Esther 3:2 BSB — MannaFest

Esther 3:2

All the royal servants at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded that this be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed down, and did reverence to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence.

KJV

And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

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Commentary

3 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

The king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate - By servants here, certainly a higher class of officers are intended than porters; and Mordecai was one of those officers, and came to the gate with the others who were usually there in attendance to receive the commands of the king.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

And that a Jew should deny this honour, is not strange, seeing the wise Grecians did positively refuse to give this honour to the kings of Persia themselves, even when they were to make their addresses to them: and one Timocrates was put to death by the Athenians for worshipping Darius in that manner.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

I wonder what the king saw in Haman that was commendable or meritorious; it is plain that he was not a man of honour or justice, of any true courage or steady conduct, but proud, and passionate, and revengeful; yet was he promoted, and caressed, and there was none so great as he.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

19 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
וְכָל־	ve.khol	and all	H3605 →
עַבְדֵ֨י	'av.Dei	[the] servants of	H5650 →
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ	ha.Me.lekh	the king	H4428 →
אֲשֶׁר־	'a.Sher-	who	H834 →
בְּשַׁ֣עַר	be.Sha.'ar	[were] at [the] gate of	H8179 →
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ	ha.Me.lekh	the king	H4428 →
כֹּרְעִ֤ים	ko.re.'Im	[were] kneeling	H3766 →
וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙	u.mish.ta.cha.Vim	and bowing down	H7812 →
לְהָמָ֔ן	le.ha.Man	to Haman	H2001 →
כִּי־	ki-	for	H3588 →
כֵ֖ן	khen	thus	H3651 →
צִוָּה־	tzi.vah-	he had commanded	H6680 →
ל֣וֹ	lo	to <the> him
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ	ha.Me.lekh	the king	H4428 →
וּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔י	u.Ma.re.do.Khai	and Mordecai	H4782 →
לֹ֥א	lo'	not	H3808 →
יִכְרַ֖ע	yikh.Ra'	he knelt	H3766 →
וְלֹ֥א	ve.Lo'	and not	H3808 →
יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה׃	Yish.ta.cha.Veh	he bowed down	H7812 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Psalms 15:4
who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,
leads to
- Judges 11:35
  As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given…
- Matthew 5:33
  Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
- Psalms 101:6
  My eyes favor the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way of integrity shall minister to me.
Through
Esther 2:21
In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, grew angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
leads to
- Esther 6:2
  And there it was found recorded that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
Through
Esther 3:1
After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him to a position above all the princes who were with him.
leads to
- Numbers 24:7
  Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted.
- Esther 5:11
  Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.
- Daniel 6:2
  and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.
Through
Esther 5:9
That day Haman went out full of joy and glad of heart. At the king’s gate, however, he saw Mordecai, who did not rise or tremble in fear at his presence. And Haman was…
leads to
- Esther 3:5
  When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him homage, he was filled with rage.