² All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy

¹⁹ When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.^(A)

⁴³ He had him ride in a chariot^(A) as his second-in-command,^[a](B) and people shouted before him, “Make way^[b]!”^(C) Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.^(D)

Haman’s Rage Against Mordecai

⁹ Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage^(A) against Mordecai.^(B)

⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.^(A)

Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews

3 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,^(A) elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.

²¹ During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana^[a] and Teresh, two of the king’s officers^(A) who guarded the doorway, became angry^(B) and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.