Esther 3:7-15
New King James 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, 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; (B)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 (C)took (D)his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the (E)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 (F)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 (G)according to its script, and to every people in their language. (H)In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 And the letters were (I)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, (J)in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and (K)to plunder their [d]possessions. 14 (L)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 (M)the city of Shushan was [g]perplexed.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 3:7 Lit. from day to day and month to month
- Esther 3:7 LXX adds to destroy the people of Mordecai in one day; Vg. adds the nation of the Jews should be destroyed
- Esther 3:7 So with MT, Vg.; LXX and the lot fell on the fourteenth of the month
- Esther 3:13 LXX adds the text of the letter here
- Esther 3:15 Or Susa
- Esther 3:15 palace
- Esther 3:15 in confusion
Esther 3:7-15
21st Century King James Version
7 In the first month, that is, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot) before Haman, from day to day and from month to month to the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar.
8 And Haman said unto King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people, neither keep they the king’s laws. Therefore it is not to the king’s profit to suffer them.
9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those who have charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”
10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
11 And the king said unto Haman, “The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.”
12 Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors who were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.
13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, little children and women in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to take the spoil of them for plunder.
14 The copy of the writing, to be given for a commandment in every province, was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.
15 The posts went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in the palace of Shushan. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.
Read full chapterScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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