Mordecai Discovers a Plot

¹⁹ Now when the virgins were gathered together ^(A)the second time, Mordecai was sitting ^(B)at the king's gate.

²¹ In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, ^(A)Bigthan and ^(B)Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

³ And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of ^(A)Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. ^(B)Let their cosmetics be given them. ⁴ And let the young woman who pleases the king^[a] be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.

¹³ Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting ^(A)at the king's gate.”

² And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. ^(A)But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. ³ Then the king's servants who were ^(B)at the king's gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress ^(C)the king's command?”