Esther 3
Legacy Standard Bible
Haman Seeks to Destroy the Jews
3 After these things, King Ahasuerus (A)magnified Haman, the son of Hammedatha (B)the Agagite, and (C)advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate were bowing down and prostrating themselves before Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But (D)Mordecai would not bow down or prostrate himself. 3 So the king’s servants who were at (E)the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “(F)Why do you trespass against the king’s command?” 4 Now it happened when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 Then Haman saw that (G)Mordecai was not bowing down or prostrating himself before him. So Haman was filled with wrath. 6 But he despised in his eyes to send forth his hand against Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman (H)sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, [a]Pur, that is the lot, was (I)cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, [b]until the twelfth month, that is (J)the month Adar. 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; (K)their laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not do the king’s laws, so it is not worth it for the king to let them remain. 9 If it seems good to the king, let it be written down that they should perish, and I will pay [c]10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who do this work, to bring into the king’s treasuries.” 10 Then (L)the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha (M)the Agagite, (N)the adversary of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The silver is [d]yours, and the people also, to do with them according to what is good in your eyes.”
12 (O)Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to (P)the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its tongue, being written (Q)in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 And letters were sent by the hand of (R)couriers to all the king’s provinces (S)to destroy, to kill, and to cause all the Jews to perish, both young and old, little ones and women, (T)in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to (U)plunder their spoil. 14 (V)A copy of that which was written down to be given as law in every province was revealed to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. 15 The couriers went out, hastened by the word of the king. And the law was given at the citadel in Susa. Now the king and Haman sat down to drink, but (W)the city of Susa was in confusion.
Footnotes
- Esther 3:7 Lit he cast Pur...before
- Esther 3:7 Gr and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of
- Esther 3:9 Approx. 375 tons or 340 metric tons, a talent was approx. 75 lb. or 34 kg
- Esther 3:11 Lit given to you
Esther 3
Christian Standard Bible
Haman’s Plan to Kill the Jews
3 After all this took place, King Ahasuerus honored Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite.(A) He promoted him in rank and gave him a higher position than all the other officials.(B) 2 The entire royal staff at the King’s Gate(C) bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded this to be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage.(D) 3 The members of the royal staff at the King’s Gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?” 4 When they had warned him day after day(E) and he still would not listen to them, they told Haman in order to see if Mordecai’s actions would be tolerated, since he had told them he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing down or paying him homage, he was filled with rage.(F) 6 And when he learned of Mordecai’s ethnic identity, it seemed repugnant to Haman to do away with[a] Mordecai alone. He planned to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews,(G) throughout Ahasuerus’s kingdom.(H)
7 In the first month, the month of Nisan, in King Ahasuerus’s twelfth year,(I) the pur—that is, the lot—was cast before Haman for each day in each month, and it fell on the twelfth month,(J) the month Adar.(K) 8 Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, “There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom,(L) keeping themselves separate. Their laws are different from everyone else’s and they do not obey the king’s laws.(M) It is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.(N) 9 If the king approves, let an order be drawn up authorizing their destruction, and I will pay 375 tons of silver to[b] the officials for deposit in the royal treasury.”(O)
10 The king removed his signet ring(P) from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.(Q) 11 Then the king told Haman, “The money and people are given to you to do with as you see fit.”
12 The royal scribes were summoned(R) on the thirteenth day of the first month, and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded. It was intended for the royal satraps,(S) the governors of each of the provinces, and the officials of each ethnic group and written for each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language.(T) It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus(U) and sealed with the royal signet ring.(V) 13 Letters were sent by couriers(W) to each of the royal provinces telling the officials to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people—young and old, women and children—and plunder their possessions on a single day,(X) the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.[c]
14 A copy of the text, issued as law throughout every province, was distributed to all the peoples so that they might get ready for that day. 15 The couriers left, spurred on by royal command, and the law was issued in the fortress of Susa.(Y) The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was in confusion.(Z)
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