Esther 3:1-6
New American Standard Bible
Haman’s Plot against the Jews
3 After these events King Ahasuerus (A)honored Haman, the son of Hammedatha (B)the Agagite, and (C)promoted him and [a]established his authority over all the officials who were with him. 2 All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid [b]homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded regarding him. But (D)Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid [c]homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were at (E)the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “(F)Why are you violating the king’s command?” 4 Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would [d]stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that (G)Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid [e]homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6 But he [f]considered it beneath his dignity to [g]kill Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; so Haman (H)sought to annihilate all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were found throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus.
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- Esther 3:1 Lit set his seat
- Esther 3:2 I.e., great respect and honor to a superior
- Esther 3:2 I.e., great respect and honor to a superior
- Esther 3:4 I.e., as valid
- Esther 3:5 I.e., great respect and honor to a superior
- Esther 3:6 Lit despised in his eyes
- Esther 3:6 Lit send a hand against
Esther 3:1-6
Common English Bible
Haman plans to destroy Mordecai
3 Sometime later, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, Hammedatha the Agagite’s son,[a] by promoting him above all the officials who worked with him. 2 All the royal workers at the King’s Gate would kneel and bow facedown to Haman because the king had so ordered. But Mordecai didn’t kneel or bow down. 3 So the royal workers at the King’s Gate said to Mordecai, “Why don’t you obey the king’s order?” 4 Day after day they questioned him, but he paid no attention to them. So they let Haman know about it just to see whether or not Mordecai’s words would hold true.[b] (He had told them that he was a Jew.) 5 When Haman himself saw that Mordecai didn’t kneel or bow down to him, he became very angry. 6 But he decided not to kill only Mordecai, for people had told him Mordecai’s race. Instead, he planned to wipe out all the Jews, Mordecai’s people, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
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- Esther 3:1 Or the braggart
- Esther 3:4 Or stand
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