Haman Plots Against the Jews

3 After these things King Ahasuerus ^(A)promoted Haman ^(B)the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, ^(C)and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. ² And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. ^(D)But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. ³ Then the king's servants who were ^(E)at the king's gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress ^(F)the king's command?” ⁴ And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. ⁵ And when Haman saw that ^(G)Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was ^(H)filled with fury.

^12 (A)Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's ^(B)satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, ^(C)to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written ^(D)in the name of King Ahasuerus ^(E)and sealed with the king's signet ring. ¹³ Letters were sent ^(F)by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction ^(G)to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, ^(H)in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, ^(I)and to plunder their goods. ^14 (J)A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation to all the peoples to be ready for that day. ^15 (K)The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, ^(L)but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.