Esther 3: Haman's rise, Mordecai's refusal, and the decree to destroy the Jews
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What happens?
King Ahasuerus promotes Haman and the king's servants bow to him, but Mordecai does not. Haman learns that Mordecai is a Jew and seeks to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom. Pur (the lot) is cast before him, he speaks to the king, and the king gives him the ring and the people. Letters go out to destroy, kill and cause to perish all the Jews in one day, the thirteenth of the twelfth month, and the king and Haman sit down to drink while the city of Susa is perplexed.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. The narrator tells the story. The king's servants speak to Mordecai in verse 3, Haman speaks to the king in verses 8 and 9, and the king answers Haman in verse 11. Mordecai's words are not quoted: verse 4 says only that he told them he was a Jew. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.
In plain English: After these things, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite and lifted him up. He set Haman's seat above all the princes (or: officials) who were with him.
Good to know: "The Agagite" is the Hebrew Agagi, which the dictionary gives as "an Agagite or descendent (subject) of Agag". It is in 5 of Esther's 167 verses. Agag is named in the Bible as king of the Amalekites in , and speaks of blotting out the memory of Amalek. Esther itself does not say how Agag and Haman are related.
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2All the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay him homage.
In plain English: All the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded it concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay him homage.
The Hebrew words: "Bowed down" is kara, which the dictionary gives as "to bend the knee; by implication, to sink, to prostrate". "Paid homage" is shachah, which the dictionary gives as "to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God)". Each is in 2 verses of Esther, here and .
Good to know: The text does not say why Mordecai did not bow. has the servants ask him, and says he told them he was a Jew.
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3Then the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s commandment?”
In plain English: Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's commandment?"
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4Now 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 reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
In plain English: They spoke to him day after day, and he did not listen to them. They told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's words (or: reason) would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew.
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5When Haman saw that Mordecai didn’t bow down nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath.
In plain English: When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing down or paying him homage, Haman was filled with rage.
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6But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecai’s people. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even Mordecai’s people.
In plain English: He scorned the thought of laying a hand on Mordecai alone, because they had told him who Mordecai's people were. Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were in the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, Mordecai's people.
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7In 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, and chose the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
In plain English: In the first month, the month of 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, and chose (the Hebrew has no verb for "chose") the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
The Hebrew words: "Pur" is pur, which the dictionary gives as "a lot (as by means of a broken piece)". "The lot" is goral, which the dictionary gives as "properly, a pebble, i.e. a lot (small stones being used for that purpose)". Pur is in 7 verses of Esther. The WEB writes "Pur" in 3 of them, and in the other 4 only the form "Purim".
How it is translated: The WEB reads "and chose the twelfth month". The Hebrew has no word for "chose" here. It ends with the number twelve and "that is the month of Adar".
What changes: Without "chose", the verse says Pur was cast before Haman from day to day and month to month, and names the twelfth month, Adar. It does not say how the lot picked it. gives the day in that month.
Good to know: The text explains the name itself. says that they called these days Purim "from the word Pur".
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8Haman 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 different from other people’s. They don’t keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not for the king’s profit to allow them to remain.
In plain English: Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is one people, scattered abroad and spread out (or: set apart) among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws. It is not fitting (or: not to the king's profit) for the king to let them remain.
The Hebrew words: "Scattered abroad" is pazar, which the dictionary gives as "to scatter, whether in enmity or bounty". "Dispersed" is parad, which the dictionary gives as "to break through, i.e. spread or separate (oneself)". Each is in 1 verse of Esther.
What changes: With "spread", the people are simply in every province. With "separate", they are set apart from the peoples around them. The Hebrew word can mean either. These are Haman's words about the people, spoken to the king.
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9If it pleases 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 are in charge of the king’s business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”
In plain English: If it pleases the king, let it be written that they be destroyed. I will weigh out ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the king's business, to bring it into the king's treasuries."
Good to know: "Ten thousand talents of silver" is the text's own number. The Hebrew word for talents is kikkar, in 1 verse of Esther. No conversion to modern money is made here. speaks of "the exact sum" of this silver.
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10The king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
In plain English: The king took his signet ring off his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
The Hebrew word: "Ring" is tabaat, which the dictionary gives as "properly, a seal (as sunk into the wax), i.e. signet (for sealing); hence (generally) a ring of any kind". It is in 5 verses of Esther: here, , , and . In 8:2 the king takes it off and gives it to Mordecai.
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11The king said to Haman, “The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”
In plain English: The king said to Haman, "The silver is given to you, and the people also, to do with them as it seems good in your eyes."
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12Then the king’s scribes were called in on the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month; and all that Haman commanded was written to the king’s local governors, and to the governors who were over every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the king’s ring.
In plain English: The king's scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king's local governors (or: satraps), to the governors over each province, and to the princes of each people. It was written to each province in its own writing and to each people in its own language, in the name of King Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the king's ring.
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13Letters were sent by couriers 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 plunder their possessions.
In plain English: Letters were sent by couriers (runners) to all the king's provinces: to destroy, to kill and to cause to perish all the Jews, young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.
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14A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that they should be ready against that day.
In plain English: A copy of the writing, to be given out as a decree in every province, was made known to all the peoples, to be ready for that day.
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15The couriers went out in haste by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given out in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Susa was perplexed.
In plain English: The couriers went out in haste at the king's word, and the decree was given out in Susa the citadel (or: palace). The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was perplexed (or: in confusion).
The Hebrew word: "Citadel" is birah, which the dictionary gives as "a castle or palace". It is in 10 verses of Esther, and the WEB says "citadel" in 8 of them and "palace" in 2.
What changes: With "palace", the decree was given out in Susa at the palace. With "citadel", it was given out at the fortified part of Susa. The text does not say which is meant.
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