Christian Standard Bible
Esther 2:21
21During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus.
Esther 2:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
- New International Version (NIV)During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
- English Standard Version (ESV)In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
- New King James Version (NKJV)In those days, while Mordecai sat within the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
Context of Esther 2:21
19When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate. 20Esther still did not reveal her family background or her ethnicity, as Mordecai had directed. She obeyed Mordecai’s orders, as she always had while he raised her. During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus. 22When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf. 23When the report was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows. This event was recorded in the Historical Record in the king’s presence.
Read all of Esther 2Esther 2:21 word by word
בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם וּמָרְדֳּכַ֖י יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּשַֽׁעַר־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ קָצַף֩ בִּגְתָ֨ן וָתֶ֜רֶשׁ שְׁנֵֽי־סָרִיסֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ מִשֹּׁמְרֵ֣י הַסַּ֔ף וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣חַ יָ֔ד בַּמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵֽרֹשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- In those daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- while Mordecaiמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782
- satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- chamberlainsסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
- Bigthanבִּגְתָןbigthân bigthânâ' · BigthanH904
- and Tereshתֶּ֫רֶשׁteresh · TereshH8657
- of those which keptשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- the doorסַףsaph · thresholdH5592
- were wrothקָצַףqâtsaph · be angryH7107
- and soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- to layשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: reachH7971
- handיָדyâd · handH3027
- Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ'ăchashvêrôsh 'achashrôsh · AhasuerusH325
Cross-references for Esther 2:21
- Esther 6:2They found the written report of how Mordecai had informed on Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, when they planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus.
- 2 Samuel 4:5Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and arrived at Ish-bosheth’s house during the heat of the day while the king was taking his midday nap.
- 2 Samuel 16:11Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life — how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to.
- 1 Kings 15:25Nadab son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Judah’s King Asa; he reigned over Israel two years.
- 1 Kings 16:9His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the household at Tirzah.
- 2 Kings 9:22When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?” He answered, “What peace can there be as long as there is so much prostitution and sorcery from your mother Jezebel?”
- 2 Kings 12:20Joash’s servants conspired against him and attacked him at Beth-millo on the road that goes down to Silla.
- 2 Kings 21:23Amon’s servants conspired against him and put the king to death in his own house.
- Psalms 144:10the one who gives victory to kings, who frees his servant David from the deadly sword.
Commentaries on Esther 2:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Mordecai sat in the kings gate - Mordecai might have been one of the officers of the king, as the gate was the place where such usually attended to await the king's call. It is not likely that he was the porter; had he been only such, Haman could have removed him at once. Two of the king's chamberlains - Eunuchs. Why they conspired against the life of the king, we are not informed. The Targum says that they found out that Esther had intended to use her…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Conspiracies inside the palace were ordinary occurrences in Persia. Xerxes was ultimately murdered by Artabanus, the captain of the guard, and Aspamitras, a chamberlain and eunuch.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-23Verses 21-23 Good subjects must not conceal any bad design they know of against the prince, or the public peace. Mordecai was not rewarded at the time, but a remembrance was written. Thus, with respect to those who serve Christ, though their recompence is not till the resurrection of the just, yet an account is kept of their work of faith and labour of love, which God is not unrighteous to forget. The servant of God must be faithful to every trust, and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Bigthana might be the same person as Bigtha from Esther 1:10, one of the king’s seven eunuchs. He and Teresh guarded the king’s bedroom. They could have easily carried out their plan if they had not been discovered.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2321. In those days ... two of the king's chamberlains ... were wroth and sought to lay hand on the king, &c.--This secret conspiracy against the king's life probably arose out of revenge for the divorce of Vashti, in whose interest, and at whose instigation, these eunuchs may have acted. Through the vigilance of Mordecai, whose fidelity, however, passed unnoticed, the design was frustrated, while the conspirators were condemned to be executed and as the…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 2:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Esther 2
- 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
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