Esther 3:1-6

New International Version

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. ²All 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.

³Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”^(B) ⁴Day 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.

⁵When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.^(D) ⁶Yet 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.

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Esther 5:9-14

New International Version

Haman’s Rage Against Mordecai

⁹Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage^(A) against Mordecai.^(B) ¹⁰Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.

Calling together his friends and Zeresh,^(C) his wife, ¹¹Haman boasted^(D) to them about his vast wealth, his many sons,^(E) and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. ¹²“And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person^(F) Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. ¹³But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.^(G)”

¹⁴His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits,^[a]^(H) and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled^(I) on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.

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