Esther 3

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 a big honor. Haman was the son of Hammedatha, from a family called the Agagites. The king made Haman more important than all his other leaders.

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 workers at the palace gate bowed low to Haman. They showed him great respect, because the king had ordered it. But Mordecai would not bow. He would not honor Haman at all.

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

3The king's workers at the gate asked Mordecai a question. They said, "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 about it. They wanted to see if Mordecai would be allowed to keep doing this. 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.

5Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow or honor him. This made Haman very, very angry.

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.

6Haman learned which people Mordecai belonged to. Then hurting only Mordecai seemed too small to him. So Haman planned to destroy every Jew in the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. They were 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.

7It was the twelfth year that Ahasuerus was king. In the first month, the month of Nisan, they cast lots in front of Haman. They did this to pick a day and a month. The lot landed on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

NoteCasting lots was like rolling dice. People used it to pick a day when they wanted to leave the choice to chance. The word for it here is "Pur," which is where the holiday name Purim comes from.

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 all through your kingdom. They live among your people in every province. Their rules are different from everyone else's. They do not obey your laws. It is not good for you to let them stay.

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.

9"If it pleases the king, write an order to destroy them. I will pay ten thousand bags of silver into your treasury. That money can pay the men who do the work."

NoteA talent of silver was a huge weight of silver, about 75 pounds. Ten thousand of them would be an enormous amount of money.

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

10The king pulled off the special ring he used to stamp orders. He gave it to Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who hated the Jews.

NoteThe king's ring was used to press his mark into soft wax on a letter. That mark showed the order really came from the king. Giving the ring away gave Haman the king's own power.

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 your silver. And these people are yours. Do with them whatever you think is 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 told them to write. The orders went to the king's chief officers, to the governors of every province, and to the leaders of each group of people. Each letter was written in that province's own writing and language. The letters used King Ahasuerus's name and were stamped with his 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.

13Messengers carried the letters to every province of the king. The letters said to destroy and kill all the Jews. That meant young and old, little children and women, all on one day. That day was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. Their belongings were to be taken too.

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 sent to every province. It was read out loud so all the people would know. Then everyone would be ready when that day came.

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 because the king had ordered it. The order was announced in the palace at Shushan. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink. But the whole city of Shushan was upset and confused.

NoteShushan, also called Susa, was the city where the king's palace was.