New American Standard Bible 2020

Esther 3:5-15

5When Haman saw that 1Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid 2homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6But he 3considered it beneath his dignity to 4kill Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; so Haman 5sought 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, 6Pur, that is the lot, was 7cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, 8until the twelfth month, that is 9the 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; 10their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not 11comply 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 12decreed that they be eliminated, and I will pay 13ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry out the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10Then 14the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha 15the Agagite, 16the enemy of the Jews. 11And the king said to Haman, “The silver is 17yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”

12 18Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to 19the 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 20in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13Letters were sent by 21couriers to all the king’s provinces 22to annihilate, kill, and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, 23in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to 24seize their possessions as plunder. 14 25A copy of the edict to be 26issued 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 27order while the decree was 28issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, 29the city of Susa was agitated.

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Notes

1. Esther 3:5 Esth 5:9 ↩
2. Esther 3:5 I.e., great respect and honor to a superior ↩
3. Esther 3:6 Lit despised in his eyes ↩
4. Esther 3:6 Lit send a hand against ↩
5. Esther 3:6 Ps 83:4 ↩
6. Esther 3:7 Lit he cast Pur...before ↩
7. Esther 3:7 Esth 9:24-26 ↩
8. Esther 3:7 LXX and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of ↩
9. Esther 3:7 Ezra 6:15 ↩
10. Esther 3:8 Ezra 4:12-15; Acts 16:20, 21 ↩
11. Esther 3:8 Lit do the ↩
12. Esther 3:9 Lit written ↩
13. Esther 3:9 About 375 tons or 340 metric tons ↩
14. Esther 3:10 Gen 41:42; Esth 8:2 ↩
15. Esther 3:10 Esth 3:1 ↩
16. Esther 3:10 Esth 7:6 ↩
17. Esther 3:11 Lit given to you ↩
18. Esther 3:12 Esth 8:9 ↩
19. Esther 3:12 Ezra 8:36 ↩
20. Esther 3:12 1 Kin 21:8; Esth 8:8, 10 ↩
21. Esther 3:13 2 Chr 30:6; Esth 8:10, 14 ↩
22. Esther 3:13 Esth 7:4 ↩
23. Esther 3:13 Esth 8:12 ↩
24. Esther 3:13 Esth 8:11; 9:10 ↩
25. Esther 3:14 Esth 8:13, 14 ↩
26. Esther 3:14 Lit given ↩
27. Esther 3:15 Lit word ↩
28. Esther 3:15 Lit given ↩
29. Esther 3:15 Esth 8:15 ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Esther 3