⁵ Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish,^(A)

³ Mordecai the Jew was second^(A) in rank^(B) to King Xerxes,^(C) preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.^(D)

Esther’s Request to the King

5 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes^(A) and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s^(B) hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance.

² All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

³ Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”^{(A) 4} Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply.^(B) Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.^{(C) 6} Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way^(D) to destroy^(E) all Mordecai’s people, the Jews,^(F) throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

³ Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them.

² At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,^(A)

Shimei Curses David

⁵ As King David approached Bahurim,^(A) a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei^(B) son of Gera, and he cursed^(C) as he came out.

Samuel Anoints Saul

9 There was a Benjamite,^(A) a man of standing,^(B) whose name was Kish^(C) son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.