Berean Standard Bible

Esther 3

1Afterאַחַ֣ר׀'a.CharH310theseהָאֵ֗לֶּהha.'E.lehH428eventsהַדְּבָרִ֣יםha.de.va.RimH1697,Kingהַמֶּ֨לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵר֜וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325אֶת־'et-H853honoredגִּדַּל֩gi.DalH1431Hamanהָמָ֧ןha.ManH2001sonבֶּֽן־ben-H1121of Hammedathaהַמְּדָ֛תָאha.me.Da.ta'H4099,the Agagiteהָאֲגָגִ֖יha.'a.ga.GiH91,elevating himוַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֑הוּ וַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙vay.na.se.'E.hu vai.Ya.semH5375 H7760אֶת־'et-H853to a positionכִּסְא֔וֹkis.'OH3678aboveמֵעַ֕לme.'AlH5921allכָּל־kol-H3605the princesהַשָּׂרִ֖יםha.sa.RimH8269whoאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834werewith himאִתּֽוֹ׃'i.ToH854.

2Allוְכָל־ve.kholH3605the royalהַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834servantsעַבְדֵ֨י'av.DeiH5650at the king’sהַמֶּ֗לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428gateבְּשַׁ֣עַרbe.Sha.'arH8179bowed downכֹּרְעִ֤יםko.re.'ImH3766and paid homageוּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙u.mish.ta.cha.VimH7812to Hamanלְהָמָ֔ןle.ha.ManH2001,becauseכִּי־ki-H3588the kingהַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428had commandedצִוָּה־tzi.vah-H6680that thisכֵ֖ןkhenH3651be done for him.But Mordecaiוּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔יu.Ma.re.do.KhaiH4782would notלֹ֥אlo'H3808bow downיִכְרַ֖ע וְלֹ֥אyikh.Ra' ve.Lo'H3766 H3808or pay homageיִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה׃Yish.ta.cha.VehH7812.

3Then the royalהַמֶּ֛לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834servantsעַבְדֵ֥י'av.DeiH5650at the king’sהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428gateבְּשַׁ֥עַרbe.Sha.'arH8179askedוַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּvai.Yo.me.RuH559Mordecaiלְמָרְדֳּכָ֑יle.ma.re.do.KhaiH4782, “Whyמַדּ֙וּעַ֙ma.Du.a'H4069do youאַתָּ֣ה'a.TahH859disobeyעוֹבֵ֔רo.VerH5674אֵ֖ת'etH853the commandמִצְוַ֥תmitz.VatH4687of the kingהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428?”

4וַיְהִ֗יvay.HiH1961Dayי֣וֹםYomH3117after dayוָי֔וֹםva.YomH3117they warnedכְּאָמְרָ֤םke.'a.me.ramH559himאֵלָיו֙'e.LavH413,but he would notוְלֹ֥אve.Lo'H3808complyשָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶ֑םsha.Ma' 'a.lei.HemH8085 H413.So they reported itוַיַּגִּ֣ידוּvai.ya.Gi.duH5046to Hamanלְהָמָ֗ןle.ha.ManH2001to seeלִרְאוֹת֙lir.'OtH7200whether Mordecai’sמָרְדֳּכַ֔יma.re.do.KhaiH4782behaviorדִּבְרֵ֣יdiv.ReiH1697would be toleratedהֲיַֽעַמְדוּ֙ha.ya.'am.DuH5975,sinceכִּֽי־ki-H3588he had toldהִגִּ֥ידhi.GidH5046themאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834heה֥וּאhu'H1931was a Jewיְהוּדִֽי׃ye.hu.DiH3064.

5When Hamanהָמָ֔ןha.ManH2001sawוַיַּ֣רְאvai.Yar'H7200thatכִּי־ki-H3588Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכַ֔יma.re.do.KhaiH4782would notאֵ֣ין'einH369bow downכֹּרֵ֥עַko.Re.a'H3766or pay him homageוּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖הu.mish.ta.cha.VehH7812,heהָמָ֖ןha.ManH2001was filledוַיִּמָּלֵ֥אvai.yi.ma.Le'H4390with rageחֵמָֽה׃che.MahH2534.

6And whenכִּֽי־ki-H3588he learned the identityהִגִּ֥ידוּhi.Gi.duH5046אֶת־'et-H853of Mordecai’sבְּמָרְדֳּכַ֣יbe.ma.re.do.KhaiH4782peopleעַ֣ם'amH5971,he scorned the notion ofוַיִּ֣בֶז בְּעֵינָ֗יוvai.Yi.vez be.'ei.NavH959 H5869layingלִשְׁלֹ֤חlish.LochH7971handsיָד֙yadH3027on Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכָ֑יma.re.do.KhaiH4782aloneלְבַדּ֔וֹle.va.DoH905.Instead, heהָמָ֗ןha.ManH2001soughtוַיְבַקֵּ֣שׁvay.va.KeshH1245to destroyלְהַשְׁמִ֧ידle.hash.MidH8045אֶת־'et-H853allכָּל־kol-H3605of Mordecai’sמָרְדֳּכָֽי׃ma.re.do.KhaiH4782peopleעַ֥ם'amH5971,the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִ֛יםhai.ye.hu.DimH3064אֲשֶׁ֛ר'a.SherH834,throughoutבְּכָל־be.kholH3605the kingdomמַלְכ֥וּתmal.KhutH4438of Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325.

7In the twelfthשְׁתֵּ֣יםshe.TeimH8147 H6240yearבִּשְׁנַת֙bish.NatH8141of Kingלַמֶּ֖לֶךְla.Me.lekhH4428Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325,in the firstהָרִאשׁוֹן֙ha.ri.shOnH7223monthH2320הוּא־hu'-H1931,the monthH2320of Nisanנִיסָ֔ןni.SanH5212,the Purפּוּר֩purH6332(that isה֨וּאhu'H1931,the lotH1486)was castH5307beforeלִפְנֵ֣יlif.NeiH6440Hamanהָמָ֗ןha.ManH2001to determine a dayH3117and monthH2320. And the lot fell onthe twelfthשְׁנֵים־ הוּא־she.neim- hu'-H8147 H6240 H1931monthH2320,the month of Adarאֲדָֽר׃ ס'a.DarH143.

8Then Hamanהָמָן֙ha.ManH2001informedוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559Kingלַמֶּ֣לֶךְla.Me.lekhH4428Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325, “Thereיֶשְׁנ֣וֹyesh.NoH3426is a certainאֶחָ֗ד'e.ChadH259peopleעַם־'am-H5971scatteredמְפֻזָּ֤רme.fu.ZarH6340and dispersedוּמְפֹרָד֙u.me.fo.RadH6504amongבֵּ֣יןbeinH996the peoplesהָֽעַמִּ֔יםha.'a.MimH5971of everyבְּכֹ֖לbe.KholH3605provinceמְדִינ֣וֹתme.di.NotH4082of your kingdomמַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָmal.khu.Te.khaH4438.Their lawsוְדָתֵיהֶ֞םve.da.tei.HemH1881are differentשֹׁנ֣וֹתsho.NotH8138from everyoneמִכָּל־mi.kolH3605else’sעָ֗ם'AmH5971וְאֶת־ve.'EtH853,and they do notאֵינָ֣ם'ei.NamH369obeyעֹשִׂ֔ים'o.SimH6213the king’sהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428lawsדָּתֵ֤יda.TeiH1881.So it is notאֵין־'ein-H369in the king’sוְלַמֶּ֥לֶךְve.la.Me.lekhH4428best interestשֹׁוֶ֖הsho.VehH7737to tolerate themלְהַנִּיחָֽם׃le.ha.ni.ChamH5117.

9Ifאִם־'im-H518עַל־'al-H5921it pleasesט֔וֹבTovH2896the kingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428,let a decree be issuedיִכָּתֵ֖בyi.ka.TevH3789to destroy themלְאַבְּדָ֑םle.'a.be.DamH6,and I will depositלְהָבִ֖יאle.ha.Vi'H935tenוַעֲשֶׂ֨רֶתva.'a.Se.retH6235thousandאֲלָפִ֜ים'a.la.FimH505talentsכִּכַּר־ki.kar-H3603of silverכֶּ֗סֶףKe.sefH3701intoאֶל־'el-H413the royalהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428treasuryגִּנְזֵ֥יgin.ZeiH1595to payאֶשְׁקוֹל֙ עַל־ יְדֵי֙'esh.kOl 'al- ye.DeiH8254 H5921 H3027those who carry it outעֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה'o.Sei ha.me.la.KhahH6213 H4399.”

10So the kingהַמֶּ֛לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428אֶת־'et-H853removedוַיָּ֧סַרvai.Ya.sarH5493the signet ringטַבַּעְתּ֖וֹta.ba'.ToH2885fromמֵעַ֣לme.'AlH5921his fingerיָד֑וֹya.DoH3027and gaveוַֽיִּתְּנָ֗הּvai.yi.te.NahH5414it to Hamanלְהָמָ֧ןle.ha.ManH2001sonבֶּֽן־ben-H1121of Hammedathaהַמְּדָ֛תָאha.me.Da.ta'H4099,the Agagiteהָאֲגָגִ֖יha.'a.ga.GiH91,the enemyצֹרֵ֥רtzo.RerH6887of the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִֽים׃hai.ye.hu.DimH3064.

11“Keep your moneyהַכֶּ֖סֶףha.Ke.sefH3701,”saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559the kingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428to Hamanלְהָמָ֔ןle.ha.ManH2001. “These peopleוְהָעָ֕םve.ha.'AmH5971aregivenנָת֣וּןna.TunH5414to youto doלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתla.'a.SotH6213with themas you pleaseכַּטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ka.Tov be.'ei.Nei.khaH5869 H2896.”

12On the thirteenthבִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֣רbish.lo.Shah 'a.SarH7969 H6240dayיוֹם֮yOmH3117of the firstהָרִאשׁ֗וֹןha.ri.ShonH7223monthבַּחֹ֣דֶשׁba.Cho.deshH2320,the royalהַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428scribesסֹפְרֵ֨יso.fe.ReiH5613were summonedוַיִּקָּרְאוּ֩vai.yi.ka.re.'UH7121and the order was writtenוַיִּכָּתֵ֣בvai.yi.ka.TevH3789exactly asכְּֽכָל־ke.khol-H3605אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834Hamanהָמָ֡ן אֶ֣לha.Man 'elH2001 H413commandedצִוָּ֣הtzi.VahH6680the royalהַ֠מֶּלֶךְ וְֽאֶל־Ha.Me.lekh ve.'el-H4428 H413satrapsאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵֽי־'a.chash.dar.pe.nei-H323,the governorsהַפַּח֞וֹתha.pa.ChotH6346אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀'a.SherH834עַל־'al-H5921of each provinceוְאֶל־ve.'el-H4082 H413,and the officialsשָׂ֤רֵיSa.reiH8269of eachH5971peopleH5971H4082,in the scriptכִּכְתָבָ֔הּkikh.ta.VahH3791of each provinceH4082and the languageכִּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹkil.sho.NoH3956of every peopleH5971.It was writtenנִכְתָּ֔בnikh.TavH3789in the nameבְּשֵׁ֨םbe.ShemH8034of Kingהַמֶּ֤לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁ֙'a.chash.ve.RoshH325and sealedוְנֶחְתָּ֖םve.nech.TamH2856with the royalהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428signet ringבְּטַבַּ֥עַתbe.ta.Ba.'atH2885.

13And the lettersסְפָרִ֜יםse.fa.RimH5612were sentוְנִשְׁל֨וֹחַve.nish.Lo.achH7971byבְּיַ֣דbe.YadH3027couriersהָרָצִים֮ha.ra.TzimH7323toאֶל־'el-H413eachכָּל־kol-H3605of the royalהַמֶּלֶךְ֒ha.me.leKhH4428provincesמְדִינ֣וֹתme.di.NotH4082with the order to destroyלְהַשְׁמִ֡ידle.hash.MidH8045,killלַהֲרֹ֣גla.ha.RogH2026,and annihilateוּלְאַבֵּ֣דu.le.'a.BedH6אֶת־'et-H853allכָּל־kol-H3605the Jewsהַ֠יְּהוּדִיםHai.ye.hu.dimH3064—youngמִנַּ֨עַרmi.Na.'arH5288andוְעַד־ve.'ad-H5704oldזָקֵ֜ןza.KenH2205,womenוְנָשִׁים֙ve.na.ShimH802and childrenטַ֤ףtafH2945—and to plunderלָבֽוֹז׃la.VozH962their possessionsוּשְׁלָלָ֖םu.she.la.LamH7998on a singleאֶחָ֔ד'e.ChadH259dayבְּי֣וֹםbe.YomH3117,the thirteenthבִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛רbish.lo.Shah 'a.SarH7969 H6240day of Adarאֲדָ֑ר'a.DarH143,the twelfthשְׁנֵים־ עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־she.neim- 'a.Sar hu'-H8147 H6240 H1931monthלְחֹ֥דֶשׁle.Cho.deshH2320חֹ֣דֶשׁCho.deshH2320.

14A copyפַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶןpat.She.genH6572of the textהַכְּתָ֗בha.ke.TavH3791of the edictדָּת֙datH1881was to be issuedלְהִנָּ֤תֵֽןle.hi.Na.tenH5414in everyבְּכָל־be.kholH3605provinceH4082and publishedגָּל֖וּיga.LuiH1540to allלְכָל־le.kholH3605the peopleהָֽעַמִּ֑ים לִהְי֥וֹתha.'a.Mim lih.YotH5971 H1961,so that they would be readyעֲתִדִ֖ים'a.ti.DimH6264on thatהַזֶּֽה׃ha.ZehH2088dayלַיּ֥וֹםlai.YomH3117.

15The couriersהָֽרָצִ֞יםha.ra.TzimH7323leftיָצְא֤וּya.tze.'UH3318,spurred onדְחוּפִים֙de.chu.FimH1765by the king’sהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428commandבִּדְבַ֣רbid.VarH1697,and the edictוְהַדָּ֥תve.ha.DatH1881was issuedנִתְּנָ֖הni.te.NahH5414in the citadelהַבִּירָ֑הha.bi.RahH1002of Susaבְּשׁוּשַׁ֣ןbe.shu.ShanH7800.Then the kingוְהַמֶּ֤לֶךְve.ha.Me.lekhH4428and Hamanוְהָמָן֙ve.ha.ManH2001sat downיָשְׁב֣וּya.she.VuH3427to drinkלִשְׁתּ֔וֹתlish.TotH8354,but the cityוְהָעִ֥ירve.ha.'IrH5892of Susaשׁוּשָׁ֖ןshu.ShanH7800was in confusionנָבֽוֹכָה׃ פna.Vo.khahH943.

Commentaries on Esther 3