Esther

After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

1After this, King Ahasuerus gave Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, a high honor. He set him above all the other officials.

2And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

2All the king's servants at the palace gate bowed low to Haman to honor him, because the king had ordered it. But Mordecai would not bow or honor him.

3Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?

3So the king's servants at the palace gate asked Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's order?"

4Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

4They said this to him day after day, but he would not listen. So they told Haman, to see if Mordecai would be allowed to get away with it. Mordecai had told them he was a Jew.

5And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

5When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow or honor him, he was filled with rage.

6And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

6He had been told which people Mordecai belonged to. He thought it beneath him to punish only Mordecai. So he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews in the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, Mordecai's people.

7In the first month, that 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, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

7In the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, in the first month, the month of Nisan, they cast the Pur, that is, the lot, in front of Haman. They cast it for each day and each month, and it landed on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

NoteA "lot" was an object thrown like dice to make a decision by chance. "Pur" is the Persian word for it, and the later festival of Purim takes its name from this.

8And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.

8Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people spread out among the peoples in every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else's, and they do not obey the king's laws. It does the king no good to let them stay.

Note"Suffer them" in the King James Version does not mean cause them pain. In 1611 "suffer" meant allow or put up with.

9If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.

9If it pleases the king, let an order be written to destroy them. And I will hand over ten thousand talents of silver to the men in charge of the work, to go into the king's treasury."

NoteA talent was a large weight of silver, about 75 pounds. Ten thousand talents was an enormous fortune, close to the whole yearly income of the empire.

10And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.

10So the king took his signet ring off his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

11And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

11The king said to Haman, "Keep the silver. The people are yours too. Do with them whatever you think best."

12Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.

12On the thirteenth day of the first month, the king's writers were called in. They wrote down everything Haman ordered. It went to the king's chief officers, to the governors of every province, and to the leaders of each people. Each copy used that province's writing and each people's own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's ring.

13And the letters were sent by posts 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 upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

13The letters were carried by messengers to all the king's provinces. The order was to destroy, kill, and wipe out every Jew, young and old, women and little children, all on one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. Their belongings were to be taken as loot.

NoteThe King James Version says "posts." That means messengers on horseback who carried mail along the royal roads.

14The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.

14A copy of the order was to be given out in every province and announced to all the people, so they would be ready on that day.

15The posts went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

15The messengers hurried out at the king's command, and the order was announced in the palace at Shushan. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was in confusion.