Christian Standard Bible
Esther 3:13
13Letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces telling the officials to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people — young and old, women and children — and plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.
Esther 3:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.
Context of Esther 3:13
11Then the king told Haman, “The money and people are given to you to do with as you see fit.” 12The royal scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded. It was intended for the royal satraps, the governors of each of the provinces, and the officials of each ethnic group and written for each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring. Letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces telling the officials to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people — young and old, women and children — and plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month. 14A copy of the text, issued as law throughout every province, was distributed to all the peoples so that they might get ready for that day. 15The couriers left, spurred on by royal command, and the law was issued in the fortress of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was in confusion.
Read all of Esther 3Esther 3:13 word by word
וְנִשְׁל֨וֹחַ סְפָרִ֜ים בְּיַ֣ד הָרָצִים֮ אֶל־כָּל־מְדִינ֣וֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ לְהַשְׁמִ֡יד לַהֲרֹ֣ג וּלְאַבֵּ֣ד אֶת־כָּל־הַ֠יְּהוּדִים מִנַּ֨עַר וְעַד־זָקֵ֜ן טַ֤ף וְנָשִׁים֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ אֲדָ֑ר וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם לָבֽוֹז׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the lettersסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: documentH5612
- were sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- byיָדyâd · hand: byH3027
- postsרוּץrûts · to run: runH7323
- into all the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
- to destroyשָׁמַדshâmad · to destroyH8045
- to killהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- and to cause to perishאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
- all Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
- both youngנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- and oldזָקֵןzâqên · oldH2205
- little childrenטַףţaph · childH2945
- and womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- in oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- upon the thirteenthעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- upon the thirteenthשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- of the twelfthשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- monthחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
- Adarאֲדָר'ădâr · AdarH143
- the spoilשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
- of them for a preyבָּזַזbâzaz · to plunderH962
Cross-references for Esther 3:13
- Esther 8:10Mordecai wrote in King Ahasuerus’s name and sealed the edicts with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses bred in the royal stables.
- 2 Chronicles 30:6So the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the hand of the king and his officials, and according to the king’s command, saying, “Israelites, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel so that he may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped the grasp of the kings of Assyria.
- Job 9:25My days fly by faster than a runner; they flee without seeing any good.
- Jeremiah 51:31Messenger races to meet messenger, and herald to meet herald, to announce to the king of Babylon that his city has been captured from end to end.
- Romans 3:15Their feet are swift to shed blood;
- 1 Samuel 15:3Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
- 1 Samuel 22:19He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword — both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.
- Esther 8:12This would take place on a single day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar.
- James 2:13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Esther 8:11The king’s edict gave the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate every ethnic and provincial army hostile to them, including women and children, and to take their possessions as spoils of war.
- Esther 9:10They killed these ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. However, they did not seize any plunder.
- Isaiah 10:6I will send him against a godless nation; I will command him to go against a people destined for my rage, to take spoils, to plunder, and to trample them down like clay in the streets.
Commentaries on Esther 3:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13To destroy, so kill, and to cause to perish - To put the whole of them to death in any manner, or by every way and means. Take the spoil of them for a prey - Thus, whoever killed a Jew had his property for his trouble! And thus the hand of every man was armed against this miserable people. Both in the Greek version and in the Latin the copy of this order is introduced at length, expressing "the king's desire to have all his dominions in quiet and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Present, the Jews keep three days - the 13th, the 14th, and the 15th of Adar - as connected with “the Feast of Purim;” but they make the 13th a fast, commemorative of the fast of Esther Esther 4:16, and keep the feast itself on the 14th and 15th of Adar.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-15Verses 7-15 Without some acquaintance with the human heart, and the history of mankind, we should not think that any prince could consent to a dreadful proposal, so hurtful to himself. Let us be thankful for mild and just government. Haman inquires, according to his own superstitions, how to find a lucky day for the designed massacre! God's wisdom serves its own purposes by men's folly. Haman has appealed to the lot, and the lot, by delaying the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13The phrase destroy, kill, and annihilate is repeated with irony in Esther 8:11 and 9:5. the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month: Haman's "lucky day," chosen by casting lots (Esther 3:7), was eleven months after the decree. By God's plan, this gave time to overcome the decree. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them. Haman cleverly bribed the potential executioners.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1512-15. Then were the king's scribes called ... and there was written--The government secretaries were employed in making out the proclamation authorizing a universal massacre of the Jews on one day. It was translated into the dialects of all the people throughout the vast empire, and swift messengers were sent to carry it into all the provinces. On the day appointed, all Jews were to be put to death and their property confiscated; doubtless, the means by…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 3:13
In the dictionaries
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
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