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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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.

Context of Esther 3:4

2All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded it. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay him honor. 3Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?” Day after day, they spoke to him but he would not listen to them. Therefore they told Haman in order to see whether Mordecai’s resolve would prevail, for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing down or paying him honor, Haman was filled with rage. 6But it was repugnant in his eyes to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him the identity of Mordecai’s people. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

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 39:10So whenever she spoke to Joseph, day after day, he did not listen to her invitation to lie down beside her, to be with her.
• Daniel 3:8At that time certain Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews.
• Daniel 6:13So they approached the king and spoke to him about the royal decree: “Didn’t you issue a written decree that anyone who prays to any god or man for 30 days—except for you, O king—shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king replied, “The decree stands, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
• Ezra 1:3Whoever is among you from all His people—may his God be with him—may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the House of Adonai, the God of Israel—He is the God who is in Jerusalem.
• Daniel 3:12There are certain Jews whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego—those men pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods, nor will they worship the golden image that you have set up.”
• Daniel 6:20At dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den.
• Jonah 1:9He said to them, “I am a Hebrew and I fear Adonai God of the heavens, 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