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.
• 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.
• 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

2All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. 3Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” 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. 5When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. 6Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

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 though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
• Daniel 3:8At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews.
• Daniel 6:13Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.”
• Ezra 1:3Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.
• Daniel 3:12But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
• Daniel 6:20When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
• Jonah 1:9He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship 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