Haman’s Conspiracy Against the Jews
1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha theAgagite, andadvanced him and set his seat above all the princes whowerewith him.
2 And all the king’s servants whowerewithin the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecaiwould not bow or pay homage.
3 Then the king’s servants whowerewithin the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress theking’s command?”
4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they tolditto Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; forMordecaihad told them that hewasa Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecaidid not bow or pay him homage, Haman wasfilled with wrath.
6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Hamansought to destroy all the Jews whowerethroughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.
7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus,they cast Pur (thatis,the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, untilitfellonthetwelfthmonth,whichisthe month of Adar.
8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom;their lawsaredifferent from allotherpeople’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore itisnot fitting for the king to let them remain.
9 If it pleases the king, letadecreebe written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bringitinto the king’s treasuries.”
10 So the kingtookhis signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, theenemy of the Jews.
11 And the king said to Haman, “The money and the peoplearegiven to you, to do with them as seems good to you.”
12 Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, andadecreewas written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors whowereover each province, to the officials of all people, to every provinceaccording to its script, and to every people in their language.In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring.
13 And the letters weresent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women,in one day, on the thirteenthdayof the twelfth month, whichisthe month of Adar, andto plunder their possessions.
14 A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day.
15 The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, butthe city of Shushan was perplexed.