Esther 3

Haman’s Conspiracy Against the Jews

1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the *Num. 24:7; 1 Sam. 15:8Agagite, and *Esth. 5:11advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants who were*Esth. 2:19, 21, 5:9within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai *Esth. 3:5; Ps. 15:4would not bow or pay homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, "Why do you transgress the *Esth. 3:2king’s command?" 4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that Mordecai *Esth. 3:2, 5:9did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was *Dan. 3:19filled with wrath. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman *Ps. 83:4; (Rev. 12:1–17)sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.

7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, *Esth. 9:24–26they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, until itfellonthe twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; *Ezra 4:12–15; Acts 16:20, 21their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. 9 If it pleases the king, let adecree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries."

10 So the king *Gen. 41:42took *Esth. 8:2, 8his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the *Esth. 7:6enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, "The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you."

12 *Esth. 8:9Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and adecree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province *Esth. 1:22according to its script, and to every people in their language. *1 Kin. 21:8; Esth. 8:8–10In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 And the letters were *2 Chr. 30:6; Esth. 8:10, 14sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, *Esth. 8:12in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and *Esth. 8:11, 9:10to plunder their possessions. 14 *Esth. 8:13, 14A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but *Esth. 8:15; (Prov. 29:2)the city of Shushan was perplexed.