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Esther 3
New International Version - UK

Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews

3 After these events, King Xerxes honoured Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honour higher than that of all the other nobles. 2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honour to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honour.

3 Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, ‘Why do you disobey the king’s command?’ 4 Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behaviour would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honour, he was enraged. 6 Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur (that is, the lot) 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.

8 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 are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. 9 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.’

10 So the king took his signet ring 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 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 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 – young and old, women and children – on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder 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 that they would be ready for that day.

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

Footnotes

  1. Esther 3:7 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have And the lot fell on.
  2. Esther 3:9 That is, about 340 metric tons
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Ester 3
La Biblia de las Américas

Conspiración de Amán

3 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). 2 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). 3 Entonces los siervos del rey, que estaban a la puerta del rey(D), dijeron a Mardoqueo: ¿Por qué traspasas el mandato del rey(E)? 4 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. 5 Cuando Amán vio que Mardoqueo no se inclinaba ni se postraba ante él, Amán se llenó de furor(F). 6 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.

7 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). 8 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). 9 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
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Esther 3
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. 2 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.

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

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

7 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)

8 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) 9 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
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Esther 3
New King James Version

Haman’s Conspiracy Against the Jews

3 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the (A)Agagite, and (B)advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants who were (C)within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai (D)would not bow or pay homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the (E)king’s command?” 4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that Mordecai (F)did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was (G)filled with wrath. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman (H)sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.

7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, (I)they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman [a]to determine the day and the [b]month, [c]until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; (J)their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”

10 So the king (K)took (L)his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the (M)enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you.”

12 (N)Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province (O)according to its script, and to every people in their language. (P)In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 And the letters were (Q)sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, (R)in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and (S)to plunder their [d]possessions. 14 (T)A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in [e]Shushan the [f]citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but (U)the city of Shushan was [g]perplexed.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 3:7 Lit. from day to day and month to month
  2. Esther 3:7 LXX adds to destroy the people of Mordecai in one day; Vg. adds the nation of the Jews should be destroyed
  3. Esther 3:7 So with MT, Vg.; LXX and the lot fell on the fourteenth of the month
  4. Esther 3:13 LXX adds the text of the letter here
  5. Esther 3:15 Or Susa
  6. Esther 3:15 palace
  7. Esther 3:15 in confusion
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New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA)

Copyright © 1986, 1995, 1997 by The Lockman Foundation

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New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

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