Esther 3:12

Esther 3:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.
• New International Version (NIV)Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet ring.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

Context of Esther 3:12

10The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11The king said, “The money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit.” So on April 17 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king’s highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them. 14A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that they would be ready to do their duty on the appointed day.

Esther 3:12 word by word

וַיִּקָּרְאוּ֩ סֹפְרֵ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֣ר יוֹם֮ בּוֹ֒ וַיִּכָּתֵ֣ב כְּֽכָל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה הָמָ֡ן אֶ֣ל אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵֽי־הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ וְֽאֶל־הַפַּח֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ עַל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה וְאֶל־שָׂ֤רֵי עַם֙ וָעָ֔ם מְדִינָ֤ה וּמְדִינָה֙ כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ וְעַ֥ם וָעָ֖ם כִּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ בְּשֵׁ֨ם הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁ֙ נִכְתָּ֔ב וְנֶחְתָּ֖ם בְּטַבַּ֥עַת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then were the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• scribesסָפַרsâphar · to recountH5608
• calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• on the thirteenthעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
• on the thirteenthשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of the firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · firstH7223
• monthחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
• and there was writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• according to all that Hamanהָמָןhâmân · HamanH2001
• had commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• lieutenantsאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפַּן'ăchashdarpan · satrapH323
• and to the governorsפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6346
• over every provinceמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• and to the rulersשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of every peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• according to the writingכְּתָבkâthâb · writingH3791
• after their languageלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongue: languageH3956
• in the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ'ăchashvêrôsh 'achashrôsh · AhasuerusH325
• and sealedחָתַםchâtham · to sealH2856
• ringטַבַּ֫עַתţabba‛ath · ringH2885

Cross-references for Esther 3:12

• Esther 8:9So on June 25 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated. It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews.
• Esther 1:22He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases.
• Esther 9:27the Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews. They declared they would never fail to celebrate these two prescribed days at the appointed time each year.
• 1 Kings 21:8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth lived.
• Daniel 6:8And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”
• Esther 8:2The king took off his signet ring—which he had taken back from Haman—and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property.

Commentaries on Esther 3:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Unto the king's lieutenants - אחשדרפני achashdarpeney . This is in all probability another Persian word, for there is nothing like it in the Hebrew language, nor can it be fairly deduced from any roots in that tongue. The Vulgate translates ad omnes satrapas regis, to all the satraps of the king. It is very likely that this is the true sense of the word, and that the אחשדרפני achsadrapani, as it may be pronounced, is the Chaldee or Hebrew corruption of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12On the thirteenth day - Haman had, apparently (compare Esther 3:7 with Esther 3:13), obtained by his use of the lot the 13th day of Adar as the lucky day for destroying the Jews. This may have caused him to fix on the 13th day of another month for the commencement of his enterprise. So, the Jews throughout the empire had from 9 to 11 months of warning of the peril which threatened them.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. 12On the thirteenth day of the first month: Haman chose the day before the Jewish Passover (see Exodus 12:6) to scare and demoralize the Jews. However, just as during the Exodus, God would miraculously save the Jews from a tyrant trying to destroy them.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 3:12

• Babylon
• Malice
• Month
• Revenge
• Ring
• Scribe (S)
• Secretary (Recordist)

In the dictionaries

• Ahasuerus
• Governor
• Lieutenant
• Mordecai
• Seal
• Ring
• Satraps

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