Esther 3:13

Esther 3:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.
• New International Version (NIV)Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.

Context of Esther 3:13

11The king replied to Haman, “Keep your money, and do with those people whatever you wish.” 12So the royal scribes were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people, province by province according to its script and people by people according to its language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Letters were sent by the runners to all the king’s provinces stating that they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children, on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions. 14A copy of this edict was to be presented as law throughout every province; it was to be made known to all the inhabitants, so that they would be prepared for this day. 15The messengers scurried forth with the king’s order. The edict was issued in Susa the citadel. While the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in an uproar!

Esther 3:13 word by word

וְנִשְׁל֨וֹחַ סְפָרִ֜ים בְּיַ֣ד הָרָצִים֮ אֶל־כָּל־מְדִינ֣וֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ לְהַשְׁמִ֡יד לַהֲרֹ֣ג וּלְאַבֵּ֣ד אֶת־כָּל־הַ֠יְּהוּדִים מִנַּ֨עַר וְעַד־זָקֵ֜ן טַ֤ף וְנָשִׁים֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ אֲדָ֑ר וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם לָבֽוֹז׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the lettersסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: documentH5612
• were sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• byיָדyâd · hand: byH3027
• postsרוּץrûts · to run: runH7323
• into all the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• to destroyשָׁמַדshâmad · to destroyH8045
• to killהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• and to cause to perishאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
• all Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
• both youngנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• and oldזָקֵןzâqên · oldH2205
• little childrenטַףţaph · childH2945
• and womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• in oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• upon the thirteenthעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
• upon the thirteenthשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• of the twelfthשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• monthחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
• Adarאֲדָר'ădâr · AdarH143
• the spoilשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
• of them for a preyבָּזַזbâzaz · to plunderH962

Cross-references for Esther 3:13

• Esther 8:10Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. He then sent letters by couriers on horses, who rode royal horses that were very swift.
• 2 Chronicles 30:6Messengers delivered the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah. This royal edict read: “O Israelites, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may return to you who have been spared from the kings of Assyria.
• Job 9:25“My days are swifter than a runner, they speed by without seeing happiness.
• Jeremiah 51:31One runner after another will come to the king of Babylon. One messenger after another will come bringing news. They will bring news to the king of Babylon that his whole city has been captured.
• Romans 3:15“Their feet are swift to shed blood,
• 1 Samuel 15:3So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything that they have. Don’t spare them. Put them to death – man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.’”
• 1 Samuel 22:19As for Nob, the city of the priests, he struck down with the sword men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep – all with the sword.
• Esther 8:12This was to take place on a certain day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus – namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar).
• James 2:13For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.
• Esther 8:11The king thereby allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and to stand up for themselves – to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any army of whatever people or province that should become their adversaries, including their women and children, and to confiscate their property.
• Esther 9:10the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not confiscate their property.
• Isaiah 10:6I sent him against a godless nation, I ordered him to attack the people with whom I was angry, to take plunder and to carry away loot, to trample them down like dirt in the streets.

Commentaries on Esther 3:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13To destroy, so kill, and to cause to perish - To put the whole of them to death in any manner, or by every way and means. Take the spoil of them for a prey - Thus, whoever killed a Jew had his property for his trouble! And thus the hand of every man was armed against this miserable people. Both in the Greek version and in the Latin the copy of this order is introduced at length, expressing "the king's desire to have all his dominions in quiet and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Present, the Jews keep three days - the 13th, the 14th, and the 15th of Adar - as connected with “the Feast of Purim;” but they make the 13th a fast, commemorative of the fast of Esther Esther 4:16, and keep the feast itself on the 14th and 15th of Adar.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. 13The phrase destroy, kill, and annihilate is repeated with irony in Esther 8:11 and 9:5. the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month: Haman's "lucky day," chosen by casting lots (Esther 3:7), was eleven months after the decree. By God's plan, this gave time to overcome the decree. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them. Haman cleverly bribed the potential executioners.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1512-15. Then were the king's scribes called ... and there was written--The government secretaries were employed in making out the proclamation authorizing a universal massacre of the Jews on one day. It was translated into the dialects of all the people throughout the vast empire, and swift messengers were sent to carry it into all the provinces. On the day appointed, all Jews were to be put to death and their property confiscated; doubtless, the means by…Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 3:13

• Babylon
• Mail
• Malice
• Post
• Revenge

In the dictionaries

• Adar
• Captive
• Mordecai
• Post
• Epistle
• Esther, the Rest of
• Guard
• Sent

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