Esther 5:11

And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Told them . . .—As all this was of necessity sufficiently well known to his hearers, this was simply a piece of vain-glorious boasting, the pride that “goeth before destruction.”

The multitude of his children.—He had ten sons (Esther 9:10).

Benson Commentary

Esther 5:11-12. Haman told them of the glory of his riches — Partly to gratify his own vain-glorious humour, and partly to aggravate Mordecai’s impudence in denying him reverence, and to alleviate his own vexation caused by it. And to-morrow am I invited unto her also with the king — Thus he makes that matter of glorying which was the occasion of his utter ruin. So ignorant are the wisest men, and subject to fatal mistakes, rejoicing when they have most cause of fear, and sorrowing for those things which tend to joy and comfort.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:9-14 This account of Haman is a comment upon Pr 21:24. Self-admirers and self-flatterers are really self-deceivers. Haman, the higher he is lifted up, the more impatient he is of contempt, and the more enraged at it. The affront from Mordecai spoiled all. A slight affront, which a humble man would scarcely notice, will torment a proud man, even to madness, and will mar all his comforts. Those disposed to be uneasy, will never want something to be uneasy at. Such are proud men; though they have much to their mind, if they have not all to their mind, it is as nothing to them. Many call the proud happy, who display pomp and make a show; but this is a mistaken thought. Many poor cottagers feel far less uneasiness than the rich, with all their fancied advantages around them. The man who knows not Christ, is poor though he be rich, because he is utterly destitute of that which alone is true riches.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The multitude of his children - Herodotus tells us that, next to prowess in arms, it was regarded as the greatest proof of manly excellence in Persia to be the father of many sons." Haman had ten sons (see the margin reference).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare—The king ate alone, and his guests in an adjoining hall; but they were admitted to sit with him at wine. Haman being the only invited guest with the king and queen, it was natural that he should have been elated with the honor.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Haman told them of the glory of his riches; partly to gratify his own vain-glorious humour; and partly to aggravate Mordecai’s impudence in denying him civil respect, and to alleviate his own vexation caused by it.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Haman told them of the glory of his riches,.... Of the multitude of them; which he did partly in a way of ostentation, and partly, if he could, to make his mind easy under the mortification he received from Mordecai; and, it may be, chiefly to aggravate his rudeness and ill behaviour towards him, a man of so much wealth: and the multitude of his children; he had ten, as we learn from Esther 9:10, but the former Targum enlarges them, beyond credit, to the number of two hundred and eight, besides his ten sons, and Shimshai the scribe; such were had in great esteem with the Persians who had many children; to such the king used to send gifts annually (k):

and all the things wherein the king had promoted him; the high offices of honour and trust he had put him into:

and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. See Esther 3:1.

(k) Herodot, Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 136. Strabo. Geograph. l. 15. p. 504.

Geneva Study Bible

And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had {f} promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

(f) Thus the wicked when they are promoted instead of acknowledging their charge and humbling themselves, wax ambitious, disdainful and cruel.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. recounted unto them] A.V. less accurately, told them of.

and the multitude of his children] lit. and the multitude of his sons. Of these there were ten (Esther 9:7 ff.). Clearly his wife and intimates would be familiar with the size of his family. The point of his remark, however, lies in the circumstance that among the Persians, as also with the Jews (see Psalm 127:4 f.), to have many sons was considered to redound to a man’s credit (Herod. i. 136).

A characteristic comment in the Targum tells us that Haman had, besides these, 208 other sons. This it deduces from the combined numerical values of the three letters of the (one) Hebrew word rendered ‘and the multitude.[73]’

[73] ורב. ו = 6, ר = 200, ב = 2.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11. - The multitude of his children. Literally, "of his sons." Of these we see by Esther 9:7-10 that he had ten. To be the father of many sons was accounted highly honourable by the Persians (Herod., 1:136). How he had advanced him above the princes. See above, Esther 3:1. Esther 5:11

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

He first spoke to them of his wealth and domestic happiness, of the "glory of his riches and the multitude of his children." From Esther 9:7-10 we learn that Haman had ten sons; and many sons were not looked upon as a great blessing from God by the Israelites only, but were also esteemed a signal prosperity among the Persians, the king annually sending presents to him who had the greatest number of sons.

(Note: Herod. says, i.:136: Ἀνδραγαθίη δ ̓ αὕτη ἀποδέδεκται, μετὰ τὸ μάχεσθαι εἶναι ἀγαθὸν ὅς ἂν πολλοὺς ἀποδέξῃ παῖδας τῷ δὲ τοὺς πλείστους ἀποδεικνύντι δῶρα ἐκπέμπει ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀνὰ πᾶν ἔτος. Comp. Strabo. xv. 3.17.)

Haman next recounted to them the great honours he had attained; כּל־אשׁר את, all how the king had made him great, and how he had advanced him above the princes; comp. Esther 3:1. אשׁר is a second accusative of the means by which something is brought to pass. Finally, Esther 5:12, what high distinction had just been accorded him, by the queen having invited him alone to come to her banquet with the king. "Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet which she had prepared but myself; and to-morrow am I also invited unto her with the king." אף enhances the meaning: even this honour is shown me. קרוּא־להּ אני, I am her invited guest equals I am invited to her and by her; comp. Ew. 295, c.