Biblical references
Text: World English Bible (public domain). The ESV and NKJV are the preferred study translations and are referenced, not reproduced.
19 When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate. 20 Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him. 21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus. 22 This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. 23 When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.
Biblical account
Layer: Biblical text
When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai sat at the king's gate; Esther still had not revealed her people. Bigthan and Teresh, two eunuchs who kept the door, sought to kill the king; Mordecai learned of it and told Esther, who told the king in his name. It was investigated, both were hanged, and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
Historical overview
Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: After Esther's elevation (479/478 BC or later)
The recording in the royal chronicles prepares for Esth 6:1–3.[1]
Kingdoms: Achaemenid Persian Empire
Date and chronology derivation
Ranges are computed by the project's deterministic chronology engine from the biblical statements and each model's reign anchors. They are reconstructions, not independent dates.
479 BC – 464 BC
Model-independent (applies under every chronology model) · precision: undated
How this range was derived
Earliest bound
- “in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign” — Esther made queen in Tebeth of Xerxes's seventh year (Esth 2:1–18; winter 479/478 BC) in regnal year reign of Xerxes I (year 7) [reckoned accession, nisan new year] (Esther 2:16)[2]Assumption: Tebeth (month X) of Xerxes's year 7 began 22 December 479 on Parker & Dubberstein's table.
- “When the virgins were gathered together the second time … In those days” — Mordecai uncovers the plot of Bigthan and Teresh (Esth 2:19–23) after Esther made queen in Tebeth of Xerxes's seventh year (Esth 2:1–18; winter 479/478 BC) (Esther 2:19–21)
Latest bound
- reign of Xerxes I ended between 25 Mar 465 BC and 3 Jan 464 BC (model-independent)[2, 3]Assumption: An unpublished Persepolis text of Xerxes's year 20, months X–XII (XII ended 24 Mar 465); Cowley 6 is dated "year 21, the accession year of Artaxerxes" (3 Jan 464) (Parker & Dubberstein 1942, p. 15). Babylonian (Nisan) reckoning: year 1 began 6 Apr 485; year 3 began 14 Apr 483; year 7 began 31 Mar 479 (Tebeth, month X, from 22 Dec 479); year 12 began 5 Apr 474 (Parker & Dubberstein, p. 30).
- “two of the king's eunuchs … sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus” — Mordecai uncovers the plot of Bigthan and Teresh (Esth 2:19–23) within reign reign of Xerxes I (Esther 2:21)
What else was happening? (model-independent)
- Daniel's refusal of the king's food and the ten-day test (Dan 1:8–16): 606 BC – ?
- Nebuchadnezzar's golden image on the plain of Dura (Dan 3:1–7): 603 BC – ?
- Nebuchadnezzar's decree honouring the God of the three Judeans (Dan 3:28–30): 603 BC – ?
- The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace (Dan 3:8–27): 603 BC – ?
- The thirty-day decree and Daniel in the lions' den (Dan 6:4–23): 539 BC – ?
- Darius appoints 120 satraps and three chief officials (Dan 6:1–3, 28): 539 BC – ?
- The accusers punished; Darius's decree honouring the God of Daniel (Dan 6:24–27): 539 BC – ?
- Artaxerxes I (Longimanus) (reign): 465 BC – 423 BC
- Gedaliah governs from Mizpah and is assassinated (2 Kgs 25:22–26): 589 BC – ?
- Accusations to Ahasuerus and the Rehum–Shimshai letter to Artaxerxes; the city's rebuilding stopped (Ezra 4:6–23): 537 BC – ?
- The first "burden" of Zechariah 9–11 (undated oracle collection): 518 BC – ?
- The second "burden" of Zechariah 12–14 (undated oracle collection): 518 BC – ?
- Malachi's disputations with priests and people (Mal 1–4; undated, mid-fifth century BC): 465 BC – 423 BC
- Esther made queen in Tebeth of Xerxes's seventh year (Esth 2:1–18; winter 479/478 BC): 479 BC – 478 BC
- Xerxes I (reign): 486 BC – 464 BC
- Mordecai mourns; Esther resolves to go to the king (Esth 4): 474 BC
- Haman casts pur and the decree against the Jews (Esth 3; Nisan 474 BC): 474 BC
- Esther before the king; the first banquet; Haman's gallows (Esth 5): 474 BC
- The sleepless king; Mordecai honoured by Haman (Esth 6): 474 BC
- The institution of Purim; Mordecai second to the king (Esth 9:20–10:3): 474 BC – ?
- The Jews defend themselves on 13–14 Adar (Esth 9:1–19; 473 BC): 474 BC – 473 BC
- Mordecai's counter-decree of 23 Sivan (Esth 8; June 474 BC): 474 BC
- The second banquet; Haman hanged (Esth 7): 474 BC
Ancient and modern geography
Location confidence assumes the event as described. Whether it occurred is assessed in the claims below.
| Place | Connection to this event | Location identification |
|---|---|---|
| Susa (Shushan)Shush | Susa (Shushan the citadel)Location confidence: certain | Susa (Pleiades 912936): certain[4] |
Claims, evidence and classifications
Each claim is classified on its own. A classification describes the evidence for that specific claim, not for the event as a whole.
Two royal doorkeepers plotted against Xerxes and were executed after Mordecai's warning.
Known only from Esther; no external record of this plot was found in the sources read.
Context
- An incident important for the later narrative.[1]Strength: indirect·on 2:19–23·Claim checked
Research date 2026-10-13
Evidence by type
The same evidence regrouped by kind of source. Each item names the claims it bears on.
Archaeological evidence
None recorded for this event.
Scientific findings
None recorded for this event.
Ancient documents
None recorded for this event.
Modern news and announcements
None recorded for this event.
Reference works and summaries
- An incident important for the later narrative.[1]Bears on: context — “Two royal doorkeepers plotted against Xerxes and were executed after M…”
Related passages and events
| From | Relationship | To | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| this event | Preceded byhigh · Biblical text | Esther made queen in Tebeth of Xerxes's seventh year (Esth 2:1–18; winter 479/478 BC) | After Esther's elevation. |
| this event | Thematic parallelhigh · Biblical text | Esther 6:1–3 | The record of Mordecai's deed read to the sleepless king. |
Prophetic relationships
No prophecy or proposed-fulfillment relationships have been recorded for this event.
Unanswered questions and research gaps
- Xerxes was eventually assassinated (465) in a palace plot; the sources read do not connect it with this episode.
Research process
1 logged searches
| Date | Query | Where | Useful |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-13 | Keil 1873 on Esther 2:19–23 (local OCR) | local text | 1 |
Sources
- 1.Keil, C. F., Taylor, Sophia (trans.). Biblical Commentary on the Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther (Clark's Foreign Theological Library). T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1873. archive.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryRead through the Internet Archive OCR text.Verification log
- 2.Parker, Richard A., Dubberstein, Waldo H.. Babylonian Chronology 626 B.C.–A.D. 45 (SAOC 24). University of Chicago Press (Oriental Institute). archive.orgClaim checkedAcademic monographRead through the Internet Archive OCR text of the Oriental Institute PDF; OCR has digit errors (e.g. "589" for 539) checked against context. The 1956 revised edition was not consulted.Verification log
- 3.Cowley, A. E.. Aramaic Papyri of the Fifth Century B.C.. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1923. archive.orgClaim checkedAcademic monographRead through the Internet Archive OCR text (No. 30 and its introduction; No. 21 introduction).Verification log
- 4.Pleiades contributors. Susa/Seleucia ad Eulaeum — Pleiades place 912936. Pleiades (pleiades.stoa.org). pleiades.stoa.orgClaim checkedInstitutional databaseRepresentative point read from the Pleiades JSON record: lon 48.253537054323495, lat 32.189934471571.Verification log