Esther 3

1 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him to a position above all the princes who were with him.

2 All the royal servants at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded that this be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage.

3 Then the royal servants at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the command of the king?”

4 Day after day they warned him, but he would not comply. So they reported it to Haman to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, since he had told them he was a Jew.

5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him homage, he was filled with rage.

6 And when he learned the identity of Mordecai’s people, he scorned the notion of laying hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he sought to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the kingdom of Xerxes.

7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman to determine a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

8 Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.

9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will deposit ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury to pay those who carry it out.”

10 So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

11 “Keep your money,” said the king to Haman. “These people are given to you to do with them as you please.”

12 On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of each people, in the script of each province and the language of every people. It was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the royal signet ring.

13 And the letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces with the order to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—and to plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.

14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that they would be ready on that day.

15 The couriers left, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.

1 ¶ After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that [were] with him.

2 And all the king's servants, that [were] in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did [him] reverence.

3 Then the king's servants, which [were] in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?

4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he [was] a Jew.

5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that [were] throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, [even] the people of Mordecai.

7 ¶ In the first month, that [is], the month 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 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 for 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 that have the 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 that [were] over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and [to] every people after 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 Adar, and [to take] the spoil of them for a prey.

14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given 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 Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

1 According to these acts king Ahasuerus magnified Haman the son of Medatha the Agagite, and exalted him, and set over his throne all the princes that were with him.

2 And all the king's servants that were in the king's gate bowed the knee, and worshipped Haman: for the king had so commanded. But Mordecai bowed not his knees, nor worshipped.

3 And the king's servants that were in the king's gate said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?

4 And when they had said these things unto him daily, and he obeyed them not, they told Haman, that they might see whether the doings of Mordecai would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not his knees to him, nor worshipped him, he was filled with wrath.

6 And he despised to lay hands on Mordecai alone, because they had told him the people of Mordecai: but he sought to destroy the people of Mordecai, all the Jews that were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

7 In the first month, which is the moon Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, was the lot cast before Haman from day to day, and from the month to the twelfth month, which is the moon Adar.

8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a people scattered, and divided among all nations, throughout all the coasts of thy kingdom; and their law is diverse from all nations, and they do not the king's statutes: and it is not meet for the king to suffer them to do so.

9 If it please the king, let him write that it be put to death: and I will weigh ten thousand talents of silver in the hand of the officers, and bring it into the king's chamber.

10 And the king took off his ring from off his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Medatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

11 And the king said unto Haman, Let the silver be given thee, and the people with thee, that thou mayest do therewith as it pleaseth thee.

12 Then the king's scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month: and it was written, as Haman commanded, unto the king's princes, and to the governors to and fro in the countries, and to the captains of every people in the countries to and fro, according to the writing of every people, and according to their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed with the king's rings.

13 And the letters were sent by the runners into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to slay, and to kill all the Jews, both young and old, children and women, in one day, even in the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the moon Adar, and to spoil their substance.

14 So the content of the scripture was, that a commandment should be given in all countries, to open unto all nations, that they should be sent unto the same day.

15 And the runners went out in haste, according to the king's commandment. And there was a commandment posted in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman did eat and drink: but the city of Shushan went astray.