Esther 3

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

1After these events King Ahasuerus 1honored Haman, the son of Hammedatha 2the Agagite, and 3promoted him and 4established his authority over all the officials who were with him. 2All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid 5homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded regarding him. But 6Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid 7homage. 3Then the king’s servants who were at 8the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “9Why are you violating 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 10stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5When Haman saw that 11Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid 12homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6But he 13considered it beneath his dignity to 14kill Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; so Haman 15sought to annihilate all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were found throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

7In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, 16Pur, that is the lot, was 17cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, 18until the twelfth month, that is 19the 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; 20their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not 21comply with 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 22decreed that they be eliminated, and I will pay 23ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry out the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10Then 24the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha 25the Agagite, 26the enemy of the Jews. 11And the king said to Haman, “The silver is 27yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”

1228Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to 29the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the officials of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written 30in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13Letters were sent by 31couriers to all the king’s provinces 32to annihilate, kill, and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, 33in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to 34seize their possessions as plunder. 1435A copy of the edict to be 36issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they would be ready for this day. 15The couriers went out, speeded by the king’s 37order while the decree was 38issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, 39the city of Susa was agitated.