EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Esther 3:4
4They warned Mordecai every day. But he would not agree to bend down low to Haman. So the officers told Haman about this. Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. So they wanted to know if Haman would let Mordecai do this.
Esther 3:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.
- New International Version (NIV)Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew.
Context of Esther 3:4
2The king commanded that all the royal officers at the king's gate must bend down low down to Haman. So they all gave Haman honour when he passed them. Only Mordecai would not bend down and give honour to Haman. 3The officers at the king's gate asked Mordecai, ‘Why do you not obey the king's command?’ They warned Mordecai every day. But he would not agree to bend down low to Haman. So the officers told Haman about this. Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. So they wanted to know if Haman would let Mordecai do this. 5When Haman realized that Mordecai would not give him honour, he became very angry. 6But he did not want to destroy only Mordecai. Now he knew that Mordecai was a Jew, he decided to destroy all the Jews who lived in Xerxes' whole kingdom.
Read all of Esther 3Esther 3:4 word by word
וַיְהִ֗י כְּאָמְרָ֤ם אֵלָיו֙ י֣וֹם וָי֔וֹם וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לְהָמָ֗ן לִרְאוֹת֙ הֲיַֽעַמְדוּ֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י מָרְדֳּכַ֔י כִּֽי־הִגִּ֥יד לָהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא יְהוּדִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now it came to pass, when they spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- dailyיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- unto him, and he hearkenedשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- not unto them, that they toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
- to seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- whether Mordecai’sמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782
- mattersדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- would standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- a Jewיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
Cross-references for Esther 3:4
- Genesis 39:10Potiphar's wife continued to speak to Joseph every day. But he would not agree to go to bed with her. He would not even go near her.
- Daniel 3:8Then some wise men went to the king. They told him bad things against the Jews.
- Daniel 6:13Then the officers said to the king, ‘But Daniel does not obey your new law. He is one of the men that they brought here from Judah. He does not respect you or your law. He still prays three times every day to his God.’
- Ezra 1:3Any of God's people who live among you may now return to Jerusalem. I pray that their God will be with them. They must build a temple there for the Lord, Israel's God. He is the God whose home is in Jerusalem.
- Daniel 3:12But there are some Jewish men who do not obey you. They are Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. You gave them authority to take care of everything in Babylon region. Those men do not respect your authority. They do not give honour to your gods. They do not worship your gold statue.’
- Daniel 6:20When he got near to the cave, he was very upset. He shouted to Daniel, ‘Daniel, you have continued to worship the living God, as his servant. Was your God able to save you from the lions?’
- Jonah 1:9Jonah answered them, ‘I am a Hebrew man. I worship the Lord who is the God of heaven. He made the sea and the land.’
Commentaries on Esther 3:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Whether Mordecai‘s matters would stand - Rather, “whether Mordecai‘s words would hold good” - whether, that is, his excuse, that he was a Jew, would be allowed as a valid reason for his refusal.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-15Haman's hatred for Mordecai grows into a plan to kill all the Jewish people.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-151. After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman ... set his seat above all the princes--that is, raised him to the rank of vizier, or prime confidential minister, whose pre-eminence in office and power appeared in the elevated state chair appropriated to that supreme functionary. Such a distinction in seats was counted of vast importance in the formal court of Persia.Read the comment
In the dictionaries
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
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