OET interlinear EST 3:2

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וְ⁠כָל־עַבְדֵ֨י הַ⁠מֶּ֜לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּ⁠שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠מֶּ֗לֶךְ

and=all servants_of the=king which/who [were]_at,the_gate_of the=king

Here, the gate of the king, probably the entrance to the citadel, may represent the citadel itself, the place where these people served the king. The citadel, in turn, would represent everyone who served the king. So you could say just “all the king’s other servants.” However, this may also be a reference to the specific group of officials who were stationed at the gate, the way Mordecai was. Alternate translation: [the royal officials who were stationed at the palace gate]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠כָל־עַבְדֵ֨י הַ⁠מֶּ֜לֶךְ & כֹּרְעִ֤ים וּ⁠מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ לְ⁠הָמָ֔ן

and=all servants_of the=king & bowed_down and_[were],bowing_down to,Haman

The servants were required to do this as a way of honoring him whenever Haman walked by. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly, as in the UST.

Note 3 topic: translate-symaction

כֹּרְעִ֤ים וּ⁠מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙

bowed_down and_[were],bowing_down

This means that the other officials humbled themselves and lay flat on the ground before Haman. These actions represented recognition and respect for the very high position that the king had given him in the Persian government.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

כֹּרְעִ֤ים וּ⁠מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙

bowed_down and_[were],bowing_down

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The repetition is used to emphasize that the officials knew how important it was to obey the king’s command and honor Haman in this way. You could combine them as UST does and say something like “bow down all the way to the ground.” Alternate translation: [bowing and lying down on the ground]

וּ⁠מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙

and_[were],bowing_down

This means bowing down all the way to the ground.

Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

כִּי־כֵ֖ן צִוָּה־ל֣⁠וֹ

that/for/because/then/when so commanded to=him/it

If it would be helpful in your language, you could put this information first in the verse because it explains the reason why all the other officials were bowing to Haman. See the UST.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

כִּי־כֵ֖ן צִוָּה־ל֣⁠וֹ

that/for/because/then/when so commanded to=him/it

The king did this as a sign of Haman’s new position. You can state this here or in a separate sentence, as in the UST. Alternate translation: [the king had commanded them to do this in order to show that he had given Haman such a high position]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

וּ⁠מָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔י לֹ֥א יִכְרַ֖ע וְ⁠לֹ֥א יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה

and,Mordecai not bow_down and=not pay_homage

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The repetition is used to emphasize how serious an offense this was against the king’s command and how much determination it took for Mordecai to remain standing. You could combine these phrases as UST does and say, “But Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman.” Alternate translation: [Mordecai did not bow down or lie on the ground]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וּ⁠מָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔י לֹ֥א יִכְרַ֖ע וְ⁠לֹ֥א יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה

and,Mordecai not bow_down and=not pay_homage

It appears that as a Jew, Mordecai considered it wrong to worship anyone other than Yahweh, and that he believed he would be worshiping Haman if he bowed down low to the ground to honor him. So, on religious grounds, Mordecai refused to bow down. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly.