1 Depois desses acontecimentos, o rei Xerxes honrou a Hamã, filho de Hamedata, descendente de Agague, promovendo-o e dando-lhe uma posição mais elevada do que a de todos os demais nobres.

2 Todos os oficiais do palácio real curvavam-se e prostravam-se diante de Hamã, conforme as ordens do rei. Mardoqueu, porém, não se curvava nem se prostrava diante dele.

3 Então os oficiais do palácio real perguntaram a Mardoqueu: "Por que você desobedece à ordem do rei? "

4 Dia após dia eles lhe falavam, mas ele não lhes dava atenção e dizia que era judeu. Então contaram tudo a Hamã para ver se o comportamento de Mardoqueu seria tolerado.

5 Quando Hamã viu que Mardoqueu não se curvava nem se prostrava, ficou muito irado.

6 Contudo, sabendo quem era o povo de Mardoqueu, achou que não bastava matá-lo. Em vez disso, Hamã procurou uma forma de exterminar todos os judeus, o povo de Mardoqueu, em todo o império de Xerxes.

7 No primeiro mês do décimo segundo ano do reinado do rei Xerxes, no mês de nisã, lançaram o pur, isto é a sorte, na presença de Hamã para escolher um dia e um mês para executar o plano, e foi sorteado o décimo segundo mês, o mês de adar.

8 Então Hamã disse ao rei Xerxes: "Existe certo povo disperso e espalhado entre os povos de todas as províncias de teu império, cujos costumes são diferentes dos de todos os outros povos e que não obedecem às leis do rei; não convém ao rei tolerá-los.

9 Se for do agrado do rei, que se decrete a destruição deles; e colocarei trezentas e cinqüenta toneladas de prata na tesouraria real à disposição para que se execute esse trabalho".

10 Então o rei tirou seu anel-selo do dedo, deu-o a Hamã, o inimigo dos judeus, filho de Hamedata, descendente de Agague, e lhe disse:

11 "Fique com a prata e faça com o povo o que você achar melhor".

12 Assim, no décimo terceiro dia do primeiro mês os secretários do rei foram convocados. Hamã ordenou que escrevessem cartas na língua e na escrita de cada povo aos sátrapas do rei, aos governadores das várias províncias e aos chefes de cada povo. Tudo foi escrito em nome do rei Xerxes e selado com o seu anel.

13 As cartas foram enviadas por mensageiros a todas as províncias do império com a ordem de exterminar e aniquilar completamente todos os judeus, jovens e idosos, mulheres e crianças, num único dia, o décimo terceiro dia do décimo segundo mês, o mês de adar, e de saquear os seus bens.

14 Uma cópia do decreto deveria ser publicada como lei em cada província e levada ao conhecimento do povo de cada nação, a fim de que estivessem prontos para aquele dia.

15 Por ordem do rei, os mensageiros saíram às pressas, e o decreto foi publicado na cidadela de Susã. O rei e Hamã assentaram-se para beber, mas a cidade de Susã estava confusa.

1 After these things, did King Ahasuerus promote to power Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and exalted him,and placed his seat above all the rulers who were with him.

2 And, all the kings servants who were in the kings gate, used to bend and bow themselves down unto Haman, for, so, had the king given command concerning him,but, Mordecai, bent not nor bowed himself down.

3 Then said the kings servants who were in the kings gate unto Mordecai,

4 Wherefore art, thou, transgressing the command of the king? And it came to pass, when they had spoken unto him day by day, and he had not hearkened unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether the account of Mordecai would stand, for he had told them, that, he, was a Jew.

5 And, when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bend nor bow down unto him, then was Haman filled with wrath;

6 but, it was contemptible in his eyes, to thrust forth a hand on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai,and Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout all the kingdom of Ahasuerus, the people of Mordecai.

7 In the first monththe same, was the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, was Pur castthe same, is the Lot, before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month,and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the same, is the month Adar.

8 Then said Haman unto King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people, scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples, throughout all the provinces of thy kingdom,whose laws, are diverse from every people, and, the laws of the king, they observe not, for the king, therefore, it is not fit, to suffer them.

9 If, unto the king, it seem good, let it be written, to destroy them,and, ten thousand talents of silver, will I weigh out upon the hands of them who are doing the business, to bring into the treasuries of the king.

10 So then the king took his signet-ring from off his hand, and gave it unto Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of the Jews;

11 and the king said unto Haman, The silver, is granted thee,and the people, to do with them, as may seem good in thine eyes.

12 Then were called the scribes of the king, in the first month, on the thirteenth day therein, and it was written according to all that Haman commanded unto the satraps of the king, and unto the pashas, who were over every province, and unto the rulers of every people, every province according to the writing thereof, and every people according to the tongue thereof,in the name of King Ahasuerus, was it written, and sealed with the signet- ring of the king.

13 Then were sent letters, by the hand of the runners, into all the provinces of the king, To destroy, to slay and to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, little ones and women, in one day, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, the same, is the month Adar,and the spoil of them to be a prey.

14 A copy of the writing, to be delivered as an edict throughout every province, was published to all the peoples,that they should be ready against this day.

15 The runners, went forth, urged on by the word of the king, and, the edict, was given in Shusan the palace,and, the king and Haman, sat down to drink, but, the city of Shusan, was perplexed.