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Conspiración de Amán

Después de esto el rey Asuero engrandeció a Amán, hijo de Hamedata agagueo(A), y lo ensalzó y estableció su autoridad[a] sobre todos los príncipes que estaban con él(B). Y todos los siervos del rey que estaban a la puerta del rey se inclinaban y se postraban ante Amán, porque así había ordenado el rey en cuanto a él; pero Mardoqueo ni se inclinaba ni se postraba(C). Entonces los siervos del rey, que estaban a la puerta del rey(D), dijeron a Mardoqueo: ¿Por qué traspasas el mandato del rey(E)? Y sucedió que después que ellos le habían hablado día tras día y él se había negado a escucharlos, se lo informaron a Amán para ver si la palabra de Mardoqueo era firme; porque él les había declarado que era judío. Cuando Amán vio que Mardoqueo no se inclinaba ni se postraba ante él, Amán se llenó de furor(F). Y él no se contentó con[b] echar mano solo a Mardoqueo, pues le habían informado cuál era el pueblo de Mardoqueo; por tanto Amán procuró destruir a todos los judíos(G), el pueblo de Mardoqueo, que estaban por todo el reino de Asuero.

En el mes primero, que es el mes de Nisán, el año doce del rey Asuero, se echó el Pur, es decir la suerte, delante de Amán(H) para cada día y cada mes hasta el[c] mes doce, que es el mes de Adar(I). Y Amán dijo al rey Asuero: Hay un pueblo esparcido y diseminado entre los pueblos en todas las provincias de tu reino; sus leyes son diferentes de las de todos los demás pueblos, y no guardan las leyes del rey, así que no conviene al rey dejarlos vivos(J). Si al rey le parece bien, decrétese[d] que sean destruidos, y yo pagaré diez mil talentos[e] de plata en manos de los que manejan los negocios del rey, para que los pongan en los tesoros del rey. 10 El rey tomó de su mano el anillo de sellar y se lo dio a Amán(K), hijo de Hamedata agagueo(L), enemigo de los judíos(M). 11 Y el rey dijo a Amán: Quédate con[f] la plata, y también con el pueblo, para que hagas con él lo que te parezca bien. 12 Entonces fueron llamados los escribas del rey(N) el día trece del mes primero, y conforme a todo lo que Amán había ordenado, fue escrito a los sátrapas del rey(O), a los gobernadores que estaban sobre cada provincia y a los príncipes de cada pueblo, a cada provincia conforme a su escritura, a cada pueblo conforme a su lengua, escrito en el nombre del rey Asuero y sellado con el anillo del rey(P). 13 Y se enviaron cartas por medio[g] de los correos(Q) a todas las provincias del rey para destruir, matar y exterminar a todos los judíos(R), jóvenes y ancianos, niños y mujeres, en un solo día, el día trece del mes doce, que es el mes de Adar(S), y sus posesiones dadas al saqueo(T). 14 La copia del edicto que sería promulgada[h] ley en cada provincia fue publicada a todos los pueblos para que estuvieran preparados para ese día(U). 15 Salieron los correos apremiados por la orden del rey. El decreto fue promulgado[i] en la fortaleza de Susa, y mientras el rey y Amán se sentaron a beber, la ciudad de Susa estaba consternada(V).

Footnotes

  1. Ester 3:1 Lit., puso su asiento
  2. Ester 3:6 Lit., despreció en sus ojos
  3. Ester 3:7 La versión gr. (sept.) dice: y la suerte cayó en el día trece del
  4. Ester 3:9 Lit., escríbase
  5. Ester 3:9 Un talento equivale aprox. a 34 kg.
  6. Ester 3:11 Lit., Te es dada
  7. Ester 3:13 Lit., mano
  8. Ester 3:14 Lit., dada
  9. Ester 3:15 Lit., dado

After these things did HaMelech Achashverosh promote Haman ben Hamdata the Agagi [Num 24:7], and advanced him, and set his rank above all the other sarim (nobles).

And all the avadim of HaMelech, that were in the Sha’ar HaMelech, bowed, and paid homage to Haman, for HaMelech had so commanded concerning him. But Mordechai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

Then avadim of HaMelech, which were in the Sha’ar HaMelech, said unto Mordechai, Why transgressest thou the mitzvat HaMelech?

Now it came to pass, when they spoke yom vayom unto him, and his was a lo shema (not listen) unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordechai’s behavior would be tolerated; for he had told them that hu Yehudi (he was a Jew).

And when Haman saw that Mordechai ein korei’a (bowed not), nor to him mishtachaveh (would prostrate, worship [Devarim 5:9]), then was Haman full of chemah (wrath).

And he scorned to lay hands on Mordechai alone; since they had told him the Am Mordechai; therefore Haman sought to make shmad of kol haYehudim that were throughout the kol Malkhut Achashverosh, even the Am Mordechai.

In the chodesh harishon (first month), that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of HaMelech Achashverosh, they cast Pur, that is, the goral (lot), before Haman miyom l’yom (from day to day, every day), and me’chodesh l’chodesh (from month to month, every month) until the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

And Haman said unto HaMelech Achashverosh, There is Am Echad scattered abroad and dispersed among the amim in all the provinces of thy malkhut (kingdom, realm); and their dat (law) is different from kol am; neither obey they the datei HaMelech; therefore it is not suitable for HaMelech to tolerate them.

If it please HaMelech, let it be written that they may be killed, and I will weigh ten thousand talents of kesef into the hands of those that are the osei hamelachah (doers of the work, T.N. i.e., the S.S.), to bring it into genazim (treasuries [T.N. see the word genizah here]) of HaMelech.

10 And HaMelech took his taba’at (signet ring) from his hand, and gave it unto Haman ben Hamdata the Agagi, the tzorer (vexer, harasser) of the Yehudim.

11 And HaMelech said unto Haman, The kesef is given to thee, HaAm also, to do with them as it seemeth good in thine eyes.

12 Then were the soferim of HaMelech summoned on the shloshah asar yom of chodesh harishon, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded, unto the satraps of HaMelech, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the sarim of every people of every province according to the script thereof, and to every people after their leshon; b’shem HaMelech Achashverosh was it written, and sealed with the taba’at HaMelech (the signet ring of HaMelech).

13 And the sefarim were sent by couriers into all the provinces of HaMelech, to make shmad, to kill, and to annihilate kol HaYehudim, both na’ar and zaken (young and old), little children and nashim, on yom echad (one day), even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to plunder their possessions.

14 The copy of the edict to be issued as dat (law) in every province was published unto kol ha’amim, that they should be atidim (ready, prepared) for yom hazeh (that day).

15 The couriers went out, being hastened by the devar HaMelech, and the dat was issued in Shushan the capital. And HaMelech and Haman sat down to drink, but the city Shushan was in confusion.

Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews

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. All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”(B) Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply.(C) Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.(D) Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way(E) to destroy(F) all Mordecai’s people, the Jews,(G) throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur(H) (that is, the lot(I)) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on[a] the twelfth month, the month of Adar.(J)

Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs(K) are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey(L) the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.(M) If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents[b] of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”(N)

10 So the king took his signet ring(O) from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”

12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language(P) of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed(Q) with his own ring. 13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews(R)—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,(S) and to plunder(T) their goods. 14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.(U)

15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.(V) The king and Haman sat down to drink,(W) but the city of Susa was bewildered.(X)

Footnotes

  1. Esther 3:7 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have And the lot fell on.
  2. Esther 3:9 That is, about 375 tons or about 340 metric tons