New Living Translation
Esther 3:9
9If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.”
Esther 3:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.
- New International Version (NIV)If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries."
- New King James Version (NKJV)If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”
Context of Esther 3:9
7So in the month of April, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later. 8Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.” 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.”
Read all of Esther 3Esther 3:9 word by word
אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֔וֹב יִכָּתֵ֖ב לְאַבְּדָ֑ם וַעֲשֶׂ֨רֶת אֲלָפִ֜ים כִּכַּר־כֶּ֗סֶף אֶשְׁקוֹל֙ עַל־יְדֵי֙ עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה לְהָבִ֖יא אֶל־גִּנְזֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- If it pleaseטוֹבţôb · be pleasingH2895
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- let it be writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
- that they may be destroyedאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
- and I will payשָׁקַלshâqal · to weighH8254
- tenעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
- thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- talentsכִּכָּרkikâr · talentH3603
- of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- to the handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- of those that have the chargeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- of the businessמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
- to bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- treasuriesגְּנָזִיםgenez · treasuryH1595
Cross-references for Esther 3:9
Commentaries on Esther 3:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Let it be written that they may be destroyed - Let it be enacted that they may all be put to death. By this he would throw all the odium off himself, and put it on the king and his counsellors; for he wished the thing to pass into a law, in which he could have but a small share of the blame. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver - He had said before that it was not for the king's profit to suffer them; but here he is obliged to acknowledge that there…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Ten thousand talents of silver - According to Herodotus, the regular revenue of the Persian king consisted of 14,560 silver talents; so that, if the same talent is intended, Haman‘s offer would have exceeded two-thirds of one year‘s revenue (or two and one-half million British pound sterling). Another Persian subject, Pythius, once offered to present Xerxes with four millions of gold darics, or about four and one-half pounds.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. 9Haman revealed his intentions by offering to bribe the king with a large amount of silver. This should have made the king suspicious of Haman's motives. The value of the proposed gift was so high that Haman may have exaggerated to show his intended generosity.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver ... into the king's treasuries--This sum, reckoning by the Babylonish talent, will be about £2,119,000; but estimated according to the Jewish talent, it will considerably exceed £3,000,000, an immense contribution to be made out of a private fortune. But classic history makes mention of several persons whose resources seem almost incredible.Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 3:9
In the dictionaries
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
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