God’s Word Translation
Esther 3:8
8Now, Haman told King Xerxes, “Your Majesty, there is a certain nationality scattered among—but separate from—the nationalities in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws differ from those of all other nationalities. They do not obey your decrees. So it is not in your interest to tolerate them, Your Majesty.
Esther 3:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain.
Context of Esther 3:8
6Because the king’s advisers had informed him about Mordecai’s nationality, he thought it beneath himself to kill only Mordecai. So Haman planned to wipe out Mordecai’s people—all the Jews in the entire kingdom of Xerxes. 7In Xerxes’ twelfth year as king, Pur (which means the lot) was thrown in front of Haman for every day of every month, from Nisan, the first month, until Adar, the twelfth month. Now, Haman told King Xerxes, “Your Majesty, there is a certain nationality scattered among—but separate from—the nationalities in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws differ from those of all other nationalities. They do not obey your decrees. So it is not in your interest to tolerate them, Your Majesty. 9If you approve, have the orders for their destruction be written. For this I will pay 750,000 pounds of silver to your treasurers to be put in your treasury.” 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.)
Read all of Esther 3Esther 3:8 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָמָן֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ יֶשְׁנ֣וֹ עַם־אֶחָ֗ד מְפֻזָּ֤ר וּמְפֹרָד֙ בֵּ֣ין הָֽעַמִּ֔ים בְּכֹ֖ל מְדִינ֣וֹת מַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָ וְדָתֵיהֶ֞ם שֹׁנ֣וֹת מִכָּל־עָ֗ם וְאֶת־דָּתֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֵינָ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים וְלַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֵין־שֹׁוֶ֖ה לְהַנִּיחָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ'ăchashvêrôsh 'achashrôsh · AhasuerusH325
- There isיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- a certainאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- scattered abroadפָּזַרpâzar · to scatterH6340
- and dispersedפָּרַדpârad · to separateH6504
- in all the provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
- of thy kingdomמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
- and their lawsדָּתdâth · lawH1881
- diverseשָׁנָהshânâh · to changeH8138
- neither keepעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- profitשָׁוָהshâvâh · be likeH7737
- to sufferיָנַחyânach · to restH3240
Cross-references for Esther 3:8
- Leviticus 26:33I will scatter you among the nations. War will follow you. Your country will be in ruins. Your cities will be deserted.
- Deuteronomy 4:27The Lord will scatter you among the people of the world, and only a few of you will be left among the nations where the Lord will force you to live.
- Deuteronomy 30:3he will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you from all the nations of the world where he will scatter you.
- Deuteronomy 32:26I said that I would cut them in pieces and erase everyone’s memory of them.
- Nehemiah 1:8Please remember what you told us through your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations.
- Jeremiah 50:17“The people of Israel are like scattered sheep that lions have chased. The first to devour them was the king of Assyria. The last to gnaw at their bones was King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
- Ezekiel 6:8“ ‘But I will let some people live. Some people will escape the battle among the nations and be scattered throughout the countries.
- Ezekiel 11:16“So tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, I have been their sanctuary for a little while among the countries where they’ve gone.’
- Zechariah 7:14I used a windstorm to scatter them among all the nations, nations they hadn’t even heard of. They left behind a land so ruined that no one is able to travel through it. They have turned a pleasant land into a wasteland.”
- John 7:35The Jews said among themselves, “Where does this man intend to go so that we won’t find him? Does he mean that he’ll live with the Jews who are scattered among the Greeks and that he’ll teach the Greeks?
- James 1:1From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To God’s faithful people who have been scattered. Greetings.
- 1 Peter 1:1From Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. To God’s chosen people who are temporary residents ⌞in the world⌟ and are scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
- Ezra 4:12Your Majesty, you should know that the Jews who came to us from you are now in Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are close to finishing the walls. The foundations are already in place.
- Acts 16:20In front of the Roman officials, they said, “These men are stirring up a lot of trouble in our city. They’re Jews,
- Acts 17:6When they didn’t find Paul and Silas, they dragged Jason and some other believers in front of the city officials. They shouted, “Those men who have made trouble all over the world are now here in Thessalonica,
- Acts 24:5We have found this man to be a troublemaker. He starts quarrels among all Jews throughout the world. He’s a ringleader of the Nazarene sect.
Commentaries on Esther 3:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Their laws are diverse from all people - Such they certainly were; for they worshipped the true God according to his own laws; and this was not done by any other people then on the face of the earth.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. 8people scattered and dispersed: Jews marryied within their close communities and resisting integration into the larger culture. Their laws are different: They followed unique laws, including eating and religious customs, to remain separate from the sinful practices of surrounding people (Leviticus 14:42–45; 15:31; 19:2, 26–37). they do not obey the king’s laws: This accusation is generally false and likely refers to Mordecai’s refusal to bow to Haman. So…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-151. After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman ... set his seat above all the princes--that is, raised him to the rank of vizier, or prime confidential minister, whose pre-eminence in office and power appeared in the elevated state chair appropriated to that supreme functionary. Such a distinction in seats was counted of vast importance in the formal court of Persia.Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 3:8
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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