Esther 3:6

Esther 3:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.

Context of Esther 3:6

4Day 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. 5When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him homage, he was filled with rage. 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. 7In 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. 8Then 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.

Esther 3:6 word by word

וַיִּ֣בֶז בְּעֵינָ֗יו לִשְׁלֹ֤ח יָד֙ בְּמָרְדֳּכַ֣י לְבַדּ֔וֹ כִּֽי־הִגִּ֥ידוּ ל֖וֹ אֶת־עַ֣ם מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיְבַקֵּ֣שׁ הָמָ֗ן לְהַשְׁמִ֧יד אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר בְּכָל־מַלְכ֥וּת אֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ עַ֥ם מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃Read the interlinear

• And whenכִּיkîy · forH3588
• he learned the identityנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• of Mordecai’sמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782
• peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• he scorned the notion ofבָּזָהbâzâh · to despiseH959
• he scorned the notion ofעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
• layingשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: reachH7971
• handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• aloneבַּדbad · aloneH905
• Instead, heהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
• soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• to destroyשָׁמַדshâmad · to destroyH8045
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
• ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• the kingdomמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
• of Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ'ăchashvêrôsh 'achashrôsh · AhasuerusH325

Cross-references for Esther 3:6

• Psalms 83:4saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
• Revelation 12:12Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea; with great fury the devil has come down to you, knowing he has only a short time.”

Commentaries on Esther 3:6

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6To destroy all the Jews - In the East massacres of a people, a race, a class, have at all times been among the incidents of history, and would naturally present themselves to the mind of a statesman. The Magophonia, or the great massacre of the Magi at the accession of Darius Hystaspis, was an event not then fifty years old, and was commemorated annually. A massacre of the Scythians had occurred about a century previously.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Haman did not care about justice; he wanted revenge. He was determined to do everything he could to destroy Mordecai, even if it meant wiping out all the Jews.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-151. After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman ... set his seat above all the princes--that is, raised him to the rank of vizier, or prime confidential minister, whose pre-eminence in office and power appeared in the elevated state chair appropriated to that supreme functionary. Such a distinction in seats was counted of vast importance in the formal court of Persia.Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 3:6

• Malice

In the dictionaries

• Ahasuerus
• Mordecai
• Ahasuerus; Asseurus
• Jew
• Scorn

Commentaries on Esther 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings