Est 3 | NASB1995 | STEP | After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman , the son of Hammedatha the Agagite , and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him.

Esther 3

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

1 After these events King Ahasuerus ^apromoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha ^bthe Agagite, and ^cadvanced him and ^{▼▼ Lit set his seat}established his authority over all the princes who were with him. 2 All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down ^{▼▼ Lit and prostrated themselves before}and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But ^fMordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were at ^gthe king’s gate said to Mordecai, ^h“Why are you transgressing 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 stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that ⁱMordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6 But he ^{▼▼ Lit despised in his eyes}disdained to ^{▼▼ Lit send a hand against}lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman ^lsought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, ^{▼▼ Lit he cast Pur...before}Pur, that is the lot, was ⁿcast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, ^{▼▼ Gr and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of}until the twelfth month, that is ^pthe 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; ^qtheir laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe 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 ^{▼▼ Lit written}decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10 Then ^sthe king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha ^tthe Agagite, ^uthe enemy of the Jews. 11 The king said to Haman, “The silver is ^{▼▼ Lit given to you}yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”

12 ^wThen the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to ^xthe king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written ^yin the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 Letters were sent by ^zcouriers to all the king’s provinces ^aato destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, ^abin one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to ^acseize their possessions as plunder. 14 ^adA copy of the edict to be ^{▼▼ Lit given}issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. 15 The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was ^{▼▼ Lit given}issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, ^agthe city of Susa was in confusion.