Esther 2:19-3:15

New American Standard Bible

^19 (A)Now when the virgins were gathered together for the second time, then Mordecai ^(B)was sitting at the king’s gate. ^20 (C)Esther still had not revealed her relatives or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her; for Esther did ^[a]what Mordecai told her just as she had ^(D)when under his care.

Mordecai Saves the King

²¹ In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, ^(E)Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s officials from those who guarded the door, became angry and sought to ^[b]attack King Ahasuerus. ²² But the ^[c]plot became known to Mordecai and ^(F)he informed Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in Mordecai’s name. ²³ Then when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a wooden gallows; and it was written in ^(G)the Book of the Chronicles in the king’s presence.

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

3 After these events King Ahasuerus ^(H)honored Haman, the son of Hammedatha ^(I)the Agagite, and ^(J)promoted him and ^[d]established his authority over all the officials who were with him. ² All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid ^[e]homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded regarding him. But ^(K)Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid ^[f]homage. ³ Then the king’s servants who were at ^(L)the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “^(M)Why are you violating the king’s command?” ⁴ Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would ^[g]stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. ⁵ When Haman saw that ^(N)Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid ^[h]homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. ⁶ But he ^[i]considered it beneath his dignity to ^[j]kill Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; so Haman ^(O)sought to annihilate all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were found throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

⁷ In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, ^[k]Pur, that is the lot, was ^(P)cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, ^[l]until the twelfth month, that is ^(Q)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; ^(R)their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not ^[m]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 ^[n]decreed that they be eliminated, and I will pay ^[o]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 ^(S)the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha ^(T)the Agagite, ^(U)the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹ And the king said to Haman, “The silver is ^[p]yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”

^12 (V)Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to ^(W)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 ^(X)in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. ¹³ Letters were sent by ^(Y)couriers to all the king’s provinces ^(Z)to annihilate, kill, and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, ^(AA)in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to ^(AB)seize their possessions as plunder. ^14 (AC)A copy of the edict to be ^[q]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 ^[r]order while the decree was ^[s]issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, ^(AD)the city of Susa was agitated.