Esther 6:12

Esther 6:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
• New International Version (NIV)Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.

Context of Esther 6:12

10The king told Haman, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse as you said. Do this for Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Do not omit anything you have said.” 11So Haman took the robe and the horse. He put the robe on Mordecai and had him ride in the city square, shouting ahead of him, “This is what is done for the man whom the king wishes to reward.” After that, Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried home. He was in despair and covered his head. 13There, Haman began to relate in detail to his wife Zeresh and to all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his counselors and his wife Zeresh told him, “You are starting to lose power to Mordecai. If Mordecai is of Jewish descent, you will never win out over him. He will certainly lead to your downfall.” 14While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the dinner Esther had prepared.

Esther 6:12 word by word

וַיָּ֥שָׁב מָרְדֳּכַ֖י אֶל־שַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְהָמָן֙ נִדְחַ֣ף אֶל־בֵּית֔וֹ אָבֵ֖ל וַחֲפ֥וּי רֹֽאשׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Mordecaiמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782
• came againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• But Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
• hastedדָּחַףdâchaph · to hastenH1765
• to his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• mourningאָבֵל'âbêl · mourningH57
• and having his headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• coveredחָפָהchâphâh · to coverH2645

Cross-references for Esther 6:12

• Esther 2:19When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.
• 1 Samuel 3:15Samuel remained in bed until morning. Then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.
• Psalms 131:1O Lord, my heart is not conceited. My eyes do not look down on others. I am not involved in things too big or too difficult for me.
• 2 Samuel 17:23When Ahithophel saw that his advice hadn’t been followed, he saddled his donkey, left, and went home to his own city. He gave instructions to his family. Then he hanged himself, died, and was buried in his father’s tomb.
• 1 Kings 20:43Resentful and upset, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.
• 1 Kings 21:4Resentful and upset, Ahab went home because of what Naboth from Jezreel had told him. (⌞Naboth had said,⌟ “I will not give you what I inherited from my ancestors.”) So Ahab lay on the couch, turned his face ⌞from everyone⌟, and refused to eat.
• 2 Chronicles 26:20When the chief priest Azariah and all the priests turned toward him, a skin disease was on his forehead. They rushed him away. Uzziah was in a hurry to get out because the Lord had inflicted him ⌞with the disease⌟.
• Job 20:5the triumph of the wicked is short-lived, and the joy of the godless person lasts only a moment?
• Esther 7:8When the king returned from the palace garden to the palace dining room, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was lying. The king thought, “Is he even going to rape the queen while I’m in the palace?” Then the king passed sentence on him, and servants covered Haman’s face.
• 2 Samuel 15:30David cried as he went up the Mount of Olives. He covered his head and walked barefoot. And all of the troops with him covered their heads and cried as they went.
• Job 9:24The earth is handed over to the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If he isn’t the one ⌞doing this⌟, who is?
• Jeremiah 14:3Important people send their assistants out for water. They go to the cisterns, but they don’t find any water. They come back with their containers empty. They cover their heads, because they are ashamed and disgraced.

Commentaries on Esther 6:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Mordecai came again to the king's gate - He resumed his former humble state; while Haman, ashamed to look up, covered his face, and ran home to hide himself in his own house. Covering the head and face was a sign of shame and confusion, as well as of grief, among most people of the earth.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12It is quite consonant with Oriental notions that Mordecai, after receiving the extraordinary honors assigned him, should return to the palace and resume his former humble employment.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-14Verses 12-14 Mordecai was not puffed up with his honours, he returned to his place and the duty of it. Honour is well bestowed on those that do not think themselves above their business. But Haman could not bear it. What harm had it done him? But that will break a proud man's heart, which will not break a humble man's sleep. His doom was, out of this event, read to him by his wife and his friends. They plainly confessed that the Jews, though scattered…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-12do just as you proposed...to Mordecai the Jew: Haman, completely shocked by this reversal, could only obey the king's command in full detail.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-141. the king ... commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles--In Eastern courts, there are scribes or officers whose duty it is to keep a journal of every occurrence worthy of notice. A book of this kind, abounding with anecdotes, is full of interest. It has been a custom with Eastern kings, in all ages, frequently to cause the annals of the kingdom to be read to them. It is resorted to, not merely as a pastime to while away the tedium of an…Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 6:12

• Mourning

In the dictionaries

• Mordecai
• Dress
• Esther, Book of
• Gesture
• Head

Commentaries on Esther 6

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings