Esther 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 1 Haman, after he was exalted, obtained of the King, that all the Jews should be put to death, because Mordecai had not done him worship as others had.
1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and exalted him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
2 And all the king’s servants that were at the king’s gate, bowed their knees, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him: but Mordecai [a]bowed not the knee, neither did reverence.
3 Then the king’s servants which were at the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?
4 And albeit they spake daily unto him, yet he would not hear them: therefore they [b]told Haman, that they might see how Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them, that he was a Jew.
5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not the knee unto him, nor did reverence unto him, then Haman was full of wrath.
6 Now he [c]thought it too little to lay hands only on Mordecai: and because they had showed him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
7 In the first month (that is the month [d]Nisan) in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is a lot) [e]before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month unto the twelfth month, that is the month [f]Adar.
8 Then Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a people scattered, and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom, and their laws are divers from all people, and they do not observe the [g]King’s laws: therefore it is not the king’s profit to suffer them.
9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed, and I will [h]pay ten thousand talents of silver by the hands of them that have the charge of this business to bring it into the king’s treasury.
10 Then the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite the Jews’ adversary.
11 And the king said unto Haman, Let the silver be thine, and the people to do with them as it pleaseth thee.
12 Then were the king’s [i]Scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written (according to all that Haman commanded) unto the king’s officers, and to the captains that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people, and to every province, according to the writing thereof, and to every people according to their language: in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.
13 And the letters were sent [j]by posts into all the king’s provinces, to root out, to kill and to destroy all the Jews, both young and old, children and women, in one day upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (which is the month Adar) and to spoil them as a prey.
14 The contents of the writing was, that there should be given a commandment in all provinces, and published unto all people, that they should be ready against the same day.
15 And the posts compelled by the King’s commandment went forth, and the commandment was given in the palace at Shushan: and the king and Haman sat drinking, but the [k]city of Shushan was in perplexity.
Footnotes
- Esther 3:2 The Persians’ manner was to kneel down and reverence their kings, and such as he appointed in chief authority, which Mordecai would not do to this ambitious and proud man.
- Esther 3:4 Thus we see that there is none so wicked, but they have their flatterers to accuse the godly.
- Esther 3:6 Hebrew, despised in his eyes.
- Esther 3:7 Which answereth to part of March and part of April.
- Esther 3:7 To know what month and day should be good to enterprise this thing, that it might have good success: but God disappointed their lots, and expectation.
- Esther 3:7 Containing part of February and part of March.
- Esther 3:8 These be the two arguments which commonly the worldlings and the wicked use toward princes against the godly, that is, the contempt of their laws, and diminishing of their profit: without respect how God is either pleased or displeased.
- Esther 3:9 Hebrew, weigh.
- Esther 3:12 Or, secretaries.
- Esther 3:13 Hebrew, the hands of posts.
- Esther 3:15 To wit, the Jews that were in Shushan.
以斯帖记 3
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
末底改不向哈曼跪拜
3 這事以後，亞哈隨魯王使亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼晉陞；王提拔他，使他的地位高過所有與他在一起的大臣。 2 在朝門那裡，王的所有臣僕，都向哈曼屈身下拜，因為王曾經這樣吩咐；只有末底改不跪，也不拜。 3 於是在朝門的臣僕問末底改：“你為甚麼違背王的命令呢？” 4 他們天天勸他，他還是不聽，他們就告訴哈曼，要看看末底改的話是不是堅持到底，因為他已經告訴他們，他自己是猶大人。 5 哈曼見末底改不向他屈身下拜，就非常忿怒。 6 他以為只下手對付末底改一人還是小事，因為有人把末底改的本族告訴了哈曼；所以哈曼設法要把亞哈隨魯王全國所有的猶大人，與末底改一起消滅。
哈曼圖謀滅絕猶大人
7 亞哈隨魯王十二年正月，就是尼散月，有人在哈曼面前弄卜“普珥”，就是抽籤，逐日逐月地抽，結果抽出了十二月，就是亞達月。 8 哈曼對亞哈隨魯王說：“有一個種族，散居在王國各省各民族之中；他們的法例與各族的法例不同，他們也不遵守王的法規；所以留下他們，對王實在無益。 9 王若是贊成，請王降旨消滅他們；我願捐出三十四萬公斤銀子，交在管理國務的人手中，納入王庫。” 10 於是王從自己的手中取下戒指，交給猶大人的敵人，亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼。 11 王對哈曼說：“這銀子仍賜給你，這民也交給你，你看怎樣好，就怎樣待他們吧。”
王准哈曼滅絕猶大人
12 正月十三日，王的書記都召了來，照著哈曼的一切吩咐，用各省的文字，各族的方言，奉亞哈隨魯王的名下旨，又用王的戒指蓋上印，頒給總督、各省的省長和各族的領袖。 13 王旨交給眾驛使傳到王的各省，吩咐要在一日之內，在十二月，就是亞達月十三日，把所有的猶大人，無論老少婦孺，都全部毀滅、殺絕、除盡，並且搶奪他們的財產。 14 諭文抄本頒行各省，通告各族，使他們準備好這一天。 15 驛使奉王命急忙出發，御旨從書珊城頒布出去。那時王與哈曼又同坐共飲，書珊城的居民卻非常慌亂。
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
