Esther 3

1After these thingsH1697 kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 promoted 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's servantsH5650 that were in the king's gateH8179 bowedH7812 and did HamanH2001 reverence, for the kingH4428 had soH3651 commandedH6680 concerning him. But MordecaiH4782 bowedH7812 not, nor did [him] reverence. 3Then the king's servantsH5650, who were in the king's gateH8179, saidH559 to MordecaiH4782, WhyH4069 transgressest thou the king's commandmentH4687? 4And it came to pass as they spoke daily to him, and he hearkened not to them, that they informed 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, nor did him reverence, HamanH2001 was fullH4390 of fury. 6But he scorned to lay handsH3027 on MordecaiH4782 aloneH905; for they had made known to him the peopleH5971 of MordecaiH4782; therefore HamanH2001 soughtH1245 to destroyH8045 all the JewsH3064 that were in all the kingdomH4438 of AhasuerusH325 — the peopleH5971 of MordecaiH4782. 7In the firstH7223 monthH2320, that is, the monthH2320 NisanH5212, in the twelfth yearH8141 of kingH4428 AhasuerusH325, they castH5307 PurH6332, that is, the lotH1486, before HamanH2001 for each dayH3117 and for each monthH2320, to the twelfth [monthH2320], that is, the monthH2320 AdarH143. 8And HamanH2001 saidH559 to kingH4428 AhasuerusH325, There is a 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, and they keep not the king's lawsH1881; and it is not for the king's profit to suffer them. 9If it please the kingH4428, let it be writtenH3789 that they may be destroyedH6, and I will pay tenH6235 thousandH505 talentsH3603 of silverH3701 into the handsH3027 of those that have charge of the affairs, to bringH935 [it] into the king's treasuriesH1595. 10And the kingH4428 took his ringH2885 from his handH3027, and gaveH5414 it to HamanH2001 the sonH1121 of Hammedatha the AgagiteH91, the Jews' enemy. 11And the kingH4428 saidH559 to HamanH2001, The silverH3701 is givenH5414 to thee, the peopleH5971 also, to do with them as seems goodH2896 to thee. 12Then were the king's scribesH5608 calledH7121, in the firstH7223 monthH2320, on the thirteenth dayH3117 of the [monthH2320], and there was writtenH3789 according to all that HamanH2001 commandedH6680 unto the king's satrapsH323, and to the governorsH6346 over every provinceH4082, and to the princesH8269 of every peopleH5971; to every provinceH4082 according to the writingH3789 thereof, and to every peopleH5971 according to their languageH3956: in the nameH8034 of kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 was it writtenH3789, and sealedH2856 with the king's ringH2885. 13And the lettersH5612 were sentH7971 by couriersH7323 into all the king's provincesH4082, to destroyH8045, to killH2026, and to cause to perishH6, all JewsH3064, both youngH5288 and oldH2205, littleH2945 children and womenH802, in oneH259 dayH3117, upon the thirteenth of the twelfth monthH2320, that is, the monthH2320 AdarH143, and [to takeH962] the spoilH7998 of them for a prey. 14That the decree might beH1961 givenH5414 in every provinceH4082, a copyH6572 of the writing wasH1961 published to all peoplesH5971, that they should beH1961 readyH6264 against that dayH3117. 15The couriersH7323 wentH3318 out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was givenH5414 in Shushan the fortress. And the kingH4428 and HamanH2001 satH3427 downH3427 to drinkH8354; but the cityH5892 of Shushan was in consternation.