⁷ It was in the first month [^CApril] of the twelfth year [^Cabout 474 bc; approximately a year later] of King ·Xerxes’ [^LAhasuerus’s] ·rule [reign]—the month of Nisan. Pur (that is, the lot [^Cdice-like objects]) was thrown before Haman to choose a day and a month. ·So […and; …until] the twelfth month, the month of Adar, was chosen.

⁸ Then Haman said to King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus], “There is ·a certain group of [^Lone] people ·scattered [dispersed and spread] among the ·other people [nations; ^Lpeoples] in all the ·states [provinces] of your ·kingdom [empire]. Their ·customs [laws] are different from those of all the other ·people [nations; ^Lpeoples], and they do not ·obey [observe; keep] the king’s laws. It is not ·right for you [in the king’s interest] to allow them to ·continue living in your kingdom [remain; ^Lcause them to rest]. ⁹ If it ·pleases [^Lis good to] the king, let ·an order be given [it be decreed] to destroy those people. Then I will pay ·seven hundred fifty thousand pounds [^Lten thousand talents] of silver to ·those who do the king’s [the officials who carry out this] business, and they will put it into the royal treasury.”

¹⁰ So the king took his signet ring off his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the ·enemy [persecutor; oppressor] of the Jews. ¹¹ Then the king said to Haman, “The ·money [^Lsilver] and the people are yours [^Cperhaps telling Haman to keep his money, or that he could have the Jews’ money, or that he could spend his money this way if he wished; see 4:7]. Do with them as ·you please [^Lis good in your eyes].”

¹² On the thirteenth day of the first month [^CApril 17], the royal ·secretaries [scribes] were called, and they wrote out all of Haman’s ·orders [commands]. They wrote to the king’s governors and to the ·captains of the soldiers [high officials] in each ·state [province] and to the ·important men [nobles] of each ·group of people [nation]. The ·orders [edicts; decrees] were written in the ·writing [script] of each ·state [province] and in the language of each people. They were written in the name of King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus] and sealed with his signet ring. ¹³ ·Letters [Dispatches; Scrolls] were sent by ·messengers [couriers] to all the king’s ·empire [^Lprovinces] ordering them to destroy, kill, and ·completely wipe out [annihilate] all the Jews, young and old, including women and little children. It was to happen on a single day—the thirteenth day of the twelfth month [^CMarch 7, about twelve months later], which was Adar. And they could ·take [plunder; confiscate] ·everything the Jewish people owned [^Ltheir possessions]. ¹⁴ A copy of the ·order [edict; decree] was given out as a law in every ·state [province] so all the ·people [nations; ^Lpeoples] would be ready for that day.

¹⁵ The ·messengers [couriers] set out, ·hurried [spurred on; impelled] by the king’s command, as soon as the ·order [edict; decree] was given in the ·palace [citadel; fortress] at Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was ·in confusion [bewildered; in an uproar].