Esther 3

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.

After these things, king Assuerus advanced Aman, the son of Amadathi, who was of the race of Agag: and he set his throne above all the princes that 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.

And all the king’s servants, that were at the doors of the palace, bent their knees, and worshipped Aman: for so the emperor had commanded them, only Mardochai did not bend his knee, nor worship him.

3 Then said the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate unto Mordecai, —

And the king’s servants that were chief at the doors of the palace, said to him: Why dost thou alone not observe the king’s commandment?

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.

And when they were saying this often, and he would not hearken to them; they told Aman, desirous to know whether he would continue in his resolution: 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;

Now when Aman had heard this, and had proved by experience that Mardochai did not bend his knee to him, nor worship him, he was exceeding angry.

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.

And he counted it nothing to lay his hands upon Mardochai alone: for he had heard that he was of the nation of the Jews, and he chose rather to destroy all the nation of the Jews that were in the kingdom of Assuerus.

7 In the first month—the same, was the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, was Pur cast—the 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.

In the first month (which is called Nisan) in the twelfth year a of the reign of Assuerus, the lot was cast into an urn, which in Hebrew is called Phur, before Aman, on what day and what month the nation of the Jews should be destroyed: and there came out the twelfth month, which is called 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.

And Aman said to king Assuerus: There is a people scattered through all the provinces of thy kingdom, and separated one from another, that use new laws and ceremonies, and moreover despise the king’s ordinances: and thou knowest very well that it is not expedient for thy kingdom that they should grow insolent by impunity.

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 [it] into the treasuries of the king.

If it please thee, decree that they may he destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents to thy treasurers.

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;

And the king took the ring that he used, from his own hand, and gave it to Aman, the son of Amadathi of the race of Agag, the enemy 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.

And he said to him: As to the money which thou promisest, keep it for thyself: and as to the people, do with them as seemeth good to thee.

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.

And the king’s scribes were called in the first month Nisan, on the thirteenth day of the same month: and they wrote, as Aman had commanded, to all the king’s lieutenants, and to the judges of the provinces, and of divers nations, as every nation could read, and hear according to their different languages, in the name of king Assuerus: and the letters, sealed with his ring,

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.

Were sent by the king’s messengers to all provinces, to kill and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, little children, and women, in one day, that is, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, and to make a spoil of their goods.

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.

And the contents of the letters were to this effect, that all provinces might know and be ready against that 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.

The couriers that were sent made haste to fulfill the king’s commandment. And immediately the edict was hung up in Susan, the king and Aman feasting together, and all the Jews that were in the city weeping.