Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews

3 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,^(A) elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.

¹³ The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, ¹⁴ he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged^(A) you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.”

¹⁴ “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’

¹⁵ “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade;^(A) but if not, then let fire come out^(B) of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’^(C)

¹⁶ “Have you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated him as he deserves? ¹⁷ Remember that my father fought for you and risked^(D) his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian. ¹⁸ But today you have revolted against my father’s family. You have murdered his seventy sons^(E) on a single stone and have made Abimelek, the son of his female slave, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is related to you. ¹⁹ So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today?^(F) If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too! ²⁰ But if you have not, let fire come out^(G) from Abimelek and consume you, the citizens of Shechem^(H) and Beth Millo,^(I) and let fire come out from you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelek!”

³ If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges^(A) with evil thoughts?

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:^(B) Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world^(C) to be rich in faith^(D) and to inherit the kingdom^(E) he promised those who love him?^(F)