Mordecai Discovers a Plot

¹⁹ When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the king’s gate.

²¹ In those days, while Mordecai sat within the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, ^[a]Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

³ and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to ^[a]Shushan the ^[b]citadel, into the women’s quarters, under the custody of ^[c]Hegai the king’s eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them. ⁴ Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.”

This thing pleased the king, and he did so.

¹³ Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

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