1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Esther 3

1 Haman, advanced by the king, and despised by Mordecai, seeketh revenge upon all the Jews. 7 He casteth lots. 8 He obtaineth, by calumniation, a decree of the king to put the Jews to death.

 3:1 After 310 these 428 events 1697 King 4428 Ahasuerus 325 promoted 1431 Haman 2001b, the son 1121 of Hammedatha 1992b the Agagite 91, and advanced 5375 him and established 7760 his authority 3678 over 4480 5921 all 3605 the princes 8269 who 834 [were] with him.

 3:2 All 3605 the king’s 4428 servants 5650 who 834 were at the king’s 4428 gate 8179 bowed 3766 down 3766 and paid 7812 homage 7812 to Haman 2001b; for so 3651 the king 4428 had commanded 6680 concerning him. But Mordecai 4782 neither 3808 bowed 3766 down 3766 nor 3808 paid 7812 homage 7812.

 3:3 Then the king’s 4428 servants 5650 who 834 were at the king’s 4428 gate 8179 said 559 to Mordecai 4782, “Why 4069 are you transgressing 5674a the king’s 4428 command 4687?”

 3:4 Now it was when they had spoken 559 daily 3117 to him and he would not listen 8085 to them, that they told 5046 Haman 2001b to see 7200 whether Mordecai’s 4782 reason 1697 would stand 5975; for he had told 5046 them that he was a Jew 3064.

 3:5 When Haman 2001b saw 7200 that Mordecai 4782 neither 369 bowed 3766 down 3766 nor 369 paid 7812 homage 7812 to him, Haman 2001b was filled 4390 with rage 2534.

 3:6 But he disdained 959 5869 to lay 7971 hands 3027 on Mordecai 4782 alone 905, for they had told 5046 him [who] the people 5971a of Mordecai 4782 [were]; therefore Haman 2001b sought 1245 to destroy 8045 all 3605 the Jews 3064, the people 5971a of Mordecai 4782, who 834 [were] throughout the whole 3605 kingdom 4438 of Ahasuerus 325.

 3:7 ¶ In the first 7223 month 2320, which 1931 is the month 2320 Nisan 5212, in the twelfth 8147 6240 year 8141 of King 4428 Ahasuerus 325, Pur 6332, that is the lot 1486, was cast 5307 before 6440 Haman 2001b from day 3117 to day 3117 and from month 2320 [to month], until the twelfth 8147 6240 month 2320, that is the month 2320 Adar 143.

 3:8 Then Haman 2001b said 559 to King 4428 Ahasuerus 325, “There 3426 is a certain 259 people 5971a scattered 6340 and dispersed 6504 among 996 the peoples 5971a in all 3605 the provinces 4082 of your kingdom 4438; their laws 1881 are different 8132 from [those] of all 3605 [other] people 5971a and they do not observe 6213a the king’s 4428 laws 1881, so it is not in the king’s 4428 interest 7737a to let them remain 5117.

 3:9 “If 518 it is pleasing 2895 to the king 4428, let it be decreed 3789 that they be destroyed 6, and I will pay 8254 ten 6235 thousand 505 talents 3603 of silver 3701 into the hands 3027 of those who carry 6213a on the [king’s] business 4399, to put 935 into the king’s treasuries 1595.”

 3:10 Then the king 4428 took 5493 his signet 2885 ring 2885 from his hand 3027 and gave 5414 it to Haman 2001b, the son 1121 of Hammedatha 1992b the Agagite 91, the enemy 6887c of the Jews 3064.

 3:11 The king 4428 said 559 to Haman 2001b, “The silver 3701 is yours 5414, and the people 5971a [also], to do 6213a with them as you please 2896a 5869.”

 3:12 ¶ Then the king’s 4428 scribes 5613b were summoned 7121 on the thirteenth 7969 6240 day 3117 of the first 7223 month 2320, and it was written 3789 just 3605 834 as Haman 2001b commanded 6680 to the king’s 4428 satraps 323, to the governors 6346 who 834 were over 5921 each 4082 province 4082 and to the princes 8269 of each 5971a people 5971a, each 4082 province 4082 according to its script 3791, each 5971a people 5971a according to its language 3956, being written 3789 in the name 8034 of King 4428 Ahasuerus 325 and sealed 2856 with the king’s 4428 signet 2885 ring 2885.

 3:13 Letters 5612 were sent 7971 by couriers 7323 to all 3605 the king’s 4428 provinces 4082 to destroy 8045, to kill 2026 and to annihilate 6 all 3605 the Jews 3064, both 4480 young 5288 and old 2205, women 802 and children 2945, in one 259 day 3117, the thirteenth 7969 6240 [day] of the twelfth 8147 6240 month 2320, which 1931 is the month 2320 Adar 143, and to seize 962 their possessions 7998 as plunder 962.

 3:14 A copy 6572 of the edict 3791 to be issued 5414 as law 1881 in every 3605 province 4082 was published 1540 to all 3605 the peoples 5971a so that they should be ready 6264 for this 2088 day 3117.

 3:15 The couriers 7323 went 3318 out impelled 1765 by the king’s 4428 command 1697 while the decree 1881 was issued 5414 at the citadel 1002 in Susa 7800; and while the king 4428 and Haman 2001b sat 3427 down 3427 to drink 8354, the city 5892b of Susa 7800 was in confusion 943.