Bible Strands
Esther 6:3
The king inquired, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this act?” “Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king’s attendants.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — King Xerxes asks his attendants what reward has been given to Mordecai for exposing the assassination plot, immediately after discovering the royal chronicle recording the deed. The attendants respond that nothing has been done for him.
The words — The king uses יְקָר (ye.Kar, honor) and גְדוּלָּה (ge.du.Lah, greatness) to query the official recognition due for Mordecai’s act.
The thread — This pattern of unrecognized service appears in Genesis 40:23 where the cupbearer forgets Joseph, Ecclesiastes 9:15 where a wise man’s deliverance goes unremembered, and Judges 1:12 where a promised reward remains pending.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to notice that delayed recognition does not equal denied justice, demanding a pause before acting on incomplete information.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.
Cross-references
- Ecclesiastes 9:15 Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
- Genesis 40:23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot all about him.
- Judges 1:12 And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.”
- 1 Samuel 17:25 Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”
- 1 Chronicles 11:6 Now David had said, “Whoever is the first to strike down a Jebusite will become chief commander.” And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and he became the chief.
- Psalms 118:8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
- Daniel 5:7 The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
- Daniel 5:16 But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
- Daniel 5:29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
- Acts 28:8 The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man.