Esther 5:13 Meaning and Explanation
“Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Haman confesses that all his honors mean nothing while Mordecai sits unbowed at the gate.
What Does Esther 5:13 Mean?
In a single sentence Haman lays bare the rot in his soul: all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew at the gate. Wealth, children, promotion, royal banquets, none of it satisfies while one man withholds honor. His happiness is hostage to another's knee.
This is one of the most penetrating confessions of pride in all Scripture. Haman has everything and enjoys nothing, because envy and wounded vanity devour him. The narrator holds up his misery as a warning: a heart ruled by the craving for honor can never rest. The smallest slight outweighs the greatest blessings. Such a man is already destroying himself before any gallows is built.
Frequently Asked Questions About Esther 5:13
What does Esther 5:13 mean?
Haman confesses that all his honors mean nothing while Mordecai sits unbowed at the gate.