Esther 3 · Verse 2

Esther 3:2

And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
Esther 3:2, King James Version

Esther 3:2 in other translations

BSBAll 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.
WEBAll the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay him homage.
ASVAnd all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed down, and did reverence to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence.
YLTand all servants of the king, who are in the gate of the king, are bowing and doing obeisance to Haman, for so hath the king commanded for him; and Mordecai doth not bow nor do obeisance.
DARBYAnd all the king's servants that were in the king's gate bowed and did Haman reverence, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
BBEAnd all the king's servants who were in the king's house went down to the earth before Haman and gave him honour: for so the king had given orders. But Mordecai did not go down before him or give him honour.
WebsterAnd all the king's servants that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

What does Esther 3:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman--Large mansions in the East are entered by a spacious vestibule, or gateway, along the sides of which visitors sit, and are received by the master of the house; for none, except the nearest relatives or special friends, are admitted farther. There the officers of the ancient king of Persia waited till they were called, and did obeisance to the all-powerful minister of the day. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence--The obsequious homage of prostration not entirely foreign to the manners of the East, had not been claimed by former viziers; but this minion required that all subordinate officers of the court should bow before him with their faces to the earth. But to Mordecai, it seemed that such an attitude of profound reverence was due only to God. Haman being an Amalekite, one of a doomed and accursed race, was, doubtless, another element in the refusal; and on learning that the recusant was a Jew, whose nonconformity was grounded on religious scruples, the magnitude of the affront appeared so much the greater, as the example of Mordecai would be imitated by all his compatriots. Had the homage been a simple token of civil respect, Mordecai would not have refused it; but the Persian kings demanded a sort of adoration, which, it is well known, even the Greeks reckoned it degradation to express. As Xerxes, in the height of his favoritism, had commanded the same honors to be given to the minister as to himself, this was the ground of Mordecai's refusal.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 The king's servants, that were in the king's gate - By servants here, certainly a higher class of officers are intended than porters; and Mordecai was one of those officers, and came to the gate with the others who were usually there in attendance to receive the commands of the king. Mordecai bowed not - לאיכרע lo yichra. "He did not bow down;" nor did him reverence, ולא ישתחוה velo yishtachaveh, "nor did he prostrate himself." I think it most evident, from these two words, that it was not civil reverence merely that Haman expected and Mordecai refused; this sort of respect is found in the word כרע cara, to bow. This sort of reverence Mordecai could not refuse without being guilty of the most inexcusable obstinacy, nor did any part of the Jewish law forbid it. But Haman expected, what the Persian kings frequently received, a species of Divine adoration; and this is implied in the word שחה shachah, which signifies that kind of prostration which implies the highest degree of reverence that can be paid to God or man, lying down flat on the earth, with the hands and feet extended, and the mouth in the dust. The Targum, says that Haman set up a statue for himself, to which every one was obliged to bow, and to adore Haman himself. The Jews all think that Mordecai refused this prostration because it implied idolatrous adoration. Hence, in the Apocryphal additions to this book, Mordecai is represented praying thus: "Thou knowest that if I have not adored Haman, it was not through pride, nor contempt, nor secret desire of glory; for I felt disposed to kiss the footsteps of his feet (gladly) for the salvation of Israel: but I feared to give to a man that honor which I know belongs only to my God."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Esther 3:1-6

Mordecai refused to reverence Haman. The religion of a Jew forbade him to give honours to any mortal man which savoured of idolatry, especially to so wicked a man as Haman. By nature all are idolaters; self is our favourite idol, we are pleased to be treated as if every thing were at our disposal. Though religion by no means destroys good manners, but teaches us to render honour to whom honour is due, yet by a…

Read the full comment on Esther 3:1-6 →

Esther 3:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְכָל\־ve.kholand allH3605
עַבְדֵ֨י'av.Dei[the] servants ofH5650
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whoH834
בְּשַׁ֣עַרbe.Sha.'ar[were] at [the] gate ofH8179
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
כֹּרְעִ֤יםko.re.'Im[were] kneelingH3766
וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙u.mish.ta.cha.Vimand bowing downH7812
לְהָמָ֔ןle.ha.Manto HamanH2001
כִּי\־ki-forH3588
כֵ֖ןkhenthusH3651
צִוָּה\־tzi.vah-he had commandedH6680
ל֣וֹloto <the> him
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
וּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔יu.Ma.re.do.Khaiand MordecaiH4782
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
יִכְרַ֖עyikh.Ra'he kneltH3766
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה\׃Yish.ta.cha.Vehhe bowed downH7812

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Esther 3:2

  • Esther 2:21

    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.

  • Psalms 15:4

    In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

  • Esther 3:5

    And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

  • Esther 5:9

    Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.

  • Esther 3:1

    After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

  • Philippians 2:10

    That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

  • Genesis 41:43

    And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

  • Deuteronomy 25:19

    Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

  • Esther 2:19

    And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.

  • Exodus 17:16

    For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

  • Exodus 17:14

    And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

  • 1 Samuel 15:3

    Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the king's servants.Dr. Shaw, speaking of the cities in the East, says, "If we quit the streets, and enter into any of the principal houses, we shall first pass through a porch, or gate-way, with benches on each side, where the master of the family receives visits, and despatches business; few persons, not even the nearest relations, having admission any farther, except upon extraordinary occasions." These servants were probably officers who here waited the king's call; and it is likely that Mordecai was one of them.
2:19,21
bowed.
Ge 41:43; Php 2:10
bowed not.{Yichrâ welo yishtachaweh,} "bowed not down, nor prostrated himself," or worshipped him. Had this meant only civil reverence the king would not have needed to command it; nor would Mordecai have refused it; there was, therefore, some kind of divine honour intended, such as was paid to the Persian kings, and which even the Greeks refused, as express adoration.
1,5; Ex 17:14,16; De 25:19; 1Sa 15:3; Ps 15:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Esther 3:1

    After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

  • Esther 3:2

    And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

  • Esther 3:3

    Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?

Read all of Esther 3

Esther 3:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y todos los siervos del rey que estaban á la puerta del rey, se arrodillaban é inclinaban á Amán, porque así se lo había mandado el rey; pero Mardochêo, ni se arrodillaba ni se humillaba.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et tous les serviteurs du roi qui étaient à la porte du roi se courbaient et se prosternaient devant Haman: car le roi l’avait ainsi commandé à son égard. Mais Mardochée ne se courbait pas et ne se prosternait pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und alle Knechte des Königs, die im Tore des Königs waren, beugten sich und warfen sich nieder vor Haman; denn also hatte der König seinetwegen geboten. Aber Mordokai beugte sich nicht und warf sich nicht nieder.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cunctique servi regis, qui in foribus palatii versabantur, flectebant genua, et adorabant Aman: sic enim præceperat eis imperator: solus Mardochæus non flectebat genu, neque adorabat eum.