Esther 3

1After these thingsH1697 did kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 promote HamanH2001 the sonH1121 of Hammedatha the AgagiteH91, and advanced him, and setH7760 his seatH3678 above all the princesH8269 that were with him. 2And all the king’sH4428 servantsH5650, that were in the king’sH4428 gateH8179, bowedH7812 downH7812, and did reverence to HamanH2001; for the kingH4428 had soH3651 commandedH6680 concerning him. But MordecaiH4782 bowedH7812 not downH7812, nor did him reverence. 3Then the king’sH4428 servantsH5650, that were in the king’sH4428 gateH8179, saidH559 unto MordecaiH4782, WhyH4069 transgressest thou the king’sH4428 commandmentH4687? 4Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they toldH5046 HamanH2001, to seeH7200 whether Mordecai’s mattersH1697 would standH5975: for he had toldH5046 them that he wasH1961 a JewH3064. 5And when HamanH2001 sawH7200 that MordecaiH4782 bowedH7812 not downH7812, nor did him reverence, then was HamanH2001 fullH4390 of wrathH2534. 6But he thought scorn to lay handsH3027 on MordecaiH4782 aloneH905; for they had made known to him the peopleH5971 of MordecaiH4782: wherefore HamanH2001 soughtH1245 to destroyH8045 all the JewsH3064 that were throughout the whole kingdomH4438 of AhasuerusH325, even the peopleH5971 of MordecaiH4782.

7In the firstH7223 monthH2320, which is the monthH2320 NisanH5212, in the twelfth yearH8141 of kingH4428 AhasuerusH325, they castH5307 PurH6332, that is, the lotH1486, before HamanH2001 from dayH3117 to dayH3117, and from monthH2320 to monthH2320, to the twelfth monthH2320, which is the monthH2320 AdarH143. 8And HamanH2001 saidH559 unto kingH4428 AhasuerusH325, There is a certain peopleH5971 scatteredH6340 abroad and dispersed among the peoplesH5971 in all the provincesH4082 of thy kingdomH4438; and their lawsH1881 are diverse from those of every peopleH5971; neither keep they the king’sH4428 lawsH1881: therefore it is not for the king’sH4428 profit to suffer them. 9If it please the kingH4428, let it be writtenH3789 that they be destroyedH6: and I will pay tenH6235 thousandH505 talentsH3603 of silverH3701 into the handsH3027 of those that have the charge of the king’sH4428 businessH4399, to bringH935 it into the king’sH4428 treasuriesH1595. 10And the kingH4428 took his ringH2885 from his handH3027, and gaveH5414 it unto HamanH2001 the sonH1121 of Hammedatha the AgagiteH91, the Jews’H3064 enemy. 11And the kingH4428 saidH559 unto HamanH2001, The silverH3701 is givenH5414 to thee, the peopleH5971 also, to do with them as it seemeth goodH2896 to thee.

12Then were the king’sH4428 scribesH5608 calledH7121 in the firstH7223 monthH2320, on the thirteenth dayH3117 thereof; and there was writtenH3789 according to all that HamanH2001 commandedH6680 unto the king’sH4428 satrapsH323, and to the governorsH6346 that were over every provinceH4082, and to the princesH8269 of every peopleH5971, to every provinceH4082 according to the writingH3789 thereof, and to every peopleH5971 after their languageH3956; in the nameH8034 of kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 was it writtenH3789, and it was sealedH2856 with the king’sH4428 ringH2885. 13And lettersH5612 were sentH7971 by posts into all the king’sH4428 provincesH4082, to destroyH8045, to slayH2026, and to cause to perishH6, all JewsH3064, both youngH5288 and oldH2205, littleH2945 children and womenH802, in oneH259 dayH3117, even upon the thirteenth dayH3117 of the twelfth monthH2320, which is the monthH2320 AdarH143, and to takeH962 the spoilH7998 of them for a prey. 14A copyH6572 of the writing, that the decree should beH1961 givenH5414 out in every provinceH4082, wasH1961 published unto all the peoplesH5971, that they should beH1961 readyH6264 against that dayH3117. 15The posts wentH3318 forthH3318 in haste by the king’sH4428 commandment, and the decree was givenH5414 out in Shushan the palace. And the kingH4428 and HamanH2001 satH3427 downH3427 to drinkH8354; but the cityH5892 of Shushan was perplexed.