Esther 3:4

4 Comme ils le lui répétaient chaque jour et qu'il ne les écoutait pas, ils en firent rapport à Haman, pour voir si Mardochée persisterait dans sa résolution; car il leur avait dit qu'il était Juif.

Esther 3:4 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 3:4

Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him
Putting him in mind of his duty to obey the king's command, suggesting to him the danger he exposed himself to, pressing him to give the reasons of his conduct:

and he hearkened not unto them;
regarded not what they said, and continued disobedient to the king's order, and disrespectful to Haman

that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand;
they informed Haman that Mordecai refused to give him reverence as the king had ordered; this they did to try whether such a conduct would be suffered and bore with, and whether Mordecai would persevere in it when taken notice of:

for he had told them that he was a Jew;
which was all the reason he gave why he would not reverence Haman; and a reason sufficient, because, by a fundamental law of his religion, he was not to worship mere man, but God only: and this confirms what has been before observed; for this would have been no reason for refusing civil respect and honour, but was a strong one for denying religious worship and reverence; and no wonder that the Jews should refuse it, when even the Grecians, though Heathens, refused to give the Persian kings the divine honours they required ^F13; yea, the Athenians put Timagoras to death for prostrating himself in such a manner to Darius ^F14; for the Persian kings were, as Aristotle says ^F15, called Lord and God, and said to hear and see all things.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Herodot. Polymnia, sive, l. 7. c. 136. Justin e Trogo. l. 6. c. 2. Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 1. 21.
F14 Plutarch. in Artaxerxe, Valer. Maxim. l. 6. c. 3.
F15 De Mundo, c. 6.

Esther 3:4 In-Context

2 Tous les serviteurs du roi, qui se tenaient à la porte du roi, fléchissaient le genou et se prosternaient devant Haman, car tel était l'ordre du roi à son égard. Mais Mardochée ne fléchissait point le genou et ne se prosternait point.

3 Et les serviteurs du roi, qui se tenaient à la porte du roi, dirent à Mardochée: Pourquoi transgresses-tu l'ordre du roi?

4 Comme ils le lui répétaient chaque jour et qu'il ne les écoutait pas, ils en firent rapport à Haman, pour voir si Mardochée persisterait dans sa résolution; car il leur avait dit qu'il était Juif.

5 Et Haman vit que Mardochée ne fléchissait point le genou et ne se prosternait point devant lui. Il fut rempli de fureur;

6 mais il dédaigna de porter la main sur Mardochée seul, car on lui avait dit de quel peuple était Mardochée, et il voulut détruire le peuple de Mardochée, tous les Juifs qui se trouvaient dans tout le royaume d'Assuérus.