Esther 3:2

Esther 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And all the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage.

Context of Esther 3:2

1After these things King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the officials who were with him. All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate [in royal service] bowed down and honored and paid homage to Haman; for this is what the king had commanded in regard to him. But Mordecai [a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin] neither bowed down nor paid homage [to him]. 3Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you disregarding the king’s command?” 4Now it happened when they had spoken to him day after day and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason [for his behavior] would stand [as valid]; for he had told them that he was a Jew.

Esther 3:2 word by word

וְכָל־עַבְדֵ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ כֹּרְעִ֤ים וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ לְהָמָ֔ן כִּי־כֵ֖ן צִוָּה־ל֣וֹ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔י לֹ֥א יִכְרַ֖ע וְלֹ֥א יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And all the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• bowedכָּרַעkâra‛ · to bowH3766
• and reverencedשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
• Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
• had so commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• concerning him. But Mordecaiמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782

Cross-references for Esther 3:2

• Esther 2:19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.
• Genesis 41:43He had him ride in his second chariot; and runners proclaimed before him, “[Attention,] bow the knee!” And he set him over all the land of Egypt.
• Philippians 2:10so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
• Esther 3:1After these things King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the officials who were with him.
• Exodus 17:14Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in the book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly wipe out the memory of Amalek [and his people] from under heaven.”
• Deuteronomy 25:19Therefore when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to possess, you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget.
• 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and strike Amalek and completely destroy everything that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
• Psalms 15:4In his eyes an evil person is despised, But he honors those who fear the Lord [and obediently worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder]. He keeps his word even to his own disadvantage and does not change it [for his own benefit];

Commentaries on Esther 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The 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. Mordecai bowed not - לאיכרע lo yichra . "He did not bow down;" nor did him reverence, ישתחוה ולא velo yishtachaveh, "nor did he prostrate himself." I think it most evident…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Mordecai probably refused the required prostration, usual though it was, on religious grounds. Hence, his opposition led on to his confession that he was a Jew Esther 3:4.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2People often bowed to those in higher positions (for example, Genesis 33:3). Mordecai worked at the palace's main gate, and Haman entered the king’s court through this gate. This gave Mordecai many chances to disobey the king's order by not bowing to Haman.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman--Large mansions in the East are entered by a spacious vestibule, or gateway, along the sides of which visitors sit, and are received by the master of the house; for none, except the nearest relatives or special friends, are admitted farther. There the officers of the ancient king of Persia waited till they were called, and did obeisance to the all-powerful minister of…Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 3:2

• Decision
• Homage
• King

In the dictionaries

• Mordecai
• Adoration
• India
• Reverence

Commentaries on Esther 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings