Esther 3:3

3 Then the palace officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?”

Esther 3:3 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 3:3

Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate
Observing the behaviour of Mordecai towards Haman from time to time:

said unto Mordecai, why transgressest thou the king's commandment?
of giving reverence to Haman, which they knew he could not be ignorant of.

Esther 3:3 In-Context

1 Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire.

2 All the king’s officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect.

3 Then the palace officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?”

4 They spoke to him day after day, but still he refused to comply with the order. So they spoke to Haman about this to see if he would tolerate Mordecai’s conduct, since Mordecai had told them he was a Jew.

5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage.