Esther 3:8

8 And then Haman said to king Ahasuerus, A people is scattered by all the provinces of thy realm, and it is separated from itself, and this people useth new laws and ceremonies, and furthermore also it despiseth the behests of the king; and thou knowest best, that it speedeth not to thy realm, that it increase in malice by (thy) license. (And then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a people scattered in all the provinces of thy kingdom, and they be separated unto themselves, and this people useth different laws and statutes, and furthermore they also despise the king's laws; and thou knowest best, that it profiteth not to thy kingdom, if they increase their malice, by thy license.)

Esther 3:8 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 3:8

And Haman said unto King Ahasuerus,
Or "had said" ^F18, as some choose to render it; nor indeed is it likely that Haman should cast lots to know when would be a proper time to destroy the Jews, until he had got leave of the king to do it:

there is a certain people scattered abroad, and dispersed among the
people in all the provinces of thy kingdom;
for, though many of the Jews returned to their own land, on the proclamation of Cyrus, yet others remained, being well settled as to worldly things, and not having that zeal for God and his worship as became them, and not caring to be at the trouble and expense of such a journey, and especially those of the ten tribes; now Haman, through contempt of them, mentions them not by name, only describes them as a scattered insignificant people:

and their laws are different from all people;
concerning their diet and observation of days, and other things; so Empedocles, an Heathen, observes ^F19 of the Jews, that they were a separate people from all others in those things; for he says,

``they separated not only from the Romans, but even from all men; for, having found out an unmixed way of living, they have nothing common with men, neither table nor libations, nor prayers, nor sacrifices, but are more separate from us than the Susians or Bactrians, or the more remote Indians:''

neither keep they the king's laws;
and, no doubt, he had a special respect to the non-observance of the king's command to give him reverence; and in like manner the Jews are represented by Heathen writers, as by Tacitus ^F20, Juvenal ^F21, and others:

therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them;
that is, to dwell in his dominions; he got nothing by them, and they might be prejudicial to his subjects, and poison them with their notions; and since they were not obedient to the laws of the kingdom, it was not fit and equitable that they should be continued in it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (rmayw) "dixerat enim", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, so Patrick.
F19 Apud Philostrat. Vit. Apollon. l. 5. c. 11.
F20 Hist. l. 5. c. 4.
F21 "Romanas antem soliti" Satyr. 14. ver. 99.

Esther 3:8 In-Context

6 and Haman areckoned it for nought to set his hands upon Mordecai alone, to kill him; for he had heard, that Mordecai was of the folk of Jews, and the more rather he would destroy all the nation of Jews, which were in the realm of Ahasuerus. (but Haman reckoned that it would be useless to only put his hands upon Mordecai; for he had heard that Mordecai was of the nation of the Jews, and so he plotted to destroy the entire nation of the Jews, who were in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.)

7 In the first month, whose name is Nisan, that is, April, in the twelfth year of the realm of Ahasuerus, lot was cast into a vessel, the which lot is said in Hebrew pur, before Haman, to know in what day and in what month the folk of Jews ought to be slain; and by the lot the twelfth month went out, that is called Adar, that is, March. (So in the first month, that is called Nisan, or April, in the twelfth year of Ahasuerus? reign, the lot was cast, which is called pur in Hebrew, in the sight of Haman, to know on what day and on what month the nation of the Jews ought to be destroyed; and by the lot the twelfth month went out, that is called Adar, or March.)

8 And then Haman said to king Ahasuerus, A people is scattered by all the provinces of thy realm, and it is separated from itself, and this people useth new laws and ceremonies, and furthermore also it despiseth the behests of the king; and thou knowest best, that it speedeth not to thy realm, that it increase in malice by (thy) license. (And then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a people scattered in all the provinces of thy kingdom, and they be separated unto themselves, and this people useth different laws and statutes, and furthermore they also despise the king's laws; and thou knowest best, that it profiteth not to thy kingdom, if they increase their malice, by thy license.)

9 If it please thee, deem and command thou that this people perish, and I shall pay ten thousand talents of silver to the keepers of thy treasure. (So if it please thee, judge this and then command thou that this people perish, or be destroyed, and I shall even pay ten thousand talents of silver to the keepers of thy treasury unto this end.)

10 Therefore the king took from his hand the ring which he used, and he gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of the kindred of Agag, the enemy of Jews. (And so the king took off the ring, which he used for a signet, from his finger, and he gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.)