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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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."
• 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.”

Context of Esther 3:9

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. 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. If 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.) 11The king told Haman, “You can keep your silver and do with the people whatever you like.”

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 agreed to Ephron’s terms. So he weighed out for Ephron the amount stated in front of the Hittites: ten pounds of silver at the current merchants’ exchange rate.
• Matthew 18:24When he began to do this, a servant who owed him millions of dollars was brought to him.

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