1 After these events King Ahasuerus AEsth 5:11promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha BEsth 3:10; 8:3the Agagite, and AEsth 5:11advanced him and 1Lit set his seatestablished his authority over all the princes who were with him. 2 All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down 1Lit and prostrated themselves beforeand paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But AEsth 2:19; 5:9Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were at AEsth 2:19the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “BEsth 3:2Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” 4 Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not 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 AEsth 5:9Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6 But he 1Lit despised in his eyesdisdained to 2Lit send a hand againstlay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman APs 83:4sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, 1Lit he cast Pur...beforePur, that is the lot, was AEsth 9:24-26cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, 2Gr and the lot fell on the thirteenth day ofuntil the twelfth month, that is BEzra 6:15the month Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; AEzra 4:12-15; Acts 16:20, 21their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. 9  “If it is pleasing to the king, let it be 1Lit writtendecreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10 Then AGen 41:42; Esth 8:2the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha BEsth 3:1the Agagite, CEsth 7:6the enemy of the Jews. 11 The king said to Haman, “The silver is 1Lit given to youyours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”

12 AEsth 8:9Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to BEzra 8:36the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written C1 Kin 21:8; Esth 8:8, 10in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 Letters were sent by A2 Chr 30:6; Esth 8:10, 14couriers to all the king’s provinces BEsth 7:4to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, CEsth 8:12in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to DEsth 8:11; 9:10seize their possessions as plunder. 14 AEsth 8:13, 14A copy of the edict to be 1Lit givenissued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. 15 The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was 1Lit givenissued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, AEsth 8:15the city of Susa was in confusion.