Esther 3:12

12 On the thirteenth day of the first month the king's scribes were summoned. All Haman's orders were written to the king's satraps, the governors of every province, and the officials of every people. They wrote to each province in its own script and to the people in each province in their own language. The orders were signed in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king's ring.

Esther 3:12 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 3:12

Then were the king's scribes called, on the thirteenth day of
the first month
The month Nisan, ( Esther 3:7 ) , after Haman had leave and power from the king to destroy the Jews, and his ring given him in token of it; the king's scribes or secretaries of state were called together on that day, to write the letters for that purpose:

and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded;
whatever he would have done; he had an unlimited power to do what he pleased, and he made use of it, and directed the scribes what they should write:

unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every
province;
the deputy governors of the one hundred and twenty seven provinces, ( Esther 1:1 )

and to the rulers of every people of every province;
it seems there were different people in every province, which had their rulers; and these were sent to:

according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their
language;
and letters were written in the language, and character of the language, each people spoke, that they might be understood by them:

in the name of King Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the
king's ring.
All this Haman took care to have done so early as the thirteenth of Nisan, though the execution was not to be until the thirteenth of Adar, eleven months after; partly that there might be time enough to send the letters everywhere, even to the most distant parts; and chiefly lest Ahasuerus should change his mind, and be prevailed upon to revoke his grant; and, it may be, either to keep the Jews in continual dread, or cause them to flee.

Esther 3:12 In-Context

10 At that, the king removed his signet ring and gave it to Haman, the enemy of the Jews. (Haman was the son of Hammedatha and was from Agag.)
11 The king told Haman, "You can keep your silver and do with the people whatever you like."
12 On the thirteenth day of the first month the king's scribes were summoned. All Haman's orders were written to the king's satraps, the governors of every province, and the officials of every people. They wrote to each province in its own script and to the people in each province in their own language. The orders were signed in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king's ring.
13 Messengers were sent with official documents to all the king's provinces. [The people were ordered] to wipe out, kill, and destroy all the Jews--young and old, women and children--on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. Their possessions were also to be seized.
14 A copy of the document was made public in a decree to every province. All the people were to be ready for this day.
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