To beg for one's life / to pray (intercede) for someone's life
Sought mercy. Implored that he be shown compassion for his life.
(“And Haman stood to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that the evil from the king had befallen him” – Esther 7:7; and likewise: “And he asked her to be his mouth to Gel, and to beg for the life of his sons, who were wrapped in famine” – Avraham Mapu / The Painted Eagle, 62.)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
בִּיקֵּשׁ עַל נַפְשׁוֹ, הִתְחַנֵּן עַל נַפְשׁוֹ
Definition (Hebrew)
בִּקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים. הִתְחַנֵּן שֶׁיָּחוּסוּ עַל חַיָּיו.
("וְהָמָן עָמַד לְבַקֵּשׁ עַל נַפְשׁוֹ מֵאֶסְתֵּר הַמַלְכָּה כִּי רָאָה כִּי כָּלְתָה אֵלָיו הָרָעָה מֵאֵת הַמֶּלֶךְ" – אֶסְתֵּר ז׳ ז׳, וְכֵן: "וַיִּשְׁאָל מִמֶּנָּה לִהְיוֹת לָהּ לְפֶה אֶל גֵּל, וּלְבַקֵּשׁוֹ עַל נֶפֶשׁ בָּנָיו הָעְטוּפִים בְּרָעָב" – אַבְרָהָם מַאפוֹ / עֵיט צְבוּע, 62)