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Esther 3:7-4:3
New American Standard Bible
Esther 3:7-4:3
New American Standard Bible
7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, [a]Pur, that is the lot, was (A)cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, [b]until the twelfth month, that is (B)the month Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; (C)their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not [c]comply with the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. 9 If it is pleasing to the king, let it be [d]decreed that they be eliminated, and I will pay [e]ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry out the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10 Then (D)the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha (E)the Agagite, (F)the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The silver is [f]yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”
12 (G)Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to (H)the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the officials of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written (I)in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 Letters were sent by (J)couriers to all the king’s provinces (K)to annihilate, kill, and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, (L)in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to (M)seize their possessions as plunder. 14 (N)A copy of the edict to be [g]issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they would be ready for this day. 15 The couriers went out, speeded by the king’s [h]order while the decree was [i]issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, (O)the city of Susa was agitated.
Esther Learns of Haman’s Plot
4 When Mordecai learned of (P)everything that had been done, [j]he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. 2 And he came as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 3 In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with (Q)fasting, weeping, and mourning rites; and many had sackcloth and ashes spread out as a bed.
Footnotes
- Esther 3:7 Lit he cast Pur...before
- Esther 3:7 LXX and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of
- Esther 3:8 Lit do the
- Esther 3:9 Lit written
- Esther 3:9 About 375 tons or 340 metric tons
- Esther 3:11 Lit given to you
- Esther 3:14 Lit given
- Esther 3:15 Lit word
- Esther 3:15 Lit given
- Esther 4:1 Lit Mordecai
Esther 3:7-4:3
New International Version
Esther 3:7-4:3
New International Version
7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur(A) (that is, the lot(B)) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on[a] the twelfth month, the month of Adar.(C)
8 Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs(D) are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey(E) the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.(F) 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents[b] of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”(G)
10 So the king took his signet ring(H) from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”
12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language(I) of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed(J) with his own ring. 13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews(K)—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,(L) and to plunder(M) their goods. 14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.(N)
15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.(O) The king and Haman sat down to drink,(P) but the city of Susa was bewildered.(Q)
Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help
4 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes,(R) put on sackcloth and ashes,(S) and went out into the city, wailing(T) loudly and bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate,(U) because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. 3 In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Footnotes
- Esther 3:7 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have And the lot fell on.
- Esther 3:9 That is, about 375 tons or about 340 metric tons
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