1 A fter these things King Ahasuerus raised Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, to a more important duty. He was made to rule over all the princes who were with him.

After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him.

2 A ll the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and gave honor to Haman, for the king had said that this should be done. But Mordecai did not bow down or give him honor.

All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage.

3 T hen the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you not obeying the king?”

Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “ Why are you transgressing the king’s command?”

4 T hey spoke to him each day, but he would not listen to them. So they told Haman to see if Mordecai’s reason was good enough. For he had told them that he was a Jew.

Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 W hen Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or honor him, he was very angry.

When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage.

6 B ut he did not want to only hurt Mordecai. They had told him who the people of Mordecai were and Haman wanted to destroy all the Jews. He wanted to destroy all the people of Mordecai in the whole nation of Ahasuerus.

But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

7 I n the first month, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, names were drawn in front of Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, Pur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, that is the month Adar.

8 T hen Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people spread out among the people in all the parts of your nation whose laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not good for the king to let them stay.

Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain.

9 I f it pleases the king, let it be made known that they should be destroyed. And I will pay silver weighing as much as 10, 000 men to those who do the king’s work, to be put into the king’s store-houses.”

If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.”

10 T hen the king took the special ring from his hand that he used for marking his name and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who hated the Jews.

Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

11 A nd the king said to Haman, “The silver is yours, and the people also. Do with them as you please.”

The king said to Haman, “The silver is yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”

12 T hen the king’s writers were called on the thirteenth day of the first month. And all that Haman had said was written to the king’s rulers who were over each part of the land, and to the princes of each people. It was written to each part in its own writing, and in the language of each people. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and marked with the king’s special ring.

Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

13 M en were sent with letters to all the king’s lands, to destroy, to kill, and to put an end to all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day. This was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. And they could take the things that belonged to the Jews.

Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder.

14 T he letters were to be made a law in every land to all the people so that they should be ready for this day.

A copy of the edict to be issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day.

15 T he men went out with the letters in a hurry as the king told them. And the law was made known in the city of Susa where the king lived. While the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was troubled.

The couriers went out impelled by the king’s command while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion.