Esther 2:21

“In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, etc.] Being, as before observed, an officer at court: two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those that kept the door; of the inner court, as Aben Ezra, of the doors of his bedchamber; perhaps they were the chief of his bodyguards, as the Septuagint version; in later times, such officers were about the chambers of great personages as their guards f99: these were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the King Ahasuerus; to poison him, as Jarchi and both the Targums; however, to take away his life by some means or another. Gorionides f100 says their design was, while the king was asleep, to cut off his head, and carry it to the…”

“MORDECAI, DISCOVERING A TREASON, IS RECORDED IN THE CHRONICLES. (Est 2:21-23) In those days . . . two of the king's chamberlains . . . were wroth and sought to lay hand on the king, &c.--This secret conspiracy against the king's life probably arose out of revenge for the divorce of Vashti, in whose interest, and at whose instigation, these eunuchs may have acted. Through the vigilance of Mordecai, whose fidelity, however, passed unnoticed, the design was frustrated, while the conspirators were condemned to be executed and as the matter was recorded in the court annals, it became the occasion afterwards of Mordecai's preferment to the place of power and influence for which, in furtherance of…”

“Conspiracies inside the palace were ordinary occurrences in Persia. Xerxes was ultimately murdered by Artabanus, the captain of the guard, and Aspamitras, a chamberlain and eunuch. return to 'Top of Page'”

“2:21 Bigthana might be the Bigtha of 1:10, one of the king’s seven eunuchs. He and Teresh guarded the king’s bedroom, so it would not have been hard for them to carry out their plot if they hadn’t been discovered.”

“Bigthan: Est 6:2, Bigthana door: Heb. threshold and sought: Sa2 4:5, Sa2 4:6, Sa2 16:11; Kg1 15:25-27, Kg1 16:9; Kg2 9:22-24, Kg2 12:20, Kg2 21:23; Psa 144:10 Esther 2:22”

“The definition of time in Est 2:19 is again take up by the words: in those days; then the explanatory clause, Est 2:20, is repeated; and after this we are informed what it was that had then occurred. In those days Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's courtiers, who were the threshold-keepers (palace-watchers, lxx ἀρχισωματοφύλακες), were wroth, and sought to lay hands on King Ahashverosh, i.e., to slay him. Est 2:22. This thing was known to Mordochai, and by him communicated to Esther, who told it, in Mordochai's name, to the king. Est 2:23. The matter was investigated (sc. by the king), and found out, sc. as Mordochai had testified. The two criminals were hanged on a tree, i.e., impaled…”