Then Haman went out that day joyful and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.
- KJV 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.
- BSB That day Haman went out full of joy and glad of heart. At the king’s gate, however, he saw Mordecai, who did not rise or tremble in fear at his presence. And Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai.
- NKJV So Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.
- NLT Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet! But when he saw Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Haman leaves the banquet elated, but his joy turns to rage when Mordecai again refuses to rise or tremble before him. His pride cannot tolerate a single dissenter.
Overview
Haman's mood swings from gladness to fury over Mordecai's refusal to honor him, exposing the fragility of pride. The whole structure of his contentment collapses at one man's defiance. Scripture's warning that 'pride goes before destruction' is being enacted before our eyes as Haman's wrath sets his own ruin in motion.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Esth 3:5When Haman saw that Mordecai didn’t bow down, nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath.
- Matt 2:16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.
- Esth 2:19When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.
- Job 31:31if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
- Job 20:5that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
- Dan 3:13Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
- Dan 3:16–19Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
- Amos 6:12–13Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness;
- Luke 6:25Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
- Jas 4:9Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom.
- Ps 27:3Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident.
- Ps 15:4In whose eyes a vile man is despised, but who honors those who fear Yahweh; he who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn’t change;
- John 16:20Most certainly I tell you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
- Esth 3:2All 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.
- 1 Kgs 21:4Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He laid himself down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
- Acts 7:54Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
- Matt 10:28Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
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Though God is never named, his hidden hand preserves the people from whom the Messiah will come — a deliverance 'for such a time as this' that anticipates the open deliverance of Christ.
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