Esther 7:4 - For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.”
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What does "Esther 7:4" mean?
This verse is a powerful and desperate plea from Queen Esther to King Ahasuerus. Let's break down its meaning:
"For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish." This is the core of Esther's revelation. She reveals to the king that she, and all her people (the Jews), have been sold into a death sentence. The words "destroyed, slain, and to perish" emphasize the totality of the intended annihilation. It's not just about enslavement; it's about complete eradication.
"But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace..." Here, Esther is making a crucial distinction. If the plan had been simply to enslave the Jews, she might have been able to tolerate it, or at least not intervene with the king. Slavery, though undesirable, would at least mean survival.
"...although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss." This is a subtle but important point. Esther is acknowledging that even if the Jews were sold as slaves, the king would still suffer a loss. Presumably, she is referring to the economic or productive value that the Jews contributed to the kingdom. However, she implies that this economic loss would be secondary to the loss of lives.
In Summary:
Esther is saying that Haman's plot goes far beyond simply selling valuable workers into servitude. It's a genocidal plot of extermination. While she would have grudgingly accepted the lesser evil of enslavement (despite the financial loss to the king), she cannot remain silent in the face of such utter destruction. It is better to reveal her ethnicity and face the consequences of confronting the king.
In essence, Esther is revealing the true nature of Haman's plan, framing it as an unbearable injustice that demands the king's intervention. She is also skillfully flattering the king's ego by suggesting that the loss of life is far greater than a financial loss, appealing to his sense of justice and pride.
Esther 7:4 - For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.”
What does "Esther 7:4" mean?
This verse is a powerful and desperate plea from Queen Esther to King Ahasuerus. Let's break down its meaning:
"For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish." This is the core of Esther's revelation. She reveals to the king that she, and all her people (the Jews), have been sold into a death sentence. The words "destroyed, slain, and to perish" emphasize the totality of the intended annihilation. It's not just about enslavement; it's about complete eradication.
"But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace..." Here, Esther is making a crucial distinction. If the plan had been simply to enslave the Jews, she might have been able to tolerate it, or at least not intervene with the king. Slavery, though undesirable, would at least mean survival.
"...although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss." This is a subtle but important point. Esther is acknowledging that even if the Jews were sold as slaves, the king would still suffer a loss. Presumably, she is referring to the economic or productive value that the Jews contributed to the kingdom. However, she implies that this economic loss would be secondary to the loss of lives.
In Summary:
Esther is saying that Haman's plot goes far beyond simply selling valuable workers into servitude. It's a genocidal plot of extermination. While she would have grudgingly accepted the lesser evil of enslavement (despite the financial loss to the king), she cannot remain silent in the face of such utter destruction. It is better to reveal her ethnicity and face the consequences of confronting the king.
In essence, Esther is revealing the true nature of Haman's plan, framing it as an unbearable injustice that demands the king's intervention. She is also skillfully flattering the king's ego by suggesting that the loss of life is far greater than a financial loss, appealing to his sense of justice and pride.