Esther

Esther 3:2–6

2All the royal servants at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded that this be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage.

3Then the royal servants at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the command of the king?”

4Day after day they warned him, but he would not comply. So they reported it to Haman to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, since he had told them he was a Jew.

5When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him homage, he was filled with rage. 6And when he learned the identity of Mordecai’s people, he scorned the notion ofa laying hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he sought to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the kingdom of Xerxes.

Footnotes

  • a 3:6 Hebrew he disdained in his eyes

Read all of Esther 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Esther 3:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Allוְכָל־wə·ḵālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the royalהַמֶּ֜לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
servantsעַבְדֵ֨י‘aḇ·ḏêNoun - masculine plural constructH5650 slave, servant
at the king’sהַמֶּ֗לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
gateבְּשַׁ֣עַרbə·ša·‘arPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH8179 gate
bowed downכֹּרְעִ֤יםkō·rə·‘îmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH3766 bow down
and paid homageוּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ū·miš·ta·ḥă·wîmConjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine pluralH7812 bow down
to Hamanלְהָמָ֔ןlə·hā·mānPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH2001 Haman
becauseכִּי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
the kingהַמֶּ֑לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
had commandedצִוָּה־ṣiw·wāh-Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularH6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
that thisכֵ֖ןḵênAdverbH3651 right, veritable, honest
for himל֣וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
But Mordecaiוּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔יū·mā·rə·do·ḵayConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH4782 Mordecai
would notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
bow downיִכְרַ֖עyiḵ·ra‘Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3766 bow down
or pay homageיִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה׃yiš·ta·ḥă·wehVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7812 bow down

Esther 3:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then the royalהַמֶּ֛לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
servantsעַבְדֵ֥י‘aḇ·ḏêNoun - masculine plural constructH5650 slave, servant
at the king’sהַמֶּ֖לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
gateבְּשַׁ֥עַרbə·ša·‘arPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH8179 gate
askedוַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּway·yō·mə·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say
Mordecaiלְמָרְדֳּכָ֑יlə·mā·rə·do·ḵāyPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH4782 Mordecai
Whyמַדּ֙וּעַ֙mad·dū·a‘InterrogativeH4069 wherefore?
do youאַתָּ֣ה’at·tāhPronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
disobeyעוֹבֵ֔ר‘ō·w·ḇêrVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
the commandמִצְוַ֥תmiṣ·waṯNoun - feminine singular constructH4687 commandment
of the kingהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king

Esther 3:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Dayי֣וֹםyō·wmNoun - masculine singularH3117 day
after dayוָי֔וֹםwā·yō·wmConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day
they warnedבְּאָמְרָםbə·ʾå̄·mə·rå̄mPreposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say
himאֵלָיו֙’ê·lāwPreposition; third person masculine singularH413 motion to
but he would notוְלֹ֥אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
complyשָׁמַ֖עšā·ma‘Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH8085 hear
So they reported itוַיַּגִּ֣ידוּway·yag·gî·ḏūConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5046 be conspicuous
to Hamanלְהָמָ֗ןlə·hā·mānPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH2001 Haman
to seeלִרְאוֹת֙lir·’ō·wṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7200 see
whether Mordecai’sמָרְדֳּכַ֔יmā·rə·do·ḵayNoun - proper - masculine singularH4782 Mordecai
behaviorדִּבְרֵ֣יdiḇ·rêNoun - masculine plural constructH1697 speech, word
would be toleratedהֲיַֽעַמְדוּ֙hă·ya·‘am·ḏūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5975 take one's stand, stand
sinceכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
he had toldהִגִּ֥ידhig·gîḏVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5046 be conspicuous
themאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
heה֥וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
was a Jewיְהוּדִֽי׃yə·hū·ḏîNoun - proper - masculine singularH3064 Jewish

Esther 3:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
When Hamanהָמָ֔ןhā·mānNoun - proper - masculine singularH2001 Haman
sawוַיַּ֣רְאway·yarConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7200 see
thatכִּי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכַ֔יmā·rə·do·ḵayNoun - proper - masculine singularH4782 Mordecai
would notאֵ֣ין’ênAdverbH369 nothing, nought
bow downכֹּרֵ֥עַkō·rê·a‘Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH3766 bow down
or pay him homageוּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖הū·miš·ta·ḥă·wehConjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singularH7812 bow down
heהָמָ֖ןhā·mānNoun - proper - masculine singularH2001 Haman
was filledוַיִּמָּלֵ֥אway·yim·mā·lêConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH4390 be full, fill
with rageחֵמָֽה׃ḥê·māhNoun - feminine singularH2534 heat, rage

Esther 3:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And whenכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
he learned the identityהִגִּ֥ידוּhig·gî·ḏūVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common pluralH5046 be conspicuous
of Mordecai’sמָרְדֳּכָ֑יmā·rə·do·ḵāyNoun - proper - masculine singularH4782 Mordecai
peopleעַ֣ם‘amNoun - masculine singular constructH5971 people
he scorned the notion ofוַיִּ֣בֶזway·yi·ḇezConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH959 despise
layingלִשְׁלֹ֤חliš·lōḥPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7971 send
handsיָד֙yāḏNoun - feminine singularH3027 hand
on Mordecaiבְּמָרְדֳּכַ֣יbə·mā·rə·do·ḵayPreposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singularH4782 Mordecai
aloneלְבַדּ֔וֹlə·ḇad·dōwPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH905 separation
Insteadהָמָ֗ןhā·mānNoun - proper - masculine singularH2001 Haman
heהָמָ֗ןhā·mānNoun - proper - masculine singularH2001 Haman
soughtוַיְבַקֵּ֣שׁway·ḇaq·qêšConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1245 seek
to destroyלְהַשְׁמִ֧ידlə·haš·mîḏPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH8045 be exterminated, destroyed
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
of Mordecai’sמָרְדֳּכָֽי׃mā·rə·do·ḵāyNoun - proper - masculine singularH4782 Mordecai
peopleעַ֥ם‘amNoun - masculine singular constructH5971 people
the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִ֛יםhay·yə·hū·ḏîmArticle; Noun - proper - masculine pluralH3064 Jewish
throughoutבְּכָל־bə·ḵālPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the kingdomמַלְכ֥וּתmal·ḵūṯNoun - feminine singular constructH4438 royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom
of Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōšNoun - proper - masculine singularH325 Ahasuerus

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Esther 3:2 Esther 5:9 · Esther 3:5 · Esther 2:21 · Psalm 15:4

Esther 3:3 Esther 3:2 · Exodus 1:17

Esther 3:4 Genesis 39:10 · Daniel 6:20–28 · Jonah 1:9 · Daniel 6:13

Esther 3:5 Daniel 3:19 · Esther 5:9 · Esther 3:2 · Proverbs 21:24

Esther 3:6 Psalm 83:4

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.