Esther 2:21-3:6

Christian Standard Bible

²¹ During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs^(A) who guarded the entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate^[a] King Ahasuerus. ²² When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf.^{(B) 23} When the report was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows.^(C) This event was recorded in the Historical Record in the king’s presence.

Haman’s Plan to Kill the Jews

3 After all this took place, King Ahasuerus honored Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite.^(D) He promoted him in rank and gave him a higher position than all the other officials.^{(E) 2} The entire royal staff at the King’s Gate^(F) bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded this to be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage.^{(G) 3} The members of the royal staff at the King’s Gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?” ⁴ When they had warned him day after day^(H) and he still would not listen to them, they told Haman in order to see if Mordecai’s actions would be tolerated, since he had told them he was a Jew.

⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing down or paying him homage, he was filled with rage.^{(I) 6} And when he learned of Mordecai’s ethnic identity, it seemed repugnant to Haman to do away with^[b] Mordecai alone. He planned to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews,^(J) throughout Ahasuerus’s kingdom.^(K)