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Haman is angry with Mordecai

3 After some time, King Xerxes gave one of his officers greater authority. The officer's name was Haman. He was the son of Hammedatha, a descendant of Agag. Haman became the most important officer who served the king. ² The king commanded that all the royal officers at the king's gate must bend down low down to Haman. So they all gave Haman honour when he passed them. Only Mordecai would not bend down and give honour to Haman. ^{[ a ]}

³ The officers at the king's gate asked Mordecai, ‘Why do you not obey the king's command?’ ⁴ They warned Mordecai every day. But he would not agree to bend down low to Haman. So the officers told Haman about this. Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. So they wanted to know if Haman would let Mordecai do this.

⁵ When Haman realized that Mordecai would not give him honour, he became very angry. ⁶ But he did not want to destroy only Mordecai. Now he knew that Mordecai was a Jew, he decided to destroy all the Jews who lived in Xerxes' whole kingdom.

Haman decides to kill all the Jews

⁷ Haman asked his advisors when would be the right time to make this happen. He asked them in the first month of the year (Nisan), during Xerxes' 12th year as king. Haman's advisors threw dice to decide the right time to destroy the Jews. The dice chose the 12th month of the year (Adar). The dice were called ‘Purim’.

⁸ Then Haman said to King Xerxes, ‘There is a group of people who live in many regions of your kingdom. They have different customs to all the other people. They refuse to obey the laws of your kingdom. It is not good for you to let them live among all the other people in your kingdom. ⁹ If you agree, we should send out a command to destroy them. Then I will give 350 tons of silver to the king, so that your officers can do this work.’ ^{[ b ]}

¹⁰ The king took his special ring from his finger and he gave it to Hammedatha's son, Haman, the Jews' great enemy. ^{[ c ]} ¹¹ He said to Haman, ‘Keep your money. You should do anything that you want with these people.’

¹² On the 13th day of the first month, Haman asked the king's secretaries to come to him. They wrote Haman's commands in letters to the king's rulers and officers in every region. They wrote the letters in the languages that people spoke in the different regions. Haman used the authority of King Xerxes and he marked the letters with the king's special ring. ^{[ d ]}

¹³ Men delivered the letters to all the regions of the kingdom. Haman's command said that on the 13th day of the 12th month (Adar) people should completely destroy and kill all the Jews. They should kill old people and young people, women and children. Then they should take all the Jews' valuable things for themselves. ¹⁴ Haman sent copies of his command to every region, so that it would be read aloud to the people. Everyone would know what the law said, and everyone would be ready on the right day.

¹⁵ King Xerxes told his men to take the letters quickly to all the people. They also read the law to the people in Susa city. Then Haman and the king sat down to drink wine together. But the people in the city were very upset.

Footnotes

3:2 We do not know why Mordecai refused to give honour to Haman. Perhaps it was because Haman's father was a descendant of Amalek, through Agag. The Israelites and the Amalekites had been enemies for a long time. See Exodus 17:16 .
3:9 This was a very large amount of silver. Haman probably expected to take it from the Jews when he had killed them all.
3:10 Any law with the mark of the king's special ring on it had the king's authority. When the king gave his special ring to Haman, he was giving Haman his royal authority.
3:12 Haman used the king's authority to send the letters to destroy the Jews. But the king did not know that it was the Jews that Haman wanted to destroy. And he did not know that Queen Esther was a Jew.

Haman’s Plan to Destroy the Jews

3 After these things happened, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite. The king promoted Haman and gave him a place of honor more important than any of the other leaders. ² All the king’s leaders at the king’s gate would bow down and give honor to Haman. This is what the king commanded them to do. But Mordecai refused to bow down or give honor to Haman. ³ Then the king’s leaders at the gate asked Mordecai, “Why don’t you obey the king’s command to bow down to Haman?”

⁴ Day after day, the king’s leaders spoke to Mordecai, but he refused to obey the command to bow down to Haman. So they told Haman about it. They wanted to see what Haman would do about Mordecai. Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. ⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai refused to bow down to him or give him honor, he was very angry. ⁶ Haman had learned that Mordecai was a Jew. But he was not satisfied to kill only Mordecai. He also wanted to find a way to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, in all of Xerxes’ kingdom.

⁷ In the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ rule, in the first month, the month of Nisan, Haman threw lots to choose a special day and month. And the twelfth month, the month of Adar was chosen. (At that time the lot was called “pur.”) ⁸ Then Haman came to King Xerxes and said, “King Xerxes, there is a certain group of people scattered among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom. They keep themselves separate from other people. Their customs are different from those of all other people. And they don’t obey the king’s laws. It is not right for the king to allow them to continue to live in your kingdom.

⁹ “If it pleases the king, I have a suggestion: Give a command to destroy these people. And I will put 750,000 pounds ^{[ a ]} of silver into the king’s treasury. This money could be used to pay the men who do these things.”

¹⁰ So the king took the official ring off his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite. Haman was the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹ Then the king said to Haman, “Keep the money. Do what you want with them.”

¹² Then on the 13th day of the first month, the king’s secretaries were called. They wrote out all of Haman’s commands in the language of each province. And they wrote them in the language of each group of people. They wrote to the king’s satraps, the governors of the different provinces, and the leaders of the different groups of people. They wrote with the authority of King Xerxes himself, and sealed the commands with the king’s own ring.

¹³ Messengers carried the letters to all the king’s provinces. The letters were the king’s command to ruin, kill, and completely destroy all the Jews. This meant young people and old people, women, and little children too. The command was to kill all the Jews on a single day. The day was to be the 13th day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. And the command was to take everything that belonged to the Jews.

¹⁴ A copy of the letters with the command was to be given as a law. It was to be a law in every province and announced to the people of every nation living in the kingdom. Then everyone would be ready for that day. ¹⁵ At the king’s command the messengers hurried off. The command was given in the capital city of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.

Footnotes

Esther 3:9 750,000 pounds Literally, “10,000 talents” (340,000 kg).

3 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

² And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

³ Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?

⁴ Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

⁵ And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

⁶ And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

⁷ In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

⁸ And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

¹¹ And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

¹² 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.

¹³ 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.

¹⁴ The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.

¹⁵ The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

3 After these events King Ahasuerus ^{( A )} honored Haman, the son of Hammedatha ^{( B )} the Agagite, and ^{( C )} promoted him and ^{[ a ]} established his authority over all the officials who were with him. ² All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid ^{[ b ]} homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded regarding him. But ^{( D )} Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid ^{[ c ]} homage. ³ Then the king’s servants who were at ^{( E )} the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “ ^{( F )} Why are you violating the king’s command?” ⁴ Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would ^{[ d ]} stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. ⁵ When Haman saw that ^{( G )} Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid ^{[ e ]} homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. ⁶ But he ^{[ f ]} considered it beneath his dignity to ^{[ g ]} kill Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were ; so Haman ^{( H )} sought to annihilate all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were found throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

⁷ In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, ^{[ h ]} Pur, that is the lot, was ^{( I )} cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month , ^{[ i ]} until the twelfth month, that is ^{( J )} the month Adar. ⁸ Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; ^{( K )} their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not ^{[ j ]} comply with the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. ⁹ If it is pleasing to the king, let it be ^{[ k ]} decreed that they be eliminated, and I will pay ^{[ l ]} ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry out the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” ¹⁰ Then ^{( L )} the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha ^{( M )} the Agagite, ^{( N )} the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹ And the king said to Haman, “The silver is ^{[ m ]} yours, and the people also , to do with them as you please.”

¹² ^{( O )} Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to ^{( P )} the 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 ^{( Q )} in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. ¹³ Letters were sent by ^{( R )} couriers to all the king’s provinces ^{( S )} to annihilate, kill, and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, ^{( T )} in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to ^{( U )} seize their possessions as plunder. ¹⁴ ^{( V )} A copy of the edict to be ^{[ n ]} issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they would be ready for this day. ¹⁵ The couriers went out, speeded by the king’s ^{[ o ]} order while the decree was ^{[ p ]} issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, ^{( W )} the city of Susa was agitated.

Footnotes

Esther 3:1 Lit set his seat
Esther 3:2 I.e., great respect and honor to a superior
Esther 3:2 I.e., great respect and honor to a superior
Esther 3:4 I.e., as valid
Esther 3:5 I.e., great respect and honor to a superior
Esther 3:6 Lit despised in his eyes
Esther 3:6 Lit send a hand against
Esther 3:7 Lit he cast Pur...before
Esther 3:7 LXX and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of
Esther 3:8 Lit do the
Esther 3:9 Lit written
Esther 3:9 About 375 tons or 340 metric tons
Esther 3:11 Lit given to you
Esther 3:14 Lit given
Esther 3:15 Lit word
Esther 3:15 Lit given

Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews

3 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, ^{( A )} elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. ² All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

³ Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” ^{( B )} ⁴ Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. ^{( C )} Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. ^{( D )} ⁶ Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way ^{( E )} to destroy ^{( F )} all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, ^{( G )} throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

⁷ In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur ^{( H )} (that is, the lot ^{( I )} ) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on ^{[ a ]} the twelfth month, the month of Adar. ^{( J )}

⁸ Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs ^{( K )} are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey ^{( L )} the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. ^{( M )} ⁹ If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents ^{[ b ]} of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.” ^{( N )}

¹⁰ So the king took his signet ring ^{( O )} from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹ “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”

¹² 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 ^{( P )} 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 ^{( Q )} with his own ring. ¹³ Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews ^{( R )} —young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, ^{( S )} and to plunder ^{( T )} their goods. ¹⁴ A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day. ^{( U )}

¹⁵ The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. ^{( V )} The king and Haman sat down to drink, ^{( W )} but the city of Susa was bewildered. ^{( X )}

Footnotes

Esther 3:7 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have And the lot fell on.
Esther 3:9 That is, about 375 tons or about 340 metric tons

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Haman is angry with Mordecai

Haman decides to kill all the Jews

Footnotes

Haman’s Plan to Destroy the Jews

Footnotes

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

Footnotes

Cross references

Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews

Footnotes

Cross references

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Haman is angry with Mordecai

Haman decides to kill all the Jews

Footnotes

Haman’s Plan to Destroy the Jews

Footnotes

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

Footnotes

Cross references

Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews

Footnotes

Cross references

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