Esther 3:7

7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, ^[a] the Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman to determine a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar. ^[b]

Esther 3:7 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 3:7

In the first month, that is the month Nisan
Which was the first month of the sacred year of the Jews, by divine appointment, ( Exodus 12:2 ) ( 13:4 ) , and there called Abib, and answers to part of February and part of March; from hence it is clear this book was written by a Jew, and very probably by Mordecai:

in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus;
four years and near two months after his marriage of Esther, ( Esther 2:16 ) ,

they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman;
being a Persian word, it is explained in Hebrew a lot, the word signifying "steel" in the Persian language. Reland ^F16 conjectures that this was that sort of lot called "sideromantia". Who cast this lot is not said; whether Haman himself, or one of his servants: perhaps a diviner. The latter Targum calls him Shimshai the scribe:

from day today, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is
the month Adar;
which answers to part of January and part of February; so that the lot was cast for every month and every day of the month throughout the year, to find out which was the most lucky month, and which the most lucky day in that month, to destroy the Jews in and none could be found till they came to the last month, and the thirteenth day of that month, ( Esther 3:13 ) , the providence of God so overruling the lot, that there might be time enough for the Jews, through the mediation of Esther to the king, to prevent their destruction; so in other nations the Heathens had their lucky and unlucky days ^F17.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Antiqu. Heb. par. 4. c. 12. sect. 1.
F17 Vid. Macrob. Saturnal l. 1. c. 16. Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 4. c. 20.

Esther 3:7 In-Context

5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him homage, he was filled with rage.

6 And when he learned the identity of Mordecai’s people, he scorned the notion of laying hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he sought to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the kingdom of Xerxes.

7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman to determine a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

8 Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.

9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will deposit ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury to pay those who carry it out.”

Footnotes

• [a]. Nisan is the first month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of March and April.
• [b]. LXX was cast before Haman—a day and month—and the lot fell on the fourteenth of the month of Adar; Hebrew was cast before Haman a day and month—the twelfth, Adar; the month of Adar (also in verse 13) is the twelfth month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of February and March.