1AftertheseeventsKingAhasuerus1promotedHaman, the son of Hammedatha2the Agagite, and 3advanced him and established his authorityover*all the princeswho were with him.
2
All the king'sservantswho were at the king'sgateboweddown and paidhomage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But 4Mordecaineitherboweddownnorpaidhomage.
3
Then the king'sservantswho were at 5the king'sgatesaid to Mordecai, "6Why are you transgressing the king'scommand?"
4
Now it was when they had spokendaily to him and he would not listen to them, that they toldHaman to see whether Mordecai'sreason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
5
When Hamansaw that 7Mordecaineitherboweddownnorpaidhomage to him, Haman was filled with rage.
6
But he disdained* to layhands on Mordecaialone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman8sought to destroyall the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the wholekingdom of Ahasuerus.
7
In the firstmonth, which is the monthNisan, in the twelfth*year of KingAhasuerus, Pur, that is the lot, was 9castbeforeHaman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth*month, that is 10the monthAdar.
8
Then Hamansaid to KingAhasuerus, "There is a certainpeoplescattered and dispersedamong the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; 11their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king'slaws, so it is not in the king'sinterest to let them remain.
9
"If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will paytenthousandtalents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king's business, to put into the king's treasuries."
10
Then 12the kingtook his signetring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha13the Agagite, 14the enemy of the Jews.
11
The kingsaid to Haman, "The silver is yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please*."
12
15Then the king'sscribes were summoned on the thirteenth*day of the firstmonth, and it was writtenjust* as Hamancommanded to 16the king'ssatraps, to the governorswho were overeachprovince and to the princes of eachpeople, eachprovince according to its script, eachpeople according to its language, being written17in the name of KingAhasuerus and sealed with the king'ssignetring.
13
Letters were sent by 18couriers to all the king'sprovinces19to destroy, to kill and to annihilateall the Jews, bothyoung and old, women and children, 20in oneday, the thirteenth* day of the twelfth*month, which is the monthAdar, and to 21seize their possessions as plunder.
14
22A copy of the edict to be issued as law in everyprovince was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for thisday.
15
The courierswent out impelled by the king'scommand while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Hamansatdown to drink, 23the city of Susa was in confusion.