New Living Translation
Esther 2:21
21One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king’s private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him.
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
19Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem and Mordecai had become a palace official, 20Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home. One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king’s private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. 22But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report. 23When an investigation was made and Mordecai’s story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes’ Reign.
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 6:2In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.
- 2 Samuel 4:5One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth’s house around noon as he was taking his midday rest.
- 2 Samuel 16:11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it.
- 1 Kings 15:25Nadab son of Jeroboam began to rule over Israel in the second year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Israel two years.
- 1 Kings 16:9Then Zimri, who commanded half of the royal chariots, made plans to kill him. One day in Tirzah, Elah was getting drunk at the home of Arza, the supervisor of the palace.
- 2 Kings 9:22King Joram demanded, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?” Jehu replied, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel, are all around us?”
- 2 Kings 12:20Joash’s officers plotted against him and assassinated him at Beth-millo on the road to Silla.
- 2 Kings 21:23Then Amon’s own officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace.
- Psalms 144:10For you grant victory to kings! You rescued your servant David from the fatal 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 Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries