1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2 All the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay him homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate said to Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king’s commandment?" 4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t 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 Mordecai didn’t bow down nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath. 6 But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecai’s people. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even Mordecai’s people.

7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, and chose the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. 8 Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different from other people’s. They don’t keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not for the king’s profit to allow them to remain. 9 If it pleases the king, let it be written that they be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who are in charge of the king’s business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries."

10 The king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy. 11 The king said to Haman, "The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you."

12 Then the king’s scribes were called in on the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month; and all that Haman commanded was written to the king’s local governors, and to the governors who were over every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the king’s ring. 13 Letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to plunder their possessions. 14 A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that they should be ready against that day. 15 The couriers went out in haste by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given out in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Susa was perplexed.

1 N hierdie dinge het koning Ahasv,ros Haman, die seun van Hammed ta, die Agagiet, groot gemaak en hom verhoog en sy setel hoër gestel as die van al die vorste wat by hom was.

2 En al die dienaars van die koning wat in die poort van die koning was, het gebuig en voor Haman neergeval; want so het die koning aangaande hom bevel gegee; maar Mordegai het nie gebuig of neergeval nie.

3 En die dienaars van die koning, in die poort van die koning, het aan Mordegai gesê: Waarom oortree jy die gebod van die koning?

4 En toe hulle hom dit elke dag sê, en hy nie na hulle luister nie, het hulle dit aan Haman meegedeel om te sien of die handelwyse van Mordegai sou standhou, want hy het hulle te kenne gegee dat hy 'n Jood was.

5 Toe Haman sien dat Mordegai nie buig en voor hom nie neerval nie, was Haman met woede vervul.

6 Maar hy het dit vir hom te gering geag om die hand aan Mordegai alleen te slaan; want hulle het hom die volk van Mordegai te kenne gegee. Daarom het Haman daarna gesoek om al die Jode wat in die hele koninkryk van Ahasv,ros was, die volk van Mordegai, te verdelg.

7 In die eerste maand, dit is die maand Nisan, in die twaalfde jaar van koning Ahasv,ros, het hulle die Pur, dit is die lot, voor Haman gewerp vir elke dag en vir elke maand, twaalf in getal, dit is die maand Adar.

8 Toe sê Haman aan koning Ahasv,ros: Daar is een volk wat verstrooid en afgesonderd is tussen die volke in al die provinsies van u koninkryk, en hulle wette is anders as die van enige volk; ook hou hulle die wette van die koning nie, sodat dit die koning nie pas om hulle te laat begaan nie.

9 As die koning dit goedvind, laat daar dan geskrywe word om hulle te verdelg, en ek sal tien duisend talente silwer afweeg in die hande van die beamptes om dit by die skatte van die koning te voeg.

10 Toe trek die koning sy seëlring van sy hand af en gee dit aan Haman, die seun van Hammed ta, die Agagiet, die teëstander van die Jode.

11 En die koning het aan Haman gesê: Die silwer word jou geskenk; ook die volk, om daarmee te doen soos goed is in jou oë.

12 Toe is die skrywers van die koning geroep in die eerste maand, op die dertiende dag daarvan, en daar is geskrywe net soos Haman beveel het aan die landvoogde van die koning en aan die goewerneurs wat oor elke provinsie was, en aan die vorste van elke volk, aan elke provinsie volgens sy skrif en aan elke volk in sy taal; in die naam van koning Ahasv,ros is dit geskrywe en verseël met die seëlring van die koning.

13 En briewe is gestuur met die hardlopers na al die provinsies van die koning om al die Jode te verdelg, dood te maak en uit te roei, die seun sowel as die grysaard, die kindertjies en die vroue, op een dag, op die dertiende van die twaalfde maand, dit is die maand Adar, en om hulle besittings as buit te plunder.

14 'n Afskrif van die bevelskrif moes as wet in elke provinsie uitgevaardig en openbaar gemaak word aan al die volke, om gereed te wees teen daardie dag.

15 Die hardlopers het haastig op bevel van die koning uitgegaan, en die wet is in die vesting Susan uitgevaardig terwyl die koning en Haman sit en drink; maar die stad Susan was in verwarring.