Esther 3

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

1AfterH310 theseH428 eventsH1697, KingH4428 XerxesH325 honoredH1431 HamanH2001 sonH1121 of HammedathaH4099, the AgagiteH91, elevating himH5375H7760 to a positionH3678 aboveH5921 allH3605 the princesH8269 whoH834 were with himH854. 2AllH3605 the royalH4428 servantsH5650 at the king’sH4428 gateH8179 bowed downH3766 and paid homageH7812 to HamanH2001, becauseH3588 the kingH4428 had commandedH6680 that thisH3651 be done for him. But MordecaiH4782 would notH3808 bow downH3766H3808 or pay homageH7812.

3Then the royalH4428 servantsH5650 at the king’sH4428 gateH8179 askedH559 MordecaiH4782, “WhyH4069 do youH859 disobeyH5674 the commandH4687 of the kingH4428?”

4

DayH3117 after dayH3117 they warnedH559 himH413, but he would notH3808 complyH8085H413. So they reported itH5046 to HamanH2001 to seeH7200 whether Mordecai’sH4782 behaviorH1697 would be toleratedH5975, sinceH3588 he had toldH5046 themH834 heH1931 was a JewH3064.

5When HamanH2001 sawH7200 thatH3588 MordecaiH4782 would notH369 bow downH3766 or pay him homageH7812, heH2001 was filledH4390 with rageH2534. 6And whenH3588 he learned the identityH5046 of Mordecai’sH4782 peopleH5971, he scorned the notion ofH959H58691 layingH7971 handsH3027 on MordecaiH4782 aloneH905. Instead, heH2001 soughtH1245 to destroyH8045 allH3605 of Mordecai’sH4782 peopleH5971, the JewsH3064, throughoutH3605 the kingdomH4438 of XerxesH325.

7In the twelfthH8147H6240 yearH8141 of KingH4428 XerxesH325, in the firstH7223 monthH2320, the monthH2320 of NisanH5212,2 the PurH6332 (that isH1931, the lotH1486) was castH5307 beforeH6440 HamanH2001 to determine a dayH3117 and monthH2320. And the lot fell on the twelfthH8147H6240H1931 monthH2320, the month of AdarH143.3

8Then HamanH2001 informedH559 KingH4428 XerxesH325, “ThereH3426 is a certainH259 peopleH5971 scatteredH6340 and dispersedH6504 amongH996 the peoplesH5971 of everyH3605 provinceH4082 of your kingdomH4438. Their lawsH1881 are differentH8138 from everyoneH3605 else’sH5971, and they do notH369 obeyH6213 the king’sH4428 lawsH1881. So it is notH369 in the king’sH4428 best interestH7737 to tolerate themH5117. 9IfH518 it pleasesH2896 the kingH4428, let a decree be issuedH3789 to destroy themH6, and I will depositH935 tenH6235 thousandH505 talentsH3603 of silverH37014 intoH413 the royalH4428 treasuryH1595 to payH8254H5921H3027 those who carry it outH6213H4399.”

10So the kingH4428 removedH5493 the signet ringH2885 fromH5921 his fingerH3027 and gaveH5414 it to HamanH2001 sonH1121 of HammedathaH4099, the AgagiteH91, the enemyH6887 of the JewsH3064. 11“Keep your moneyH3701,” saidH559 the kingH4428 to HamanH2001. “These peopleH5971 are givenH5414 to you to doH6213 with them as you pleaseH5869H2896.”

12On the thirteenthH7969H6240 dayH3117 of the firstH7223 monthH2320, the royalH4428 scribesH5613 were summonedH7121 and the order was writtenH3789 exactly asH3605 HamanH2001H413 commandedH6680 the royalH4428H413 satrapsH323, the governorsH6346 of each provinceH4082H413, and the officialsH8269 of eachH5971 peopleH5971, in the scriptH3791 of each provinceH4082 and the languageH3956 of every peopleH5971. It was writtenH3789 in the nameH8034 of KingH4428 XerxesH325 and sealedH2856 with the royalH4428 signet ringH2885.

13And the lettersH5612 were sentH7971 byH3027 couriersH7323 toH413 eachH3605 of the royalH4428 provincesH4082 with the order to destroyH8045, killH2026, and annihilateH6 allH3605 the JewsH3064—youngH5288 andH5704 oldH2205, womenH802 and childrenH2945—and to plunderH962 their possessionsH7998 on a singleH259 dayH3117, the thirteenthH7969H6240 day of AdarH143, the twelfthH8147H6240H1931 monthH2320.

14A copyH6572 of the textH3791 of the edictH1881 was to be issuedH5414 in everyH3605 provinceH4082 and publishedH1540 to allH3605 the peopleH5971H1961, so that they would be readyH6264 on thatH2088 dayH3117. 15The couriersH7323 leftH3318, spurred onH1765 by the king’sH4428 commandH1697, and the edictH1881 was issuedH5414 in the citadelH1002 of SusaH7800. Then the kingH4428 and HamanH2001 sat downH3427 to drinkH8354, but the cityH5892 of SusaH7800 was in confusionH943.