Esther 3:7

7 In the chodesh harishon (first month), that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of HaMelech Achashverosh, they cast Pur, that is, the goral (lot), before Haman miyom l’yom (from day to day, every day), and me’chodesh l’chodesh (from month to month, every month) until the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

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 And when Haman saw that Mordechai ein korei’a (bowed not), nor to him mishtachaveh (would prostrate, worship [Devarim 5:9]), then was Haman full of chemah (wrath).

6 And he scorned to lay hands on Mordechai alone; since they had told him the Am Mordechai; therefore Haman sought to make shmad of kol haYehudim that were throughout the kol Malkhut Achashverosh, even the Am Mordechai.

7 In the chodesh harishon (first month), that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of HaMelech Achashverosh, they cast Pur, that is, the goral (lot), before Haman miyom l’yom (from day to day, every day), and me’chodesh l’chodesh (from month to month, every month) until the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

8 And Haman said unto HaMelech Achashverosh, There is Am Echad scattered abroad and dispersed among the amim in all the provinces of thy malkhut (kingdom, realm); and their dat (law) is different from kol am; neither obey they the datei HaMelech; therefore it is not suitable for HaMelech to tolerate them.

9 If it please HaMelech, let it be written that they may be killed, and I will weigh ten thousand talents of kesef into the hands of those that are the osei hamelachah (doers of the work, T.N. i.e., the S.S.), to bring it into genazim (treasuries [T.N. see the word genizah here]) of HaMelech.