Esther 3:12-15

12 ¹Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's ²satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, ³to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written ⁴in the name of King Ahasuerus ⁵and sealed with the king's signet ring.

13 Letters were sent ⁶by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction ⁷to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, ⁸in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, ⁹and to plunder their goods.

14 ¹⁰A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation to all the peoples to be ready for that day.

15 ¹¹The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, ¹²but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.

Esther 3:12-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 3

This chapter gives an account of the promotion of Haman, and of the mortification of him by Mordecai, who refused to bow to him, upon which he vowed revenge on him, and on all his people the Jews, Es 3:1-6, for which purpose, through a false representation of them, he obtained letters of the king, and sent to the deputies of all the provinces to destroy them all on a certain day fixed, Es 3:7-15.

Cross References

• 1. Esther 8:9
• 2. See Ezra 8:36
• 3. Esther 1:22; Esther 8:9
• 4. Esther 8:8, 10; [1 Kings 21:8]
• 5. Esther 8:8, 10
• 6. Esther 8:10; [2 Chronicles 30:6]
• 7. Esther 7:4; Esther 8:11
• 8. Esther 8:12; [Esther 9:1]
• 9. Esther 8:11
• 10. Esther 8:13, 14
• 11. [See ver. 13 above]
• 12. [Esther 8:15]