Esther 3

Wycliffe Bible

3 After these things king Ahasuerus enhanced Haman, the son of Hammedatha, that was of the kindred of Agag, and the king set his throne above all the princes that he had. (And after these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha, who was a descendant of Agag, and the enemy of the Jews, and the king put Haman’s throne above all the other princes, or the leaders, that he had.)

² And all the servants of the king, that served in the gates of the palace, kneeled, and worshipped Haman; for so the emperor had commanded to them; but Mordecai alone bowed not his knees to him, neither worshipped him. (And all the king’s officials, who were in attendance at the royal court, kneeled before Haman, and honoured him; for the king had so commanded them; but Mordecai alone did not bow his knee to Haman, nor show him any respect.)

³ And the servants of the king, that sat above at the gates of the palace, said to Mordecai, Why keepest thou not the commandments of the king, (but doest) otherwise than other men? (And the king’s officials, who were in attendance at the royal court, said to Mordecai, Why followest thou not the king’s commands, like all the other men do?)

⁴ And when they said full oft to him these things, and he would not hear them, they told to Haman, for they coveted to know, whether he continued in the sentence that he had showed to them; for he had said to them, that he was a Jew. (And when they had repeatedly said these things to him, and he would not listen to them, and show respect for Haman, then they told all of this to Haman, for they coveted to know whether Mordecai’s conduct would be tolerated; for Mordecai had said to them, that he was a Jew.)

⁵ And when Haman had heard this thing, and had proved by experience, that Mordecai bowed not his knee to him, neither worshipped him, he was full wroth, (And when Haman had heard about this, and had seen with his own eyes, that Mordecai did not bow his knee to him, or show him any respect, he was enraged,)

⁶ and Haman areckoned it for nought to set his hands upon Mordecai alone, to kill him; for he had heard, that Mordecai was of the folk of Jews, and the more rather he would destroy all the nation of Jews, which were in the realm of Ahasuerus. (but Haman reckoned that it would be useless to only put his hands upon Mordecai; for he had heard that Mordecai was of the nation of the Jews, and so he plotted to destroy the entire nation of the Jews, who were in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.)

⁷ In the first month, whose name is Nisan, that is, April, in the twelfth year of the realm of Ahasuerus, lot was cast into a vessel, the which lot is said in Hebrew pur, before Haman, to know in what day and in what month the folk of Jews ought to be slain; and by the lot the twelfth month went out, that is called Adar, that is, March. (So in the first month, that is called Nisan, or April, in the twelfth year of Ahasuerus’ reign, the lot was cast, which is called pur in Hebrew, in the sight of Haman, to know on what day and on what month the nation of the Jews ought to be destroyed; and by the lot the twelfth month went out, that is called Adar, or March.)

⁸ And then Haman said to king Ahasuerus, A people is scattered by all the provinces of thy realm, and it is separated from itself, and this people useth new laws and ceremonies, and furthermore also it despiseth the behests of the king; and thou knowest best, that it speedeth not to thy realm, that it increase in malice by (thy) license. (And then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a people scattered in all the provinces of thy kingdom, and they be separated unto themselves, and this people useth different laws and statutes, and furthermore they also despise the king’s laws; and thou knowest best, that it profiteth not to thy kingdom, if they increase their malice, yea, by thy license.)

⁹ If it please thee, deem and command thou that this people perish, and I shall pay ten thousand talents of silver to the keepers of thy treasure. (So if it please thee, judge this and then command thou that this people perish, or be destroyed, and I shall even pay ten thousand talents of silver to the keepers of thy treasury unto this end.)

¹⁰ Therefore the king took from his hand the ring which he used, and he gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of the kindred of Agag, the enemy of Jews. (And so the king took off the ring, which he used for a signet, from his finger, and he gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.)

¹¹ And the king said to Haman, The silver, which thou promisedest, be thine (own); do thou of the people that, that pleaseth thee (thou may do with these people, whatever pleaseth thee).

¹² And then the scribes, or the writers, of the king were called in the first month of Nisan, that is, April, in the thirteenth day of the same month; and it was written, as Haman had commanded, to all the princes of the king, and to doomsmen of diverse provinces and of folks, that for diversity of language, each folk might read these letters and hear them, in the name of king Ahasuerus. (And then the writers of the king were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, that is called Nisan, or April; and it was written, as Haman had commanded, to all the king’s princes, or leaders, and to the judges, or rulers, of diverse provinces and nations, so that in their own language, each nation might read these letters and hear them, in the name of King Ahasuerus.)

¹³ And letters, asealed with the ring of the king, were sent by the couriers of the king to all his provinces, (with orders) that they should slay, and do away, or destroy, all Jews, from a child to an eld man, little children and women, in one day, that is, in the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is called Adar, or March; and that they should (also) take away the goods of the Jews. (And letters, sealed with the king’s ring, that is, with his signet, were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces, with orders that the people should kill, and destroy, all the Jews, from a child unto an old man, women and children alike, in one day, that is, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is called Adar, or March; and that they should also take away all the possessions of the Jews.)

¹⁴ And the sentence of the letters was this, written in a few words, that all (the peoples of the) provinces should know (about), and make them(selves) ready, to the foresaid day. (And so in a few words, the sentence of the letters was this, that all the people of the provinces should know about, and prepare themselves for, the coming day of death and destruction.)

¹⁵ And the couriers, that were sent forth, hasted to [ful]fill the commandment of the king; and anon the behest of the king was hanged up in the city of Susa, while the king and Haman made a feast, and all the Jews wept, that were in that city. (And the couriers, who were sent out, hastened to fulfill the king’s command; and the king’s order was also hung up at once in the capital city of Susa; and so while the king and Haman drank together, all the Jews, who were in that city, wept and mourned.)