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 who were with him.

All the king’s servants, who were in the king’s gate, bowed down, and did reverence to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down, nor did him reverence.

Then the king’s servants, who were in the king’s gate, said to Mordecai, Why disobey you the king’s commandment?

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 matters would stand: for he had told those who he was a Jew.

When Haman saw that Mordecai didn’t bow down, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

But he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai: why Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

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, [to] the twelfth [month], which is the month Adar.

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 diverse from [those of] every people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to allow them.

If it please 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 have the charge of the [king’s] business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.

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

The king said to Haman, The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.

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

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 on the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

A copy of the writing, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that they should be ready against that day.

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