Esther 3:4 - Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
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What does "Esther 3:4" mean?
Let's break down Esther 3:4 and understand its significance:
"Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t listen to them...": This refers to Mordecai, who was a Jew in a prominent position. King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) had commanded that everyone bow down to Haman, the king's newly promoted vizier. Mordecai, for reasons likely rooted in his Jewish faith (prohibiting bowing to anyone other than God) and possibly his animosity towards Haman, refused to comply. "They" are likely other officials or servants who were trying to persuade Mordecai to obey the king's command and avoid trouble. They repeatedly attempted to convince him, but he remained steadfast in his refusal.
"...that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand...": Because Mordecai refused to bow, these officials were likely concerned about the potential consequences for them and everyone else if Mordecai's defiance was discovered. Informing Haman was a way for them to protect themselves. It also served as a test. They wanted to see if Mordecai's "reason" or justification for not bowing would hold any weight with Haman. They were curious if Haman would simply dismiss Mordecai's insubordination or if it would escalate into something bigger. The phrase "whether Mordecai's reason would stand" implies that the officials informing Haman may not have fully understood or accepted Mordecai's explanation themselves.
"...for he had told them that he was a Jew.": This is the key piece of information explaining Mordecai's defiance. Mordecai had explicitly told them that his refusal to bow was because he was a Jew. This suggests that his religious convictions were the basis of his actions. This detail is crucial because it sets the stage for Haman's subsequent plot. Haman does not see Mordecai's refusal as simply insubordination, but as an affront to his authority linked to Mordecai's entire ethnic group.
In Summary:
The verse describes a situation where Mordecai's refusal to bow to Haman is a source of concern for his fellow officials. They repeatedly try to convince him to comply, but he refuses, citing his Jewish identity as the reason. They then inform Haman of Mordecai's defiance, partly out of self-preservation and partly to test whether Haman would accept Mordecai's explanation. The fact that Mordecai revealed he was a Jew and refused to bow because of this is what escalates the situation from a personal offense to a threat against the entire Jewish population, setting the stage for Haman's genocidal plot.
Esther 3:4 - Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
What does "Esther 3:4" mean?
Let's break down Esther 3:4 and understand its significance:
"Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t listen to them...": This refers to Mordecai, who was a Jew in a prominent position. King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) had commanded that everyone bow down to Haman, the king's newly promoted vizier. Mordecai, for reasons likely rooted in his Jewish faith (prohibiting bowing to anyone other than God) and possibly his animosity towards Haman, refused to comply. "They" are likely other officials or servants who were trying to persuade Mordecai to obey the king's command and avoid trouble. They repeatedly attempted to convince him, but he remained steadfast in his refusal.
"...that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand...": Because Mordecai refused to bow, these officials were likely concerned about the potential consequences for them and everyone else if Mordecai's defiance was discovered. Informing Haman was a way for them to protect themselves. It also served as a test. They wanted to see if Mordecai's "reason" or justification for not bowing would hold any weight with Haman. They were curious if Haman would simply dismiss Mordecai's insubordination or if it would escalate into something bigger. The phrase "whether Mordecai's reason would stand" implies that the officials informing Haman may not have fully understood or accepted Mordecai's explanation themselves.
"...for he had told them that he was a Jew.": This is the key piece of information explaining Mordecai's defiance. Mordecai had explicitly told them that his refusal to bow was because he was a Jew. This suggests that his religious convictions were the basis of his actions. This detail is crucial because it sets the stage for Haman's subsequent plot. Haman does not see Mordecai's refusal as simply insubordination, but as an affront to his authority linked to Mordecai's entire ethnic group.
In Summary:
The verse describes a situation where Mordecai's refusal to bow to Haman is a source of concern for his fellow officials. They repeatedly try to convince him to comply, but he refuses, citing his Jewish identity as the reason. They then inform Haman of Mordecai's defiance, partly out of self-preservation and partly to test whether Haman would accept Mordecai's explanation. The fact that Mordecai revealed he was a Jew and refused to bow because of this is what escalates the situation from a personal offense to a threat against the entire Jewish population, setting the stage for Haman's genocidal plot.