Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, while Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered.
Parallel translations
- WEB Mordecai came back to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning and having his head covered.
- KJV And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
- BSB Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief.
- NKJV Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.
- NLT Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated.
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
Mordecai returns quietly to the gate, while Haman rushes home mourning with his head covered. Their contrasting responses mark the turning of fortunes.
Overview
Mordecai resumes his post without pride, but Haman hurries home in shame, covering his head as a sign of grief and disgrace. The contrast captures the reversal underway between the humble servant and the falling enemy. It illustrates how God lifts the lowly while the proud are brought to mourning.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 2 Sam 15:30David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
- Jer 14:3–4Their nobles send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns, and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are disappointed and confounded, and cover their heads.
- Job 20:5that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
- 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.
- 2 Chr 26:20Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there. Yes, he himself also hurried to go out, because Yahweh had struck him.
- Esth 7:8Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
- Esth 2:19When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.
- Job 9:24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?
- Ps 131:1–2A Song of Ascents. By David. Yahweh, my heart isn’t haughty, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.
- 1 Sam 3:15Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of Yahweh’s house. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.
- 1 Kgs 20:43The king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry, and came to Samaria.
- 2 Sam 17:23When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, and went home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.
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Christ at the center
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.
How Esther 6:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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