Esther 3:7-15
Lexham English Bible
7 In the first month, that is, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasurus, he cast pur—that is, the lot—before the presence of Haman for the day and for the month,[a] until[b] the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar. 8 And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all of the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from every other people, and they do not observe[c] the laws of the king; it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will pay[d] ten thousand talents[e] of silver to those who do the job, to bring to the treasury of the king.” 10 So the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you and to the people to do with it as you see fit.[f]
12 And the king’s secretaries were called in the first month on the thirteenth day, and a decree was issued, according to all that Haman commanded, to the satraps of the king and to the governors who were over all the provinces, and to the officials of all the people, to each province according to its own script and to all people according to their own language; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and was sealed with the king’s ring. 13 Letters were sent by couriers[g] to all the provinces of the king to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old,[h] women and children, on one day, the thirteenth day of the month, that is Adar, and to plunder their goods. 14 A copy of the edict was presented as law in every province making it known to all the people to be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out quickly by order of the king, and the law was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; and the city of Susa was bewildered.[i]
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- Esther 3:7 Literally “from day to day and from month to month”
- Esther 3:7 The Septuagint adds, “and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of”
- Esther 3:8 Literally “do”
- Esther 3:9 Or “I will weigh”
- Esther 3:9 Hebrew “talent”
- Esther 3:11 Literally “as the good is in your eyes”
- Esther 3:13 Or “by runners”
- Esther 3:13 Literally “from young to old”
- Esther 3:15 Or “disturbed”
Esther 3:7-15
English Standard Version
7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, (A)they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is (B)the month of Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. (C)Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them. 9 If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents[a] of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries.” 10 (D)So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman (E)the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, (F)the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”
12 (G)Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's (H)satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, (I)to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written (J)in the name of King Ahasuerus (K)and sealed with the king's signet ring. 13 Letters were sent (L)by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction (M)to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, (N)in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, (O)and to plunder their goods. 14 (P)A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation to all the peoples to be ready for that day. 15 (Q)The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, (R)but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.
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- Esther 3:9 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
