Esther 3
New King James Version
Haman’s Conspiracy Against the Jews
3 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the (A)Agagite, and (B)advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants who were (C)within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai (D)would not bow or pay homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the (E)king’s command?” 4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that Mordecai (F)did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was (G)filled with wrath. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman (H)sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.
7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, (I)they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman [a]to determine the day and the [b]month, [c]until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; (J)their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”
10 So the king (K)took (L)his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the (M)enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you.”
12 (N)Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province (O)according to its script, and to every people in their language. (P)In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 And the letters were (Q)sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, (R)in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and (S)to plunder their [d]possessions. 14 (T)A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in [e]Shushan the [f]citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but (U)the city of Shushan was [g]perplexed.
Footnotes
- Esther 3:7 Lit. from day to day and month to month
- Esther 3:7 LXX adds to destroy the people of Mordecai in one day; Vg. adds the nation of the Jews should be destroyed
- Esther 3:7 So with MT, Vg.; LXX and the lot fell on the fourteenth of the month
- Esther 3:13 LXX adds the text of the letter here
- Esther 3:15 Or Susa
- Esther 3:15 palace
- Esther 3:15 in confusion
Esther 3
King James Version
3 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?
4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.
5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore 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 Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.
8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for 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 pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.
10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.
13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.
14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.
15 The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.
Esther 3
English Standard Version
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. 6 But he disdained[a] to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy[b] all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, (I)they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is (J)the month of Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. (K)Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them. 9 If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents[c] of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries.” 10 (L)So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman (M)the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, (N)the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”
12 (O)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 (P)satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, (Q)to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written (R)in the name of King Ahasuerus (S)and sealed with the king's signet ring. 13 Letters were sent (T)by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction (U)to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, (V)in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, (W)and to plunder their goods. 14 (X)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 (Y)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, (Z)but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.
Footnotes
- Esther 3:6 Hebrew disdained in his eyes
- Esther 3:6 Or annihilate
- Esther 3:9 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
Esther 3
Modern English Version
Haman Plots to Destroy the Jews
3 After these things King Ahasuerus praised Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and promoted him, and set his seat above all the officials who were with him. 2 All the king’s servants, when they were at the king’s gate, bowed or paid homage to Haman since the king had commanded it. Mordecai, however, never bowed or paid homage.
3 So the king’s servants tending the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the king’s commandment?” 4 Though they spoke to him daily, he never listened to them, so they reported it to Haman to see if the words of Mordecai would stand, for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed nor paid him homage, he was filled with rage. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on only Mordecai, since they had told him of the people of Mordecai. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, cast lots) before Haman daily, and each month, until the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, to determine the time.
8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There exists a scattered people dispersed among the other peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from all others, and they are not complying with the king’s laws, so there may not be a suitable reason for the king to allow them to exist. 9 If it pleases the king, may it be written that they are to be destroyed, and may there be ten thousand talents[a] of silver deposited into the king’s treasuries so that I may distribute it to the hands of those doing the work.”
10 The king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 The king said to Haman, “The silver has been granted to you, as have the people, so do with each as it pleases you.”
12 Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written just as Haman had commanded to the king’s satraps and to the governors over each province and to the officials of all peoples and to every province according to its own script, and to every people in their language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 The letters were sent by mounted couriers into all the king’s provinces to cause the destruction, slaughter, and annihilation of all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and even to plunder their possessions. 14 A copy of the document, issued as law in every province, was proclaimed, calling for all people to be ready for the day.
15 The couriers went out, being hastened by the king’s command. At the citadel of Susa, when the decree was issued, the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in uproar.
Footnotes
- Esther 3:9 About 375 tons, or 340 metric tons.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.