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Esther 8 · a question people ask

Why did the king hold out the golden scepter again?

In the text

The chapter doesn't say. "Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood before the king" (8:4). Chapter 5 has nearly the same words, where "the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand" (5:2). The book's only word on what the scepter meant is Esther's, in chapter 4: whoever "comes to the king into the inner court without being called" is to be put to death, "except those to whom the king might hold out the golden scepter, that he may live" (4:11). Chapter 8 doesn't say where Esther came before the king, or whether she was called, and this study doesn't guess. It says only that she "fell down at his feet" (8:3), and after the scepter, "arose, and stood before the king" (8:4).

The verses

“Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his plan that he had planned against the Jews. Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.”
Esther 8:3-4 · World English Bible
“When 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.”
Esther 5:2 · World English Bible
““All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king might hold out the golden scepter, that he may live. I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.””
Esther 4:11 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Esther 8

Esther 8: Light, gladness, joy, and honor

Esther asked the king "to reverse the letters devised by Haman" (8:5), and he answered that what is sealed with his ring "may not be reversed by any man" (8:8): in Hebrew, her own word. He told them to write again instead. And Mordecai went out in the blue, white, fine linen and purple of the hangings at the king's feast (1:6, 8:15).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions