Esther 2:19-23
Recorded in the Chronicles
Read the passage
19When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.
20Esther still had not revealed her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed. She obeyed Mordecai’s command, as she had done under his care.
21In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, grew angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
22When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she informed the king on Mordecai’s behalf.
23After the report had been investigated and verified, both officials were hanged on the gallows. And all this was recorded in the Book of the Chronicles in the presence of the king.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Mordecai is sitting at the king's gate. Esther still keeps her people and family background private, following the instruction he gave her while she was in his care. Becoming queen has not ended their communication.
Two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, become angry and plot to kill Xerxes. They guard the entrance, so this danger comes from people close to the king. Mordecai learns of the plot and reports it to Esther. She tells the king and gives Mordecai credit.
After the report had been investigated and verified, both officials were hanged on the gallows.
The accusation is checked before the officials are punished. The event is then recorded in the royal chronicles in the king's presence.
Later, Esther 6:3 will tell us that Mordecai received no honor for this service. But the warning has already done something important: a plot has been exposed and the king's life preserved. The record will eventually bring the act to the king's attention again. Its value does not begin on the day Mordecai is rewarded.
Questions
1 Where is Mordecai when he learns of the plot?
AnswerAt the king's gate. Bigthan and Teresh, two eunuchs who guard the entrance, are conspiring to assassinate the king.
2 How does the warning reach Xerxes?
AnswerMordecai tells Esther, and she informs the king on Mordecai's behalf.
3 What happens before the two officials are executed?
AnswerThe report is investigated and verified. It is not treated merely as a rumor.
4 Where is the event recorded?
AnswerIn the Book of the Chronicles, in the king's presence. That record will be read again in chapter 6.
What This Means for Us
If you learn of a serious threat, tell someone who can help rather than spreading it as gossip. Check what is true and give credit to the person who brought the concern forward. Doing the right thing may not bring immediate recognition. We can serve faithfully while trusting God with what we cannot control afterward.
Prayer
Father, give us courage to report danger and care to handle accusations truthfully. Help us give others credit and remain faithful when our own work goes unrecognized. Amen.