Esther 3:10-15

10 The king removed his signet ring^[a] from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jewish people.

11 Then the king told Haman, "The money and people are given to you to do with as you see fit."

12 The royal scribes were summoned^[b] on the thirteenth day of the first month, and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded. [It was intended for] the royal satraps, the governors of each of the provinces, and the officials of each ethnic group and written for each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring.

13 Letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces [telling the officials] to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people-young and old, women and children-and plunder their possessions^[c] on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.^[d]

14 A copy of the text, issued as law throughout every province, was distributed to all the peoples so that they might get ready for that day.^[e]

15 The couriers left, spurred on by royal command, and the law was issued in the fortress of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was in confusion.

Esther 3:10-15 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Est 3:12; 8:2,8,10; Gn 41:42
• [b]. Est 8:9
• [c]. Est 8:5,11
• [d]. LXX adds the text of Ahasuerus' letter here
• [e]. Est 8:13-14