Esther 3

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

1After these events King Ahasuerus 1promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha 2the Agagite, and 3advanced him and 4established his authority over all the princes who were with him. 2All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down 5and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But 6Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage. 3Then the king’s servants who were at 7the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “8Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” 4Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5When Haman saw that 9Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6But he 10disdained to 11lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman 12sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

7In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, 13Pur, that is the lot, was 14cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, 15until the twelfth month, that is 16the month Adar. 8Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; 17their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. 9If it is pleasing to the king, let it be 18decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10Then 19the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha 20the Agagite, 21the enemy of the Jews. 11The king said to Haman, “The silver is 22yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”

1223Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to 24the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written 25in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13Letters were sent by 26couriers to all the king’s provinces 27to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, 28in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to 29seize their possessions as plunder. 1430A copy of the edict to be 31issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. 15The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was 32issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, 33the city of Susa was in confusion.