Est 3 | ABEn | STEP | After these things [ 3 extolled 1 king 2 Artaxerxes] Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and exalted him, and seated him first above all his friends.

Esther 3

CHAPTER 3 Haman's Contempt for Mordecai

1 After these things [³extolled ¹king ²Artaxerxes] Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and exalted him, and seated him first above all his friends. 2 And all the ones in the courtyard did obeisance to him, for so [³assigned it ¹the ²king] to do. But Mordecai did not do obeisance to him. 3 And [⁷said ¹the ones ²in ³the ⁴courtyard ⁵of the ⁶king] to Mordecai, O Mordecai, why do you disregard the things [²by ³the ⁴king ¹being said]? 4 Accordingly each day they spoke to him, and he did not hearken to them; and they indicated to Haman that Mordecai [²against ⁴of the ⁵king ³the words ¹was rebelling]; and [²indicated ³to them ¹Mordecai] that he is a Jew. 5 And Haman, realizing that [²did not ³do obeisance to ⁴him ¹Mordecai], was enraged exceedingly.

Haman Plots to Destroy the Jews

6 And he took counsel to remove all [²under ³the ⁵of Artaxerxes ⁴kingdom ¹the Jews]. 7 And he made a referendum in [²year ¹the twelfth] of the kingdom of Artaxerxes. And he cast lots day by day, and month by month, so as to destroy in one day the race of Mordecai. And [³fell ¹the ²lot] on the fourteenth of the month, which is Adar. 8 And he spoke to king Artaxerxes, saying, There exists a nation having been disseminated among the nations in all your kingdom, but their laws are special from all the nations; and of the laws of the king they disregard, and it is not advantageous to the king to allow them. 9 If it seems good to the king, let him decree to destroy them, and I will circumscribe for the treasury of the king [³of silver ²talents ¹ten thousand]. 10 And [³removing ¹the ²king] the ring, gave it into the hands of Haman, to set a seal on the things being written against the Jews. 11 And [³said ¹the ²king] to Haman, As for the silver, you have it! and for the nation, you treat it as you want! 12 And [³were called ¹the ²scribes] by the king [²month ¹in the first], the thirteenth day, and they wrote as Haman gave orders to the commandants, and to the rulers in every place from India unto Ethiopia, to a hundred twenty-seven places, to the rulers of the nations according to their form of speech, through Artaxerxes the king. 13 And it was sent by couriers unto the kingdom of Artaxerxes, to remove the race of the Jews on day one [²month ¹of the twelfth], which is Adar, and to plunder their possessions. 14 And the copies of the letters were displayed in each place. And it was assigned to all to be prepared for that day. 15 [⁴was hastened ¹And ²the ³thing], even in Shushan. And the king and Haman toasted, [⁴was disturbed ¹but ²the ³city].