For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.
My people and I have been sold to be completely destroyed, killed, and wiped out. If we had only been sold as slaves, I would have kept quiet, even though our enemy could never repay the king for the loss he would suffer.
Esther is telling the king that she and her people have been condemned to total destruction, not just slavery, which is why she must speak up.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Esther, set during the Persian Empire under King Ahasuerus, the Jewish people are facing a deadly plot by Haman, a high official who has deceived the king into issuing a decree for their extermination. Esther, a Jewish woman who has become queen, risks her life by revealing this conspiracy during a banquet, pleading for her people's survival. This verse reflects her urgent appeal, emphasizing that enslavement would be a lesser evil compared to total destruction, underscoring the grave threat to her community.
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