Esther 7:3

“Then Esther the queen answered and said, etc.] Not rolling herself at the king’s knees, as Severus f156 writes; but rather, as the former Targum, lifting up her eyes to heaven, and perhaps putting up a secret ejaculation for direction and success: if I have found favour in thy sight, O king; as she certainly had heretofore, and even now: and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition; not riches, nor honour, nor any place or post at court, or in any of the king’s dominions for any friend of her’s, was her petition; but for her own life, that that might not be taken away, which was included in the grant the king had made to Haman, though ignorantly, to slay all the Jews,…”

“My life - It is my only request, that thou wouldst not give me up to the malice of that man who designs to take away my life. Even a stranger, a criminal, shall be permitted to petition for his life. But that a friend, a wife, a queen, should have occasion to make such a petition, was very affecting. Esther 7:4”

“7:3-4 my life and the lives of my people: The statement that someone wanted to kill the queen and her family must have surprised and shocked the king. • my people and I have been sold: Esther carefully referred to the huge price Haman had paid the king to approve the decree (3:8-11). She also used the exact terminology of Haman’s decree when she said that its purpose was to kill, slaughter, and annihilate (cp. 3:13). • If we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain quiet: Esther humbly justifies her request as due to the severity of the attack on her and her people.”

“let my life: Est 7:7; Kg1 20:31; Kg2 1:13; Job 2:4; Jer 38:26 my people: Est 4:8; Psa 122:6-9 Esther 7:4”