^2:19Now when the young women were being gathered again,³⁵ Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.³⁶^2:20Esther was still not divulging her lineage or her people,³⁷ just as Mordecai had instructed her.³⁸ Esther continued to do whatever Mordecai said, just as she had done when he was raising her.

^2:21In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan³⁹ and Teresh,⁴⁰ two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance,⁴¹ became angry and plotted to assassinate⁴² King Ahasuerus. ^2:22When Mordecai learned of the conspiracy,⁴³ he informed Queen Esther,⁴⁴ and Esther told the king in Mordecai’s behalf.⁴⁵^2:23The king then had the matter investigated and, finding it to be so, had the two conspirators⁴⁶ hanged on a gallows.⁴⁷ It was then recorded in the daily chronicles in the king’s presence.

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Footnotes

35 The does not include the words “Now when the young women were being gathered again.” The Hebrew word שֵׁנִית (shenit, “a second time”) is difficult in v. 19, but apparently it refers to a subsequent regathering of the women to the harem.
36 That Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate apparently means that he was a high-ranking government official. It was at the city gate where important business was transacted. Being in this position afforded Mordecai an opportunity to become aware of the plot against the king’s life, although the author does not include the particular details of how this information first came to Mordecai’s attention.
37 That Esther was able so effectively to conceal her Jewish heritage suggests that she was not consistently observing Jewish dietary and religious requirements. As C. A. Moore observes, “In order for Esther to have concealed her ethnic and religious identity … in the harem, she must have eaten …, dressed, and lived like a Persian rather than an observant Jewess” (Esther [], .) In this regard her public behavior stands in contrast to that of Daniel, for example.
38 The adds the words “to fear God.”
39 This individual is referred to as “Bigthana,” a variant spelling of the name, in Esth 6:2.
40 The does not include the names “Bigthan and Teresh” here.
41 Heb “guarders of the threshold”; “who guarded the doorway.”
42 Heb “sought to send a hand against”; “decided to kill.”
43 The text of Esther does not disclose exactly how Mordecai learned about the plot against the king’s life. Ancient Jewish traditions state that Mordecai overheard conspiratorial conversation, or that an informant brought this information to him, or that it came to him as a result of divine prompting. These conjectures are all without adequate support from the biblical text. The author simply does not tell the source of Mordecai’s insight into this momentous event.
44 The simply reads “Esther” and does not include “the queen.”
45 The adds here “the things concerning the plot.” Heb “in the name of Mordecai” (so ); “giving credit to Mordecai.”
46 Heb “they both were hanged.” The referent (the two eunuchs who conspired against the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
47 Or “on a pole”; , “on a tree.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.

During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate. Esther still did not reveal her family background or her ethnicity, as Mordecai had directed. She obeyed Mordecai’s orders, as she always had while he raised her.

During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus. When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf. When the report was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows. This event was recorded in the Historical Record in the king’s presence.

NLTNew Living Translation

Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem and Mordecai had become a palace official, Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home.

One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king’s private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report. When an investigation was made and Mordecai’s story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes’ Reign.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the gate of the king. Esther had not made known her family and her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her, just as when she was brought up by him. In those days Mordecai was sitting at the gate of the king. Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs from the keepers of the threshold, became angry and they conspired to assassinate King Ahasuerus. And the matter became known to Mordecai and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told it to the king in the name of Mordecai. And the matter was investigated and found to be so; and the two of them were hanged on the gallows, and it was written in the scroll of the events of the days before the presence of the king.

KJV 1900King James Version

And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate. Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

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. And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name. And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

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