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. Then the king's servants who were (B)at the king's gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress (C)the king's command?” And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that (D)Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was (E)filled with fury. But he disdained[a] to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy[b] all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Esther 3:6 Hebrew disdained in his eyes
  2. Esther 3:6 Or annihilate

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.

Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”(A) Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply.(B) Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.(C) Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way(D) to destroy(E) all Mordecai’s people, the Jews,(F) throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

Read full chapter