And Mordecai came again to the king's gate,.... To attend his post and office at court; which confirms what has been already hinted, that he was in some office in the court, which this phrase is expressive of, and not a porter at the gate; for it is not probable he should return to such a station, after so much honour had been done him; and much less that he returned to his sackcloth and fasting, as Jarchi and the former Targum; since he might reasonably conclude things were taking a turn in his favour, and that of his people; though as yet he knew not what success Esther had had, to wait for which he returned to court:
but Haman hasted to his house; pushed forward as fast as he could:
mourning; at his sad disappointment:
and having his head covered; through grief and sorrow, confusion and shame; so Demosthenes, being hissed, went home with his head covered c, as confounded and ashamed to be seen d.
c Plutarch in Demosthene. d See more instances in Lively's Chronology of the Persian monarchy, p. 18, 19.