Esther 6:12 kjv
And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
Esther 6:12 nkjv
Afterward Mordecai went back to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.
Esther 6:12 niv
Afterward Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief,
Esther 6:12 esv
Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.
Esther 6:12 nlt
Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated.
Esther 6 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. | Haman's pride leading to his downfall. |
| Prov 18:12 | Before destruction a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. | Haman's pride preceding his fall, Mordecai's humility leading to honor. |
| Job 22:29 | When others are cast down, you say, 'There is lifting up!'; and he will save the humble person. | Humbling of the proud, exaltation of the humble. |
| Psa 75:7 | It is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. | Divine sovereignty in exalting and abasing. |
| Luke 14:11 | For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. | Jesus' teaching on humility and exaltation. |
| Luke 18:14 | For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. | Jesus' teaching reiterated. |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. | Humility before God's timing. |
| Psa 7:16 | His mischief returns upon his own head, and his violence comes down on his own scalp. | Haman's plan against Mordecai turning on himself. |
| Psa 37:15 | Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. | The wicked's schemes backfiring. |
| Psa 57:6 | They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit before me; into it they themselves have fallen. | Haman fell into his own pit of pride. |
| Psa 9:15-16 | The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid has their own foot been caught... | Wicked caught in their own devices. |
| Isa 25:8 | He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away... | The Lord removing reproach and turning sorrow to joy. |
| 2 Sam 15:30 | But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, with his head covered and his feet bare. | Covering of head as a sign of mourning/shame (David fleeing Absalom). |
| Jer 14:3-4 | Their nobles send their little ones for water... They are ashamed and confounded; they cover their heads. | Shame and humiliation causing covered heads. |
| Ezek 24:17 | Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your upper lip, nor eat the bread of mourners. | Contrast showing what covering the head (or lip) signified. |
| Mic 3:7 | The seers shall be put to shame, and the diviners confounded; they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God. | Covering as a sign of shame/lack of divine favor. |
| Psa 44:15 | All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face, | Experiencing deep shame. |
| Job 20:5-7 | The exulting of the wicked is short... Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds, yet he will perish forever like his own dung. | The short-lived triumph of the wicked. |
| Num 12:14 | If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again. | Public disgrace leading to isolation. |
| Eccl 7:4 | The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. | Wisdom from reflecting on sorrow, Haman is now forced into this state. |
| Lam 2:10 | The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence; they have cast dust on their heads... and the maidens of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground. | Collective public grief and shame. |
| Deut 28:43-44 | The sojourner who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him... | Reversal of status and fortune. |
| Gen 50:20 | As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. | Divine providence turning evil intentions into good (as seen with Haman's plot). |
Esther 6 verses
Esther 6 12 Meaning
Esther 6:12 concisely portrays the stark contrast in the immediate aftermath of Mordecai's public honoring. Mordecai, having been paraded, returned to his diligent duty at the king's gate. In vivid opposition, Haman, the very one compelled to honor his despised enemy, hurried home in deep humiliation, mourning, and with his head covered, signifying profound shame and despair. This verse marks a critical turning point where the fortunes of the two adversaries definitively reverse.
Esther 6 12 Context
Esther 6:12 directly follows a profound and dramatic turn of events within the Persian palace. King Ahasuerus, unable to sleep, orders the chronicles to be read to him, discovering that Mordecai had saved his life from an assassination plot but was never rewarded. Coincidentally (or providentially), Haman arrives early to ask the king's permission to hang Mordecai. Before Haman can make his request, the king asks him what should be done for a man the king wishes to honor. Haman, blinded by pride, assumes the king means him and proposes an extravagant public procession where the honored man would wear royal robes and ride the king's horse, led by one of the king's most noble princes. The king then commands Haman to perform this exact honor for Mordecai the Jew. Verse 12 describes the immediate, highly contrasted aftermath of this utterly humiliating task for Haman and the composed return of Mordecai to his post. Historically, the "king's gate" in Persian and other ancient empires was the administrative and judicial center, a place of power and public affairs where officials like Mordecai would serve.
Esther 6 12 Word analysis
And Mordecai: The opening conjunction
וּ(u, and) immediately signals a shift in focus and action, emphasizing the contrast with the preceding verse which described the public parade led by Haman for Mordecai. Mordecai remains grounded in his character, defined by his loyal service.came again: The Hebrew
שָׁב(shav), derived from the rootשׁוּב(shuv), means "to return" or "turn back." It denotes a restoration or a resuming of his normal duties. Despite being just publicly honored with royal pomp, Mordecai's immediate action is not to bask in glory but to resume his previous humble yet significant station. This highlights his humility, stability, and faithfulness.to the king's gate: Hebrew
שַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ(sha'ar ha-melekh). This was Mordecai's regular place of service as an official (Esth 2:19, 21). It represents his administrative duties and public presence. His return to this place signifies his continued dedication and quiet humility, uninterested in personal aggrandizement.But Haman: The Hebrew
וְהָמָן(ve-haman) with the connective "and/but" draws a sharp, intentional parallel and contrast between the fates and reactions of the two men. Haman's character is opposite to Mordecai's humility, deeply rooted in pride and malice.hurried: The Hebrew
נִדְחַף(nidkhof) is a Nifal verb, indicating a passive or reflexive sense, "was pushed," "was impelled," "rushed away." It suggests not a calm or dignified departure but a frantic, almost involuntary retreat, propelled by profound shame and urgency to escape the public eye. It underlines his humiliation, driven by inner torment and public disgrace.to his house: Haman's home
בֵּיתוֹ(beito) contrasts sharply with the king's gate. While the gate signifies public life, honor, and duty, Haman's house becomes a private refuge for his disgrace. He retreats from public visibility, embodying a fall from public esteem.mourning: The Hebrew
אָבֵל(avel) signifies "mourning" or "being grieved." It is a term often used for sorrow over death (Gen 37:35), suggesting a profound, death-like emotional state of despair and deep loss – the loss of his pride, reputation, and perhaps, his future prospects.and with his head covered: The Hebrew
וַחֲפוּי רֹאשׁ(va-khafuy rosh) is a strong visual image. Covering one's head was a common Ancient Near Eastern custom signifying deep shame, humiliation, profound sorrow, or utter disgrace (e.g., 2 Sam 15:30; Jer 14:3-4). It implies a desire to hide from public view due to profound emotional anguish and humiliation. It visually expresses his broken spirit and deep disgrace."Mordecai...king's gate" vs. "Haman...his house": This immediate juxtaposition highlights a profound literary and theological contrast. Mordecai, elevated, returns to diligent duty at the center of power, demonstrating enduring humility and loyalty. Haman, utterly humiliated, retreats to the private sphere of his home in shame, revealing his shattered pride and moral bankruptcy. This contrast emphasizes the reversal of their destinies: Mordecai's continued public relevance versus Haman's enforced private humiliation.
"mourning and with his head covered": This phrase paints a vivid picture of Haman's inner and outer state. The combined actions convey complete despair, a public acknowledgment of deep personal defeat. His state of being is explicitly described as akin to someone grieving a profound loss, indicating that his spiritual death of pride was experienced as real, crushing agony.
Esther 6 12 Bonus section
The "Deus Absconditus" (hidden God) theme, central to the Book of Esther, is brilliantly illustrated here. God's name is not mentioned, yet His sovereign hand is evident in the precise timing of events: the king's sleepless night, the reading of the chronicles, Haman's premature arrival, and the ironic twist. This verse signifies the turning tide not just publicly, but psychologically. It is the visible sign that Haman's cosmic good fortune has run out. The irony is twofold: Haman is the "noble prince" whom he suggested should lead the honored man, and he leads the one he despises most. The visual representation of a man in power brought low through such public disgrace (head covered, mourning) was a very potent cultural symbol of total defeat, understood immediately by the original audience.
Esther 6 12 Commentary
Esther 6:12 is a powerful summation of a divine reversal and a classic study in contrasting character. After orchestrating an ironic public honor for his rival, Mordecai, Haman retreats in a state of utter despondency. His haste (hurried) and physical expressions of grief (mourning and with his head covered) underscore the crushing blow to his immense pride. He expected to receive royal honor, only to be forced to bestow it upon the very man he sought to destroy. This verse vividly marks the downfall of the wicked and the subtle elevation of the righteous. It serves as the psychological breaking point for Haman, foreshadowing his complete and ultimate destruction in the subsequent chapter. Mordecai's simple return to his duty at the king's gate, after receiving such high public acclaim, further highlights his profound humility and steady character, providing a moral counterpoint to Haman's explosive pride. The narrative implicitly affirms that true honor lies not in self-promotion but in faithfulness and humble service.Example: Like a corrupt executive, having demanded the promotion of an employee they detested, scurrying away from the office party while the humble employee quietly resumes their diligent work at their desk.