New American Standard Bible 1995

Esther 3

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

1Afterאַחַ֣ר׀'a.CharH310theseהָאֵ֗לֶּהha.'E.lehH428eventsהַדְּבָרִ֣יםha.de.va.RimH1697Kingהַמֶּ֨לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֜וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325promotedגִּדַּל֩gi.DalH1431Hamanהָמָ֧ןha.ManH2001,the sonבֶּֽן־ben-H1121of HammedathaH1992the Agagiteהָאֲגָגִ֖יha.'a.ga.GiH91, andadvancedוַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֑הוּvay.na.se.'E.huH5375him andestablishedוַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙vai.Ya.semH7760his authorityכִּסְא֔וֹkis.'OH3678overמֵעַ֕לme.'AlH4480 H5921allכָּל־kol-H3605the princesהַשָּׂרִ֖יםha.sa.RimH8269whoאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834were with him.

2Allוְכָל־ve.kholH3605the king’sהַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428servantsעַבְדֵ֨י'av.DeiH5650whoאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834were at the king’sהַמֶּ֗לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428gateבְּשַׁ֣עַרbe.Sha.'arH8179bowedH3766downH3766and paidH7812homageH7812to Hamanלְהָמָ֔ןle.ha.ManH2001;for soכֵ֖ןkhenH3651the kingהַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428had commandedצִוָּה־tzi.vah-H6680concerning him. ButMordecaiוּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔יu.Ma.re.do.KhaiH4782neitherלֹ֥אlo'H3808bowedH3766downH3766norוְלֹ֥אve.Lo'H3808paidH7812homageH7812.

3Then the king’sהַמֶּ֛לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428servantsעַבְדֵ֥י'av.DeiH5650whoאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834were atthe king’sהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428gateבְּשַׁ֥עַרbe.Sha.'arH8179saidוַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּvai.Yo.me.RuH559to Mordecaiלְמָרְדֳּכָ֑יle.ma.re.do.KhaiH4782, “Whyמַדּ֙וּעַ֙ma.Du.a'H4069are you transgressingעוֹבֵ֔רo.VerH5674the king’sהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428commandמִצְוַ֥תmitz.VatH4687?”

4Now it was when they had spokenכְּאָמְרָ֤םke.'a.me.ramH559dailyH3117to him and he would not listenשָׁמַ֖עsha.Ma'H8085to them, that they toldוַיַּגִּ֣ידוּvai.ya.Gi.duH5046Hamanלְהָמָ֗ןle.ha.ManH2001to seeלִרְאוֹת֙lir.'OtH7200whether Mordecai’sמָרְדֳּכַ֔יma.re.do.KhaiH4782reasonדִּבְרֵ֣יdiv.ReiH1697would standהֲיַֽעַמְדוּ֙ha.ya.'am.DuH5975;for he had toldהִגִּ֥ידhi.GidH5046them that he was a Jewיְהוּדִֽי׃ye.hu.DiH3064.

5When Hamanהָמָ֔ןha.ManH2001sawוַיַּ֣רְאvai.Yar'H7200thatMordecaiמָרְדֳּכַ֔יma.re.do.KhaiH4782neitherH369bowedH3766downH3766norH369paidH7812homageH7812to him, Hamanהָמָ֖ןha.ManH2001was filledוַיִּמָּלֵ֥אvai.yi.ma.Le'H4390with rageחֵמָֽה׃che.MahH2534.

6But hedisdainedוַיִּ֣בֶז בְּעֵינָ֗יוvai.Yi.vez be.'ei.NavH959 H5869tolayלִשְׁלֹ֤חlish.LochH7971handsיָד֙yadH3027on Mordecaiבְּמָרְדֳּכַ֣יbe.ma.re.do.KhaiH4782aloneלְבַדּ֔וֹle.va.DoH905,for they had toldהִגִּ֥ידוּhi.Gi.duH5046him whothe peopleעַ֣ם'amH5971of Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכָ֑יma.re.do.KhaiH4782were;therefore Hamanהָמָ֗ןha.ManH2001soughtוַיְבַקֵּ֣שׁvay.va.KeshH1245to destroyלְהַשְׁמִ֧ידle.hash.MidH8045allכָּל־kol-H3605the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִ֛יםhai.ye.hu.DimH3064,the peopleעַ֥ם'amH5971of Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכָֽי׃ma.re.do.KhaiH4782,whoאֲשֶׁ֛ר'a.SherH834werethroughout the wholeבְּכָל־be.kholH3605kingdomמַלְכ֥וּתmal.KhutH4438of Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325.

7In the firstהָרִאשׁוֹן֙ha.ri.shOnH7223monthH2320,whichH1931is the monthH2320Nisanנִיסָ֔ןni.SanH5212,in the twelfthשְׁתֵּ֣יםshe.TeimH8147 H6240yearבִּשְׁנַת֙bish.NatH8141of Kingלַמֶּ֖לֶךְla.Me.lekhH4428Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325,Purפּוּר֩purH6332,that is the lotH1486, wascastH5307beforeלִפְנֵ֣יlif.NeiH6440Hamanהָמָ֗ןha.ManH2001from dayH3117to dayH3117and from monthH2320to month,until the twelfthשְׁנֵים־she.neim-H8147 H6240monthH2320, that isthe monthH2320Adarאֲדָֽר׃ ס'a.DarH143.

8Then Hamanהָמָן֙ha.ManH2001saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to Kingלַמֶּ֣לֶךְla.Me.lekhH4428Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325, “Thereיֶשְׁנ֣וֹyesh.NoH3426is a certainאֶחָ֗ד'e.ChadH259peopleעַם־'am-H5971scatteredמְפֻזָּ֤רme.fu.ZarH6340and dispersedוּמְפֹרָד֙u.me.fo.RadH6504amongבֵּ֣יןbeinH996the peoplesהָֽעַמִּ֔יםha.'a.MimH5971in allבְּכֹ֖לbe.KholH3605the provincesמְדִינ֣וֹתme.di.NotH4082of your kingdomמַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָmal.khu.Te.khaH4438;their lawsוְדָתֵיהֶ֞םve.da.tei.HemH1881are differentH8132from thoseof allמִכָּל־mi.kolH3605otherpeopleעָ֗ם'AmH5971and they do not observeעֹשִׂ֔ים'o.SimH6213the king’sהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428lawsדָּתֵ֤יda.TeiH1881,so it is not in the king’sוְלַמֶּ֥לֶךְve.la.Me.lekhH4428interestשֹׁוֶ֖הsho.VehH7737to let them remainלְהַנִּיחָֽם׃le.ha.ni.ChamH5117.

9Ifאִם־'im-H518it is pleasingH2895to the kingH4428, let it bedecreedיִכָּתֵ֖בyi.ka.TevH3789that they be destroyedלְאַבְּדָ֑םle.'a.be.DamH6,and I will payאֶשְׁקוֹל֙'esh.kOlH8254tenוַעֲשֶׂ֨רֶתva.'a.Se.retH6235thousandאֲלָפִ֜ים'a.la.FimH505talentsכִּכַּר־ki.kar-H3603of silverכֶּ֗סֶףKe.sefH3701into the handsיְדֵי֙ye.DeiH3027of those who carryעֹשֵׂ֣י'o.SeiH6213on the king’sbusinessהַמְּלָאכָ֔הha.me.la.KhahH4399,to putלְהָבִ֖יאle.ha.Vi'H935into the king’s treasuriesגִּנְזֵ֥יgin.ZeiH1595.”

10Thenthe kingהַמֶּ֛לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428tookוַיָּ֧סַרvai.Ya.sarH5493his signetH2885ringH2885from his handיָד֑וֹya.DoH3027and gaveוַֽיִּתְּנָ֗הּvai.yi.te.NahH5414it to Hamanלְהָמָ֧ןle.ha.ManH2001,the sonבֶּֽן־ben-H1121of HammedathaH1992the Agagiteהָאֲגָגִ֖יha.'a.ga.GiH91,the enemyצֹרֵ֥רtzo.RerH6887of the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִֽים׃hai.ye.hu.DimH3064.

11The kingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to Hamanלְהָמָ֔ןle.ha.ManH2001, “The silverהַכֶּ֖סֶףha.Ke.sefH3701isyoursנָת֣וּןna.TunH5414,and the peopleוְהָעָ֕םve.ha.'AmH5971also,to doלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתla.'a.SotH6213with them as you pleaseכַּטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ka.Tov be.'ei.Nei.khaH2896 H5869.”

12Then the king’sהַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428scribesסֹפְרֵ֨יso.fe.ReiH5613were summonedוַיִּקָּרְאוּ֩vai.yi.ka.re.'UH7121on the thirteenthבִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֣רbish.lo.Shah 'a.SarH7969 H6240dayיוֹם֮yOmH3117of the firstהָרִאשׁ֗וֹןha.ri.ShonH7223monthבַּחֹ֣דֶשׁba.Cho.deshH2320,and it was writtenוַיִּכָּתֵ֣בvai.yi.ka.TevH3789justכְּֽכָל־ אֲשֶׁר־ke.khol- 'a.Sher-H3605 H834as Hamanהָמָ֡ןha.ManH2001commandedצִוָּ֣הtzi.VahH6680tothe king’sהַ֠מֶּלֶךְHa.Me.lekhH4428satrapsאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵֽי־'a.chash.dar.pe.nei-H323,to the governorsהַפַּח֞וֹתha.pa.ChotH6346whoאֲשֶׁ֣ר׀'a.SherH834were overעַל־'al-H5921eachמְדִינָ֣הme.di.NahH4082provinceוּמְדִינָ֗הu.me.di.NahH4082and to the princesשָׂ֤רֵיSa.reiH8269of eachעַם֙'amH5971peopleוָעָ֔םva.'AmH5971,eachמְדִינָ֤הme.di.NahH4082provinceוּמְדִינָה֙u.me.di.NahH4082according to its scriptכִּכְתָבָ֔הּkikh.ta.VahH3791,eachוְעַ֥םve.'AmH5971peopleוָעָ֖םva.'AmH5971according to its languageכִּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹkil.sho.NoH3956,being writtenנִכְתָּ֔בnikh.TavH3789in the nameבְּשֵׁ֨םbe.ShemH8034of Kingהַמֶּ֤לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁ֙'a.chash.ve.RoshH325and sealedוְנֶחְתָּ֖םve.nech.TamH2856with the king’sהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428signetH2885ringH2885.

13Lettersסְפָרִ֜יםse.fa.RimH5612were sentוְנִשְׁל֨וֹחַve.nish.Lo.achH7971bycouriersהָרָצִים֮ha.ra.TzimH7323to allכָּל־kol-H3605the king’sהַמֶּלֶךְ֒ha.me.leKhH4428provincesמְדִינ֣וֹתme.di.NotH4082to destroyלְהַשְׁמִ֡ידle.hash.MidH8045,to killלַהֲרֹ֣גla.ha.RogH2026and to annihilateוּלְאַבֵּ֣דu.le.'a.BedH6allכָּל־kol-H3605the Jewsהַ֠יְּהוּדִיםHai.ye.hu.dimH3064,bothH4480youngמִנַּ֨עַרmi.Na.'arH5288and oldזָקֵ֜ןza.KenH2205,womenוְנָשִׁים֙ve.na.ShimH802and childrenטַ֤ףtafH2945,in oneאֶחָ֔ד'e.ChadH259dayבְּי֣וֹםbe.YomH3117,the thirteenthבִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛רbish.lo.Shah 'a.SarH7969 H6240dayof the twelfthשְׁנֵים־ עָשָׂ֖רshe.neim- 'a.SarH8147 H6240monthלְחֹ֥דֶשׁle.Cho.deshH2320,whichהוּא־hu'-H1931is the monthחֹ֣דֶשׁCho.deshH2320Adarאֲדָ֑ר'a.DarH143, and toseizeH962their possessionsוּשְׁלָלָ֖םu.she.la.LamH7998as plunderלָבֽוֹז׃la.VozH962.

14A copyפַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶןpat.She.genH6572of the edictהַכְּתָ֗בha.ke.TavH3791to beissuedלְהִנָּ֤תֵֽןle.hi.Na.tenH5414as lawדָּת֙datH1881in everyבְּכָל־be.kholH3605provinceH4082was publishedגָּל֖וּיga.LuiH1540to allלְכָל־le.kholH3605the peoplesהָֽעַמִּ֑יםha.'a.MimH5971so that they should be readyעֲתִדִ֖ים'a.ti.DimH6264for thisהַזֶּֽה׃ha.ZehH2088dayלַיּ֥וֹםlai.YomH3117.

15The couriersהָֽרָצִ֞יםha.ra.TzimH7323wentיָצְא֤וּya.tze.'UH3318out impelledדְחוּפִים֙de.chu.FimH1765by the king’sהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428commandבִּדְבַ֣רbid.VarH1697while the decreeוְהַדָּ֥תve.ha.DatH1881wasissuedנִתְּנָ֖הni.te.NahH5414at the citadelהַבִּירָ֑הha.bi.RahH1002in Susaבְּשׁוּשַׁ֣ןbe.shu.ShanH7800;and while the kingוְהַמֶּ֤לֶךְve.ha.Me.lekhH4428and Hamanוְהָמָן֙ve.ha.ManH2001satH3427downיָשְׁב֣וּya.she.VuH3427to drinkלִשְׁתּ֔וֹתlish.TotH8354,the cityוְהָעִ֥ירve.ha.'IrH5892of Susaשׁוּשָׁ֖ןshu.ShanH7800was in confusionנָבֽוֹכָה׃ פna.Vo.khahH943.

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

Commentaries on Esther 3