Esther 3
Lexham English Bible
Haman is Promoted
3 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and he exalted him and set his position[a] above all the officials who were with him. 2 And all of the king’s servants who were at the gate of the king were kneeling and bowing down to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him, but Mordecai did not kneel and bow down. 3 And the king’s servants who were at the gate of the king said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the command of the king?” 4 They spoke to him day after day, but he did not listen to them, and they informed Haman to see if Mordecai’s resolve would prevail;[b] for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And Haman saw that Mordecai was not kneeling and bowing down to him, and he was filled with anger. 6 But he considered it beneath him[c] to lay hands on Mordecai only, for they told him of Mordecai’s people, and Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.
7 In the first month, that is, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasurus, he cast pur—that is, the lot—before the presence of Haman for the day and for the month,[d] until[e] the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar. 8 And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all of the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from every other people, and they do not observe[f] the laws of the king; it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will pay[g] ten thousand talents[h] of silver to those who do the job, to bring to the treasury of the king.” 10 So the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you and to the people to do with it as you see fit.[i]
12 And the king’s secretaries were called in the first month on the thirteenth day, and a decree was issued, according to all that Haman commanded, to the satraps of the king and to the governors who were over all the provinces, and to the officials of all the people, to each province according to its own script and to all people according to their own language; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and was sealed with the king’s ring. 13 Letters were sent by couriers[j] to all the provinces of the king to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old,[k] women and children, on one day, the thirteenth day of the month, that is Adar, and to plunder their goods. 14 A copy of the edict was presented as law in every province making it known to all the people to be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out quickly by order of the king, and the law was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; and the city of Susa was bewildered.[l]
Footnotes
- Esther 3:1 Literally “his throne”
- Esther 3:4 Literally “the word’s of Mordecai would stand”
- Esther 3:6 Literally “he despised it in his eyes”
- Esther 3:7 Literally “from day to day and from month to month”
- Esther 3:7 The Septuagint adds, “and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of”
- Esther 3:8 Literally “do”
- Esther 3:9 Or “I will weigh”
- Esther 3:9 Hebrew “talent”
- Esther 3:11 Literally “as the good is in your eyes”
- Esther 3:13 Or “by runners”
- Esther 3:13 Literally “from young to old”
- Esther 3:15 Or “disturbed”
Esther 3
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Haman Undertakes to Destroy the Jews
3 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite and advanced him and set his seat 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 did obeisance to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or do obeisance.(A) 3 Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”(B) 4 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 When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or do obeisance to him, Haman was infuriated.(C) 6 But he thought it beneath him to kill[a] only Mordecai. So, having been told who Mordecai’s people were, Haman plotted to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.(D)
7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur—which means “the lot”—before Haman for the day and for the month, and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of[b] the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.(E) 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king’s laws, so that it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them.(F) 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued for their destruction, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king’s business, so that they may put it into the king’s treasuries.” 10 So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.(G) 11 The king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, and the people as well, to do with them as it seems good to you.”
12 Then the king’s secretaries 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 satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s ring.(H) 13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces, giving orders to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, children and women, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.(I) 14 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation, calling on all the peoples to be ready for that day.(J) 15 The couriers went quickly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.(K)
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.