Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?” As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. – Esther 7:8

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 16, 2017): Esther 7

There is something about physical humor that makes us laugh. It is the joy that we get from watching “I Love Lucy,” or “Three’s Company.” John Ritter (Jack on “Three’s Company”) admitted that he patterned his humor after Lucille Ball. Of course, if some of the things that happened in our comedies actually happened to us in real life, it probably wouldn’t be so funny.

If it wasn’t that the results were so grave, this might have been just another funny episode of physical humor. Haman realizes that he is in trouble. The King feels that he has been played (not something that you ever want a sovereign to believe, especially of you are the one that has done the playing.) He also realizes that there is no way that he is going to be able to change the mind of the king. So, in his mind, he only has one option left; plead with the Queen. Maybe he can apologize and convince her that he is aware of his error and obtain forgiveness. Admittedly, since he had been unwittingly plotting against her people (until this moment, Haman did not realize that Esther was a Jew), it was a longshot. But, in this case, it was the only shot that he had to take.

And so the situation is set. King Xerxes prepares to re-enter into the room currently occupied by Haman and Queen Esther. Esther has moved off to recline on a couch. Haman walks toward the sofa in order to make his apology to the Queen. And then, for some unknown reason, Haman falls onto the couch that is currently occupied by the Queen. Maybe he tripped over something. One Jewish author surmises that maybe the angel Gabriel pushed him at just the moment that King Xerxes was re-entering the room. It definitely was not something that Haman planned to do. There is no way that he believed that assaulting the Queen was going to get him back into good relations with the royal couple.

If this were a comedy, then there would be a brief, terrifying moment and then some kind of reconciliation and forgiveness. But this is not a comedy. The King now assumes the worst from Haman’s behavior. And so the author, possibly Mordecai, says that from that moment the face of Haman was covered. The words hold a grim meaning. Haman was now being prepared for his execution.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 8