Mordecai Discovers a Plot

¹⁹ When the virgins were being gathered together,^[a] Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

²¹ In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the threshold, became angry and conspired to kill^[a] King Ahasuerus.^(A)

³ And let the king appoint commissioners in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the citadel of Susa under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; let their cosmetic treatments be given them.^{(A) 4} And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.

¹³ Yet all this does me no good so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”^(A)

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