God’s Word Translation
Esther 6:4
4The king asked, “Who is in the courtyard?” At that moment, Haman came through the courtyard to the king’s palace to ask the king about hanging Mordecai on the pole he had prepared for him.
Esther 6:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
- New International Version (NIV)The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king's palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
Context of Esther 6:4
2The records showed how Mordecai had informed him that Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted a rebellion against King Xerxes. 3The king asked, “How did I reward and promote Mordecai for this?” The king’s personal staff replied, “Nothing was done for him.” The king asked, “Who is in the courtyard?” At that moment, Haman came through the courtyard to the king’s palace to ask the king about hanging Mordecai on the pole he had prepared for him. 5The king’s staff answered him, “Haman happens to be standing in the courtyard.” “Let him come in,” the king said. 6So Haman came in. The king then asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to reward?” Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to reward more than me?”
Read all of Esther 6Esther 6:4 word by word
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִ֣י בֶחָצֵ֑ר וְהָמָ֣ן בָּ֗א לַחֲצַ֤ר בֵּית־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַחִ֣יצוֹנָ֔ה לֵאמֹ֣ר לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לִתְלוֹת֙ אֶֽת־מָרְדֳּכַ֔י עַל־הָעֵ֖ץ אֲשֶׁר־הֵכִ֥ין לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- in the courtחָצֵרchâtsêr · courtH2691
- Now Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
- was comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- into the outwardחִיצוֹןchîytsôn · outerH2435
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- to hangתָּלָהtâlâh · to hangH8518
- Mordecaiמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782
- on the gallowsעֵץ‛êts · tree: stakeH6086
- that he had preparedכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559
Cross-references for Esther 6:4
- Proverbs 3:27Do not hold back anything good from those who are entitled to it when you have the power to do so.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with ⌞all⌟ your might, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you’re going.
- Esther 4:11“All the king’s advisers and the people in the king’s provinces know that no one approaches the king in the throne room without being summoned. By law that person must be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to him will he live. I, myself, have not been summoned to enter the king’s presence for 30 days now.”
- Esther 5:1On the third day Esther put on her royal robes. She stood in the courtyard of the king’s palace, facing the king’s throne room. The king was sitting on the royal throne inside the palace, facing the entrance.
- Esther 3:8Now, Haman told King Xerxes, “Your Majesty, there is a certain nationality scattered among—but separate from—the nationalities in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws differ from those of all other nationalities. They do not obey your decrees. So it is not in your interest to tolerate them, Your Majesty.
- Esther 5:14Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, 75 feet high, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai’s ⌞dead body⌟ hung on it. Then go with the king to the dinner in good spirits.” Haman liked the idea, so he had the pole set up.
- Esther 7:9Harbona, one of the eunuchs present with the king, said, “What a coincidence! The 75-foot pole Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke up for the well-being of the king, is still standing at Haman’s house.” The king responded, “Hang him on it!”
- Job 5:13He catches the wise with their own tricks. The plans of schemers prove to be hasty.
- Psalms 2:4The one enthroned in heaven laughs. The Lord makes fun of them.
- Psalms 33:19to rescue their souls from death and keep them alive during a famine.
Commentaries on Esther 6:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Who is in the court? - This accords with the dream mentioned by the Targum; and given above. Now Haman was come - This must have been very early in the morning. Haman's pride and revenge were both on the tenters to be gratified.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-11Verses 4-11 See how men's pride deceives them. The deceitfulness of our own hearts appears in nothing more than in the conceit we have of ourselves and our own performances: against which we should constantly watch and pray. Haman thought the king loved and valued no one but himself, but he was deceived. We should suspect that the esteem which others profess for us, is not so great as it seems to be, that we may not think too well of ourselves, nor trust…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6As the king thought about how to honor Mordecai, Haman came to request Mordecai's death. Ironically, the king asked Haman for advice on how to reward Mordecai.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Now Haman was come into the outward court--This was early in the morning. It is the invariable custom for kings in Eastern countries to transact business before the sun is hot, often in the open air, and so Haman was in all probability come officially to attend on his master.Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 6:4
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries