Est 3:8-9 | TNotes | STEP | 3:8 who keep themselves separate: Jews intermarried within tight-knit communities and resisted integration into the larger culture. • Their laws are different: They had a unique set of laws (eating and religious customs) and were to be separate from the sinful customs of the people around them (Lev 14:42-45 ; 15:31 ; 19:2 , 26-37 ). • they refuse to obey the laws of the king: This accusation, which is false in general, probably refers to Mordecai’s refusal to bow to Haman. • So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live: Haman played on the king’s fears and interests as Memucan had done in Esth 1:16 . Intolerance toward any particular group of people ran against the general Persian tendency to be respectful of other people’s cultural and religious differences.

bLev 14:42-45►

fEsth 1:16►

‏ Esther 3:8-9

3:8 ^a who keep themselves separate: Jews intermarried within tight-knit communities and resisted integration into the larger culture.

• Their laws are different: They had a unique set of laws (eating and religious customs) and were to be separate from the sinful customs of the people around them (Lev 14:42-45 ^b; 15:31 ^c; 19:2 ^d, 26-37 ^e).

• they refuse to obey the laws of the king: This accusation, which is false in general, probably refers to Mordecai’s refusal to bow to Haman.

• So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live: Haman played on the king’s fears and interests as Memucan had done in Esth 1:16 ^f. Intolerance toward any particular group of people ran against the general Persian tendency to be respectful of other people’s cultural and religious differences.
3:9 ^g Haman tipped his hand by offering to bribe the king with a large sum of silver, which should have made the king suspicious of Haman’s motives. The value of the proposed gift is so astronomical that Haman may have been exaggerating to show his intended generosity.