New King James Version
Esther 6:4
4So 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)“Who is that in the outer court?” the king inquired. As it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court of the palace to ask the king to impale Mordecai on the pole he had prepared.
Context of Esther 6:4
2And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 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. 5The king’s servants said to him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” 6So Haman came in, and the king asked him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought in his heart, “Whom would the king delight to honor 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 withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
- Esther 4:11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.”
- Esther 5:1Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house.
- Esther 3:8Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain.
- Esther 5:14Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.” And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made.
- Esther 7:9Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, “Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king’s behalf, is standing at the house of Haman.” Then the king said, “Hang him on it!”
- Job 5:13He catches the wise in their own craftiness, And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.
- Psalms 2:4He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.
- Psalms 33:19To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries