Greek Esther 3:7-9

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

⁷ In the twelfth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, Haman^[a] came to a decision and cast lots, taking the days and the months one by one, to fix on one day to destroy the whole people of Mordecai. The lot fell on the fourteenth^[b] day of the month of Adar.^(A)

Decree against the Jews

⁸ Then Haman^[c] said to King Artaxerxes, “There is a certain nation scattered among the other nations in all your kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other nation, and they do not keep the laws of the king. It is not expedient for the king to tolerate them.^{(B) 9} If it pleases the king, let him decree that they are to be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the king’s treasury.”