Esther 3:4

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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)They spoke to him day after day, but still he refused to comply with the order. So they spoke to Haman about this to see if he would tolerate Mordecai’s conduct, since Mordecai had told them he was a Jew.

Context of Esther 3:4

2And 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. 3Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, "Why do you transgress 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. 5And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. 6But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Esther 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 39:10And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.
• Daniel 3:8Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews.
• Daniel 6:13Then they answered and said before the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."
• Ezra 1:3Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem.
• Daniel 3:12There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
• Daniel 6:20As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"
• Jonah 1:9And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry 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

• Jew, Jewess, Jewish
• Matter

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