When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.
Parallel Translations
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When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.
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And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.
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And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, and Mordecai sat in the king's gate —
Cross-references (4)
Passages linked to Esther 2:19 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Esther 2:21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.
- Esther 2:3-4 Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women’s house, to the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them; and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The thing pleased the king, and he did so.
- Esther 3:2-3 All 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. Then the king’s servants, who were in the king’s gate, said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s commandment?”
- Esther 5:13 Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain That is, at the marriage of Esther, which was…
That is, at the marriage of Esther, which was the second marriage of the king.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Est 2:19 And when the virgins were gathered together…
Est 2:19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.
Ver. 19. And when the virgins were gathered together, &c.] For a new supply of the king’s insatiable lust, say some, this affection soon growing cold to Esther. So unreasonable is lust, so inconstant carnal affection, so lawless are the wicked, so short is any happiness of perfection in this life. The Septuagint leave out this word [the second time], but the Hebrew version hath it. Others say, the second time, signifieth into the second house of the women. For they went not each to their own homes, because the king was now fully satisfied in his choice, as Tremellius and Junius conceive, but they remained in the custody of Shaazgar, keeper of the king’s concubines, not suffered to converse with any man ever after, as Aben Ezra observeth. Therefore they were twice gathered together. Once, when they were brought to Hegai the eunuch, and again, when, from the king’s house, they met all together in the second house of the women, under the government of Shaazgar.
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Then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate] As porter or other officer, saith Severus; and he attended still upon his office, not fawning on Esther, nor prowling for preferment. His ambition was to be quiet, and to do his own business, intra pelliculam suam se continere, Negotiorum familiarium curator: 1Th 4:11, φιλοτιμεισθαι ησυχαζεν, high seats he knew were never but uneasy, and long robes cannot but contract much soil. In the place he now holdeth he can hear how it goeth with his Esther, and do the king good service, as Est 2:21.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The second time; either,
The second time; either,
1. When Esther, with others, were brought to the king’s house, as it was decreed above, Est 2:2,3, which is called the second time, because they had taken this course once before, when Vashti was chosen queen. But there is no mention of any such former use; and by the manner of proposing it seems to have been a new project. Or,
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2. Since Esther was declared queen; for though that point was determined, the king’s lust was not yet satisfied; and therefore being pleased with the former experiment, he desired another collection of virgins, whom he might make his concubines. And this seems best to agree with the following words. For it is not probable that Mordecai sat at the king’s gate till Esther was queen; for till then he only walked before the court of the women’s house, as is expressed, Est 2:11.
Mordecai sat in the king’s gate; either,
1. Voluntarily, to learn the progress of affairs. Or rather,
2. By office, as one of the king’s guard or ministers; being advanced to this place by Esther’s favour, though without any discovery of her relation to him.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And when the virgins were gathered together the second…
And when the virgins were gathered together the second time,.... Some think this second collection is that which was made when Esther was taken and brought to the keeper of the women, called the second, in reference to a former collection of them, made when Vashti was taken and made queen; but as there is no proof of any such collection then made, rather the case was this, such was the lust of the king, though he had a queen he loved, and a multitude of concubine's, yet a second collection of virgins was made for his gratification:
then Mordecai sat in the king's gate; or court, being an officer in it, promoted by the interest of Esther, though not as yet known to be a relation of her's: so in Xenophon (z) is used of the court of the king of Persia, as the Ottoman or Turkish court is now called the "Porte".
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(z) Cyropaedia, l. 8. c. 2, 5, 11, 40.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Sat - By office, as one of the king's…
Sat - By office, as one of the king's guards or ministers; being advanced to this place by Esther's favour.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Est 2:19. When the virgins were gathered together the…
Est 2:19. When the virgins were gathered together the second time — They in all probability were gathered together first in the provinces, and afterward in Susa, before they were taken into the house of the king’s chamberlain. The writer now goes back to what happened before Esther’s marriage. Then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate — It was ordered by Cyrus, as Xenophon informs us, Cyropaæd., lib. 8, that all persons whatever, who had any employment at court, should attend at the palace gate, where there was doubtless a proper waiting-place for their reception, that they might be in readiness whenever they were wanted or called for; and that this custom was afterward continued, we may learn from Herodotus, lib. 3. cap. 120. See Le Clerc. Mordecai has been thought by some to have been one of the porters of the royal palace; but it is probable he was an officer of higher rank. Poole thinks he was one of the king’s guard, or ministers, and that he had been advanced to this place by Esther’s favour, though without any discovery of her relation to him.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain When the virgins ... - Rather, “when virgins” etc.…
When the virgins ... - Rather, “when virgins” etc. The words begin a new paragraph. There was a second collection of virgins (after that of Est 2:8), and it was at the time of this second collection that Mordecai had the good fortune to save the king’s life.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain And. Septuagint, "But Mardochai," &c. (Haydock) --- They say…
And. Septuagint, "But Mardochai," &c. (Haydock) --- They say nothing of the gifts, ver. 18. --- Second. The same process had been observed before, when Vasthi was chosen. (Calmet) --- Mardochai was perhaps then one of the king’s guards. (Haydock) (Ver. 11.) (Tirinus) --- This second inquiry is here specified, to introduce the following account. (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain MORDECAI EXPOSES A COURT CONSPIRACY, Est_2:19-23.
MORDECAI EXPOSES A COURT CONSPIRACY, Est_2:19-23.
19. When the virgins… the second time — Rather, at the gathering together of virgins a second time. Hence it appears there was a second collection of virgins at Shushan, made some years after the previous one, and with the design, no doubt, of enriching the royal harem with new beauties. After his unsuccessful war with Greece, the king abandoned all plans of conquest, and gave himself over to the pleasures of his harem. Accordingly, such a second gathering of virgins would be readily devised to gratify both his vanity and lust.
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Mordecai sat in the king’s gate — He was one of the royal porters who guarded the doors of the great palace at Shushan.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 19–23. Mordecai’s discovery of the plot against the king’s…
19–23. Mordecai’s discovery of the plot against the king’s life
19. And when the virgins were gathered together the second time] Render, Now when maidens were being gathered together a second time. There is no article attached to the word ‘virgins’ in the original, and we have no means of knowing what kind of occasion is referred to here. It is merely a conjecture that the reference is to an effort made by the officials to supplant Esther in the king’s affections by introducing to his notice such as would better support their influence. The clause is omitted in the LXX.
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then Mordecai sat etc.] better, perhaps, and when Mordecai was sitting etc. In this way we have another circumstantial clause, which is added to the first, and resumed in Est_2:21. Mordecai occupied a place at the gate of the palace properly so called, or of that division of the women’s apartments which was assigned to the queen herself (see on Est_2:3), that he might utilise any opportunity which presented itself of communicating with his ward. His occupation of this subordinate position is accounted for in Est_2:20, which is of the nature of a parenthesis.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (19) And when the virgins . . .—Here begins…
(19) And when the virgins . . .—Here begins a fresh incident in the history, whose date we cannot fix precisely, save that it falls between the marriage of Esther and the twelfth year of Ahasuerus (Est_3:7). The king “loved Esther above all the women,” but how the word “love “is degraded in this connection is seen by the fact that after she had been his wife certainly less (possibly much less) than five years, there takes place a second gathering of virgins (there is no article in the Hebrew), like the one previously mentioned (Est_2:2). We should treat Est_2:20 as parenthetical, and join Est_2:21 closely to Est_2:19.
Then Mordecai sat.—Translate, and Mordecai was sitting.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain MORDECAI"S DISCOVERY OF A PLOT AGAINST AHASUERUS". (Est_2:19-23) Some…
CHAPTER 2:19-23
MORDECAI"S DISCOVERY OF A PLOT AGAINST AHASUERUS". (Est_2:19-23) Some time after Esther had been made queen, there was a second collection of virgins at Susa (ver. 19), under circumstances which are not related, and which were probably of small importance. At this time (ver. 21) Mordecai, still serving in his humble office at the palace gate, from which he had not been advanced, since Esther had told no one that he was her relation (ver. 20), happened to detect a conspiracy against the king"s life, which had been formed by two of the palace eunuchs, Bigthan and Tercsh, whom Ahasuerus had somehow offended (ver. 21). Being still in the habit of holding communication with Esther, Mordecai was able to make her acquainted with the facts, of which she then informed the king, telling him how she had obtained her knowledge (ver. 22). There was nothing surprising or suspicious in a eunuch of the palace having had speech with the queen, especially when he had intelligence of such importance to impart to her. On inquiry, the king found that Mordecai"s information was correct; the conspiracy was laid bare, and the conspirators put to death (ver. 23) the facts being, as was sure to be the case, entered in the court chronicle, a daily record of the life of the court, and of the circumstances that befell the king. It was to have been expected that Mordecai would have been rewarded for his zeal; but somehow or other it happened that his services were overlooked he was neither promoted from his humble office, nor did he receive any gift. (Est_6:3) This was quite contrary to ordinary Persian practice; but the court generally may.have disliked Mordecai because he was a Jew.
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When the virgins were gathered together. Rather, "When virgins." There is no article. The fact seems to be mentioned simply as furnishing a date, and we must suppose both that there was a second gathering, and that the time when it happened was generally known to the Jews and Persians. Then Mordecai sat, etc. The three verses, 19, 20, 21, hang together, and form a single sentence: "When virgins were gathered together a second time, and Mordecai was sitting in the king"s gate now Esther had not showed her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther did the command of Mordecai like as when she was brought up with him in those days, while Mordecai sat in the king"s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king"s eunuchs, being of the number of them which kept the threshold, were wroth," etc.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 when the virgins had been gathered together a second…
when the virgins had been gathered together a second time
It is unclear when this second gathering happened, and why. Therefore some versions have altered the text somewhat. It is probably best to translate it as it is written.
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a second time
"one more time" or "an additional time" (See: Numbers)
Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate
Possible meanings are 1) Mordecai sat there so he could hear how Esther was doing from the many people who passed through the gate or 2) "sitting at the king's gate" is an idiom that means Mordecai was given a position of authority by the king.
the king's gate
"the gate to the king's palace"
as Mordecai had instructed her
Mordecai told her not to tell anyone about her family.
In those days
This introduces a new event in the story. (See: Introduction of a New Event)
Bigthana and Teresh
These are the names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)
translationWords
virgin
Mordecai
king
gate
Esther
people group
Ahasuerus
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 2:19 Even after all the young women had been…
2:19 Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem: Since the queen had been chosen, those in waiting would join the other concubines. • Mordecai had become a palace official (literally Mordecai was sitting in the gate of the king): Court cases were decided and much official business was conducted at the gate. There Mordecai was able to hear about the plot against the king (2:21-23).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.