Esther 7:8 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

Upon the bed; or, by or beside the bed; on which the queen sat at meat, after the manner; where he was fallen upon his knees, and upon the ground, at her feet, as humble suppliants used to do, and as the queen did at the king's feet, Esther 8:3. Will he force the queen also? will he now attempt my queen's chastity, as he hath already attempted her life? His presumption and impudence I see will stick at nothing. He speaks not this out of a real jealousy, for which there was no cause in those circumstances; but from an exasperated mind, which takes all occasions to vent itself against the person who gave the provocation, and makes the worst construction of all His words and actions. Before me in the house; in my own presence and palace. They, i.e. the king's and queen's chamberlains then attending upon them, covered Haman's face; partly that the king might not be offended or grieved with the sight of a person whom he now loathed; and partly because they looked upon him as a condemned person, for the faces of such used to be covered.

Esther 7:8

8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.