Esther Chapter 3

Haman seeks revenge

3:1 Some time later King Ahasuerus (probably Xerxes) promoted Haman (meaning magnificent) the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and all the officials that [were] with him.
3:2 All the king’s servants, that [were] at the King’s Gate would kneel , and bow down before Haman: because the king had commanded it. But Mordecaiמָרְדְּכַי
Transliteration:mārdᵊḵay Pronunciation; mor-dek-ah’-ee “little man” or “worshiper of Mars” cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim For more info click here didn’t kneel or bow down to him.
3:3 So the king’s servants, that were in the King’s Gate, asked Mordecaiמָרְדְּכַי
Transliteration:mārdᵊḵay Pronunciation; mor-dek-ah’-ee “little man” or “worshiper of Mars” cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim For more info click here, Why don’t you obey the king’s command?
3:4 Now it so, happened, when they said this to him day after day, and he didn’t listen to them, so they told Haman, in order to find out if Mordecaiמָרְדְּכַי
Transliteration:mārdᵊḵay Pronunciation; mor-dek-ah’-ee “little man” or “worshiper of Mars” cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim For more info click here‘s words would stand. Because he had told them that he was a Jew.
3:5 When Haman saw that Mordecaiמָרְדְּכַי
Transliteration:mārdᵊḵay Pronunciation; mor-dek-ah’-ee “little man” or “worshiper of Mars” cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim For more info click here didn’t bow, down or kneel to him, then was Haman filled with fury.
3:6 But he thought it beneath him to lay hands on Mordecaiמָרְדְּכַי
Transliteration:mārdᵊḵay Pronunciation; mor-dek-ah’-ee “little man” or “worshiper of Mars” cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim For more info click here alone; because they had told him of the people of Mordecaiמָרְדְּכַי
Transliteration:mārdᵊḵay Pronunciation; mor-dek-ah’-ee “little man” or “worshiper of Mars” cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim For more info click here. And Haman plotted to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecaiמָרְדְּכַי
Transliteration:mārdᵊḵay Pronunciation; mor-dek-ah’-ee “little man” or “worshiper of Mars” cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim For more info click here who were throughout the entire kingdom of Ahasuerus.
3:7 In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they threw Purפּוּר‎
Transliteration: pûr Pronunciation:poor “lot” or “piece”. Persian for lottery. Purim is plural or “lots or “pieces” For more info click here , that is, the lot, in the presence of Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month of Adarאֲדָר
Ădār; from Akkadian adaru is the sixth month of the civil year and the twelfth month of the religious year on the Hebrew calendar, roughly corresponding to the month of March in the Gregorian calendar. It is a month of 29 days. For more info click here.

Haman obtains a murderous decree

3:8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; and their laws are different from those of every other people; and they don’t observe the laws of the king : so it isn’t appropriate for the king to tolerate them.
3:9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued for their destruction: and I will pay ten thousand talents The Biblical weight of a talent is equal to approximately 34 kilograms or 74.96lbs (or 30 tons $1,104,060 in 2025) of silver to the hands of those who perform the duties, for deposit in the king’s treasuries.
3:10 And the king removed his signet ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha (meaning double) the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
3:11 And the king said to Haman, The silver is given to you, the people too , to do with them as you see fit.
3:12 Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and everything was written exactly as Haman had dictated to the king’s satraps, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the officials of every people [to] each province according to its script, and [to] each people in their own language. It was written in the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed with the king’s signet ring.
3:13 And the letters were sent by courier to all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to to annihilate, all Jews, from young to old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adarאֲדָר
Ădār; from Akkadian adaru is the sixth month of the civil year and the twelfth month of the religious year on the Hebrew calendar, roughly corresponding to the month of March in the Gregorian calendar. It is a month of 29 days. For more info click here, and to seize their belongings as plunder.
3:14 Copies of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation, calling on all the peoples to be ready for that day.
3:15 The couriers went out, being hurried by order of the king, and the decree was given in Shushan the capital. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was bewildered.