Est 3 | NASB2020 | STEP | After these events King Ahasuerus honored Haman , the son of Hammedatha the Agagite , and promoted him and established his authority over all the officials who were with him.

Esther 3

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

1 After these events King Ahasuerus ^ahonored Haman, the son of Hammedatha ^bthe Agagite, and ^cpromoted him and ^{▼▼Lit set his seat}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 ^{▼▼I.e., great respect and honor to a superior}homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded regarding him. But ^fMordecai neither bowed down nor paid ^{▼▼I.e., great respect and honor to a superior}homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were at ^hthe king’s gate said to Mordecai, “ ⁱWhy 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 ^{▼▼I.e., as valid}stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that ^kMordecai neither bowed down nor paid ^{▼▼I.e., great respect and honor to a superior}homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6 But he ^{▼▼Lit despised in his eyes}considered it beneath his dignity to ^{▼▼Lit send a hand against}kill Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; so Haman ^osought 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, ^{▼▼Lit he cast Pur...before}Pur, that is the lot, was ^qcast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, ^{▼▼LXX and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of}until the twelfth month, that is ^sthe 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; ^ttheir laws are different from those of all other people and they do not ^{▼▼Lit do the}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 ^{▼▼Lit written}decreed that they be eliminated, and I will pay ^{▼▼About 375 tons or 340 metric tons}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 ^xthe king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha ^ythe Agagite, ^zthe enemy of the Jews. 11 And 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 ^abThen the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to ^acthe 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 ^adin the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 Letters were sent by ^aecouriers to all the king’s provinces ^afto annihilate, kill, and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, ^agin one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to ^ahseize their possessions as plunder. 14 ^aiA copy of the edict to be ^{▼▼Lit given}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 ^{▼▼Lit word}order while the decree was ^{▼▼Lit given}issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, ^amthe city of Susa was agitated.