Esther 3:12

Esther 3:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.
• New International Version (NIV)Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet ring.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

Context of Esther 3:12

10At that, the king removed his signet ring and gave it to Haman, the enemy of the Jews. (Haman was the son of Hammedatha and was from Agag.) 11The king told Haman, “You can keep your silver and do with the people whatever you like.” On the thirteenth day of the first month the king’s scribes were summoned. All Haman’s orders were written to the king’s satraps, the governors of every province, and the officials of every people. They wrote to each province in its own script and to the people in each province in their own language. The orders were signed in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s ring. 13Messengers were sent with official documents to all the king’s provinces. ⌞The people were ordered⌟ to wipe out, kill, and destroy all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. Their possessions were also to be seized. 14A copy of the document was made public in a decree to every province. All the people were to be ready for this day.

Esther 3:12 word by word

וַיִּקָּרְאוּ֩ סֹפְרֵ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֣ר יוֹם֮ בּוֹ֒ וַיִּכָּתֵ֣ב כְּֽכָל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה הָמָ֡ן אֶ֣ל אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵֽי־הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ וְֽאֶל־הַפַּח֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ עַל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה וְאֶל־שָׂ֤רֵי עַם֙ וָעָ֔ם מְדִינָ֤ה וּמְדִינָה֙ כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ וְעַ֥ם וָעָ֖ם כִּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ בְּשֵׁ֨ם הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁ֙ נִכְתָּ֔ב וְנֶחְתָּ֖ם בְּטַבַּ֥עַת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then were the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• scribesסָפַרsâphar · to recountH5608
• calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• on the thirteenthעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
• on the thirteenthשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of the firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · firstH7223
• monthחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
• and there was writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• according to all that Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
• had commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• lieutenantsאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפַּן'ăchashdarpan · satrapH323
• and to the governorsפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6346
• over every provinceמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• and to the rulersשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of every peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• according to the writingכְּתָבkâthâb · writingH3791
• after their languageלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongue: languageH3956
• in the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ'ăchashvêrôsh 'achashrôsh · AhasuerusH325
• and sealedחָתַםchâtham · to sealH2856
• ringטַבַּ֫עַתţabba‛ath · ringH2885

Cross-references for Esther 3:12

• Esther 8:9At that time on the twenty-third day of Sivan, the third month, the king’s scribes were summoned. What Mordecai had ordered was written to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and officers of the 127 provinces from India to Sudan. It was written to each province in its own script, to each people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and their own language.
• Esther 1:22He sent official documents to all the king’s provinces, to each province in its own script and to the people in each province in their own language: “Let every husband be the ruler in his own house and speak with authority.”
• Esther 9:27the Jews established a tradition for themselves and their descendants and for anyone who would join them. The tradition was that a person should never fail to observe these two days every year, as they were described and at their appointed time.
• 1 Kings 21:8So Jezebel wrote letters, signed them with Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal. She sent them to the respected leaders and nobles living in Naboth’s city.
• Daniel 6:8Your Majesty, issue this decree, and sign it. According to the law of the Medes and Persians no one could change it or repeal it.”
• Esther 8:2Then the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman’s property.

Commentaries on Esther 3:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Unto the king's lieutenants - אחשדרפני achashdarpeney . This is in all probability another Persian word, for there is nothing like it in the Hebrew language, nor can it be fairly deduced from any roots in that tongue. The Vulgate translates ad omnes satrapas regis, to all the satraps of the king. It is very likely that this is the true sense of the word, and that the אחשדרפני achsadrapani, as it may be pronounced, is the Chaldee or Hebrew corruption of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12On the thirteenth day - Haman had, apparently (compare Esther 3:7 with Esther 3:13), obtained by his use of the lot the 13th day of Adar as the lucky day for destroying the Jews. This may have caused him to fix on the 13th day of another month for the commencement of his enterprise. So, the Jews throughout the empire had from 9 to 11 months of warning of the peril which threatened them.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. 12On the thirteenth day of the first month: Haman chose the day before the Jewish Passover (see Exodus 12:6) to scare and demoralize the Jews. However, just as during the Exodus, God would miraculously save the Jews from a tyrant trying to destroy them.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 3:12

• Babylon
• Malice
• Month
• Revenge
• Ring
• Scribe (S)
• Secretary (Recordist)

In the dictionaries

• Ahasuerus
• Governor
• Lieutenant
• Mordecai
• Seal
• Ring
• Satraps

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