Esther 3:9

Esther 3:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.
• New International Version (NIV)If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”
• New King James Version (NKJV)If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.”

Context of Esther 3:9

7In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 8Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them. If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries." 10So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. 11And the king said to Haman, "The money is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you."

Esther 3:9 word by word

אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֔וֹב יִכָּתֵ֖ב לְאַבְּדָ֑ם וַעֲשֶׂ֨רֶת אֲלָפִ֜ים כִּכַּר־כֶּ֗סֶף אֶשְׁקוֹל֙ עַל־יְדֵי֙ עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה לְהָבִ֖יא אֶל־גִּנְזֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If it pleaseטוֹבţôb · be pleasingH2895
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• let it be writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• that they may be destroyedאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
• and I will payשָׁקַלshâqal · to weighH8254
• tenעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
• thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• talentsכִּכָּרkikâr · talentH3603
• of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• to the handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• of those that have the chargeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• of the businessמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
• to bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• treasuriesגְּנָזִיםgenez · treasuryH1595

Cross-references for Esther 3:9

• Genesis 23:16Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.
• Matthew 18:24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

Commentaries on Esther 3:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Let it be written that they may be destroyed - Let it be enacted that they may all be put to death. By this he would throw all the odium off himself, and put it on the king and his counsellors; for he wished the thing to pass into a law, in which he could have but a small share of the blame. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver - He had said before that it was not for the king's profit to suffer them; but here he is obliged to acknowledge that there…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Ten thousand talents of silver - According to Herodotus, the regular revenue of the Persian king consisted of 14,560 silver talents; so that, if the same talent is intended, Haman‘s offer would have exceeded two-thirds of one year‘s revenue (or two and one-half million British pound sterling). Another Persian subject, Pythius, once offered to present Xerxes with four millions of gold darics, or about four and one-half pounds.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. 9Haman revealed his intentions by offering to bribe the king with a large amount of silver. This should have made the king suspicious of Haman's motives. The value of the proposed gift was so high that Haman may have exaggerated to show his intended generosity.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver ... into the king's treasuries--This sum, reckoning by the Babylonish talent, will be about £2,119,000; but estimated according to the Jewish talent, it will considerably exceed £3,000,000, an immense contribution to be made out of a private fortune. But classic history makes mention of several persons whose resources seem almost incredible.Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 3:9

• Babylon
• Bribery
• Malice
• Revenge
• Treasure-Houses

In the dictionaries

• Mordecai
• Ring
• Business
• Treasure; Treasurer; Treasury
• law, principle

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