Esther 3

1AfterH310 these thingsH1697 kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 promotedH1431 HamanH2001 the sonH1121 of HammedathaH4099 the AgagiteH91, and advancedH5375 him, and setH7760 his seatH3678 above all the princesH8269 that were with him. 2And all the king’sH4428 servantsH5650, that were in the king’sH4428 gateH8179, bowedH3766, and paid honour toH7812 HamanH2001: for the kingH4428 had so commandedH6680 concerning him. But MordecaiH4782 bowedH3766 not, nor did pay him honourH7812. 3Then the king’sH4428 servantsH5650, who were in the king’sH4428 gateH8179, saidH559 to MordecaiH4782, Why dost thou transgressH5674 the king’sH4428 commandmentH4687? 4Now it came to pass, when they spokeH559 dailyH3117 to him, and he hearkenedH8085 not to them, that they toldH5046 HamanH2001, to seeH7200 whether Mordecai’sH4782 reasonH1697 would standH5975: for he had toldH5046 them that he was a JewH3064. 5And when HamanH2001 sawH7200 that MordecaiH4782 bowedH3766 not, nor did pay him honourH7812, then was HamanH2001 fullH4390 of wrathH2534. 6And he disdainedH5869H959 to layH7971 handsH3027 on MordecaiH4782 alone; for they had made known toH5046 him the peopleH5971 of MordecaiH4782: therefore HamanH2001 soughtH1245 to destroyH8045 all the JewsH3064 that were throughout the whole kingdomH4438 of AhasuerusH325, even the peopleH5971 of MordecaiH4782.

7In the firstH7223 monthH2320, that is, the monthH2320 NisanH5212, in the twelfthH8147H6240 yearH8141 of kingH4428 AhasuerusH325, they castH5307 PurH6332, that is, the lotH1486, beforeH6440 HamanH2001 from dayH3117 to dayH3117, and from monthH2320 to monthH2320, to the twelfthH8147H6240 month, that is, the monthH2320 AdarH143. 8And HamanH2001 saidH559 to kingH4428 AhasuerusH325, There isH3426 a certainH259 peopleH5971 scattered abroadH6340 and dispersedH6504 among the peopleH5971 in all the provincesH4082 of thy kingdomH4438; and their lawsH1881 are differentH8138 from all peopleH5971; neither keepH6213 they the king’sH4428 lawsH1881: therefore it is not for the king’sH4428 profitH7737 to allowH3240 them to remain .1 9If it shall pleaseH2895 the kingH4428, let it be writtenH3789 that they may be destroyedH6: and I will payH8254 tenH6235 thousandH505 talentsH3603 of silverH3701 to the handsH3027 of those that have the chargeH6213 of the businessH4399, to bringH935 it into the king’sH4428 treasuriesH1595.23 10And the kingH4428 tookH5493 his ringH2885 from his handH3027, and gaveH5414 it to HamanH2001 the sonH1121 of HammedathaH4099 the AgagiteH91, the JewsH3064’ enemyH6887.4 11And the kingH4428 saidH559 to HamanH2001, The silverH3701 is givenH5414 to thee, the peopleH5971 also, to doH6213 with them as it seemethH5869 goodH2896 to thee. 12Then were the king’sH4428 scribesH5608 calledH7121 on the thirteenthH7969H6240 dayH3117 of the firstH7223 monthH2320, and there was writtenH3789 according to all that HamanH2001 had commandedH6680 to the king’sH4428 satrapsH323, and to the governorsH6346 that were over every provinceH4082, and to the princesH8269 of every peopleH5971 of every provinceH4082 according to the writingH3791 of it, and to every peopleH5971 after their languageH3956; in the nameH8034 of kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 was it writtenH3789, and sealedH2856 with the king’sH4428 ringH2885.5 13And the lettersH5612 were sentH7971 byH3027 postsH7323 into all the king’sH4428 provincesH4082, to destroyH8045, to killH2026, and to cause to perishH6, all JewsH3064, both youngH5288 and oldH2205, little childrenH2945 and womenH802, in oneH259 dayH3117, even upon the thirteenthH7969H6240 day of the twelfthH8147H6240 monthH2320, which is the monthH2320 AdarH143, and to plunderH7998 them for spoilH962. 14The copyH6572 of the writingH3791 for a commandmentH1881 to be givenH5414 in every provinceH4082 was proclaimedH1540 to all peopleH5971, that they should be readyH6264 for that dayH3117. 15The postsH7323 departedH3318, being hastenedH1765 by the king’sH4428 commandmentH1697, and the decreeH1881 was givenH5414 in ShushanH7800 the palaceH1002. And the kingH4428 and HamanH2001 sat downH3427 to drinkH8354; but the cityH5892 ShushanH7800 was perplexedH943.