1
After these things did kingAhasueruspromoteHaman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
2
And all the king'sservants, that were in the king'sgate,bowed, and reverencedHaman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecaibowed not, nor did him reverence.
4
Now it came to pass, when they spakedailyunto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they toldHaman, to see whether Mordecai'smatters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.
6
And he thoughtscorn to layhands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Hamansought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
7
In the firstmonth, that is, the monthNisan, in the twelfth*year of kingAhasuerus, they castPur, that is, the lot,beforeHaman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfthmonth, that is, the monthAdar.
8
And Hamansaid unto kingAhasuerus, There is a certainpeople scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king'slaws: therefore it is not for the king'sprofit to suffer them.
9
If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will paytenthousandtalents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king'streasuries.
12
Then were the king'sscribescalled on the thirteenth*day of the firstmonth, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king'slieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of kingAhasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king'sring.
13
And the letters were sentbyposts into all the king'sprovinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in oneday, even upon the thirteenthday of the twelfth*month, which is the monthAdar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.
15
The posts went out, being hastened by the king'scommandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the cityShushan was perplexed.