ps 116:1; Pr 21:1; Ac 7:10; 10:4
golden sceptre.
4:11; 8:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Esther 5:1

    Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

  • Esther 5:2

    And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

  • Esther 5:3

    Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

Read all of Esther 5

Esther 5:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y fué que, como vió á la reina Esther que estaba en el patio, ella obtuvo gracia en sus ojos; y el rey extendió á Esther el cetro de oro que tenía en la mano. Entonces se llegó Esther, y tocó la punta del cetro.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et aussitôt que le roi vit la reine Esther se tenant dans la cour, elle trouva faveur à ses yeux. Et le roi tendit à Esther le sceptre d’or qui était dans sa main. Et Esther s’approcha et toucha le bout du sceptre.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah, als der König die Königin Esther im Hofe stehen sah, erlangte sie Gnade in seinen Augen; und der König reichte Esther das goldene Scepter entgegen, das in seiner Hand war; und Esther nahte herzu und rührte die Spitze des Scepters an.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cumque vidisset Esther reginam stantem, placuit oculis ejus, et extendit contra eam virgam auream, quam tenebat manu: quæ accedens, osculata est summitatem virgæ ejus.