New English Translation
Esther 2:21
21In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance, became angry and plotted 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
19Now when the young women were being gathered again, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20Esther was still not divulging her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her. Esther continued to do whatever Mordecai said, just as she had done when he was raising her. In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance, became angry and plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus. 22When Mordecai learned of the conspiracy, he informed Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in Mordecai’s behalf. 23The king then had the matter investigated and, finding it to be so, had the two conspirators hanged on a gallows. It was then recorded in the daily chronicles 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 6:2it was found written that Mordecai had disclosed that Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus.
- 2 Samuel 4:5Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite – Recab and Baanah – went at the hottest part of the day to the home of Ish-bosheth, as he was enjoying his midday rest.
- 2 Samuel 16:11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood, is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him.
- 1 Kings 15:25In the second year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Nadab became the king of Israel; he ruled Israel for two years.
- 1 Kings 16:9His servant Zimri, a commander of half of his chariot force, conspired against him. While Elah was drinking heavily at the house of Arza, who supervised the palace in Tirzah,
- 2 Kings 9:22When Jehoram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?”
- 2 Kings 12:20His servants conspired against him and murdered Joash at Beth-Millo, on the road that goes down to Silla.
- 2 Kings 21:23Amon’s servants conspired against him and killed the king in his palace.
- Psalms 144:10the one who delivers kings, and rescued David his servant from a 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries