Est 3 | EE | STEP | Some time after that happened, King Xerxes gave a certain officer a lot of authority. The officer was called Haman. Only King Xerxes had more authority in the kingdom than Haman. Haman’s father was in Agag’s family.

Esther 3

Haman becomes angry with Mordecai

1 Some time after that happened, King Xerxes gave a certain officer a lot of authority. The officer was called Haman. Only King Xerxes had more authority in the kingdom than Haman. Haman’s father was in Agag’s family. 2 The king said that everyone must bend his body down to Haman to show respect. But Mordecai would not bend his body down to Haman.

3 The officers at the King’s Gate said to Mordecai, ‘You are not obeying the king’s law and you should obey it.’ 4 They said this to Mordecai every day. But he would not bend his body down to Haman. So the officers told Haman that Mordecai would not bend his body down to him. Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. So they wanted to know if Haman would excuse Mordecai.

5 Haman saw that Mordecai would not bend his body down. So, he was very angry. 6 Haman discovered that Mordecai was a Jew. Haman did not want to hurt only Mordecai. He decided to kill all the Jews in the kingdom of Xerxes. ^{▼▼3:6 Mordecai would not bend his body down to Haman because Haman’s father was in Agag’s family. The father and grandfathers of Agag had been in Amalek’s family. The Jews and Amalek’s family were enemies. In Exodus 17:16 are these words, ‘Now the LORD has said that he will always fight against the Amalekites.’. Haman discovered that Mordecai was a Jew. So then he wanted to kill all the Jewish people in the kingdom. He really did not like the Jews.}

Haman has an idea about how to kill all the Jews

7 His men who knew the law threw a pur. The pur chose the 12th month. This was the month called Adar. They would kill all the Jews on this day. 8 So Haman said to King Xerxes, ‘There are some people who are living in your kingdom. And they are different from all the other people who live in your kingdom. They do not obey the king’s laws. But they live among all your other people. It is not good for you to let them live in your kingdom. 9 If it makes the king happy, the king should make a law to kill all these people. I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the king’s bank. This is for the men who obey your law.’

10 The king took his signet ring from his finger and he gave it to Haman. Haman was the man who really did not like the Jews. 11 He said to Haman, ‘Keep your money. You can do anything that you want with these people.’ ^{▼▼3:11 Verse 9 Silver is a valuable metal. People used it as money. 10,000 talents is a very large amount of money.} ^{▼▼3:11 Verse 10 Any law with the mark of the king’s signet ring on it had the king’s authority.}

12 Haman asked the king’s writers to come to him. This was on the 13th day of the 1st month. The writers wrote the law in the language of all the people who lived in the kingdom of Xerxes. Haman used the king’s signet ring to show that the law had the king’s authority. ^{▼▼3:12 The law had the king’s authority, but Haman wrote the law. The people that Haman wanted to kill were Jews. But king did not know that. And he did not know that Queen Esther was a Jew.}

13 Men delivered the law to the people in all of the kingdom. The law said that on the 13th day of the 12th month people should kill all the Jews. They should kill old people and young people, women and children. All Jews would die. Haman told the people that they could take all the Jews‘things. 14 Haman caused people to make copies of the law. They made copies in every language that people in the kingdom spoke. Everybody should be ready for that day.

15 King Xerxes told his officers that they must send the law quickly to all of the kingdom. Then Haman and the king sat down and they began to feast together. While they feasted, everyone in the city (Susa) was afraid.