ES-3:1  After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the

son of Hammedatha

the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the

princes that [were]

with him.

ES-3:2  And all the king's servants, that [were] in the king's

gate, bowed, and

reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him.

But Mordecai bowed

not, nor did [him] reverence.

ES-3:3  Then the king's servants, which [were] in the king's

gate, said unto

Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?

ES-3:4  Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and

he hearkened not

unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's

matters would stand: for

he had told them that he [was] a Jew.

ES-3:5  And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him

reverence, then was

Haman full of wrath.

ES-3:6  And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for

they had showed him

the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all

the Jews that [were]

throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, [even] the people of

Mordecai.

ES-3:7  In the first month, that [is], the month Nisan, in the

twelfth year of king

Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that [is], the lot, before Haman from

day to day, and from

month to month, [to] the twelfth [month], that [is], the month

Adar.

ES-3:8  And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain

people scattered

abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of

thy kingdom; and their

laws [are] diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's

laws: therefore it

[is] not for the king's profit to suffer them.

ES-3:9  If it please the king, let it be written that they may

be destroyed: and I

will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those

that have the charge

of the business, to bring [it] into the king's treasuries.

ES-3:10  And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it

unto Haman the son of

Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

ES-3:11  And the king said unto Haman, The silver [is] given to

thee, the people

also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

ES-3:12  Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth

day of the first

month, and there was written according to all that Haman had

commanded unto the

king's lieutenants, and to the governors that [were] over every

province, and to the

rulers of every people of every province according to the

writing thereof, and [to]

every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus

was it written, and

sealed with the king's ring.

ES-3:13  And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's

provinces, to

destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young

and old, little

children and women, in one day, [even] upon the thirteenth [day]

of the twelfth

month, which is the month Adar, and [to take] the spoil of them

for a prey.

ES-3:14  The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given

in every province was

published unto all people, that they should be ready against

that day.

ES-3:15  The posts went out, being hastened by the king's

commandment, and the

decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman

sat down to drink;

but the city Shushan was perplexed.

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