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.

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.

⁴³ And he made him ride in his second chariot. ^(A)And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!”^[a] Thus he set him ^(B)over all the land of Egypt.

¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus ^(A)every knee should bow, ^(B)in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Haman Plans to Hang Mordecai

⁹ And Haman went out that day ^(A)joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai ^(B)in the king's gate, ^(C)that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.

⁵ And when Haman saw that ^(A)Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was ^(B)filled with fury.

Haman Plots Against the Jews

3 After these things King Ahasuerus ^(A)promoted Haman ^(B)the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, ^(C)and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him.

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 Now go and strike Amalek and ^(A)devote to destruction^[a] all that they have. Do not spare them, ^(B)but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”