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 things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above 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 in the king’s gate bowed down, and paid homage to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay him 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 in the king’s gate, said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s commandment?”

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 came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t 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 didn’t bow down, nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath.

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 scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecai’s people. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even Mordecai’s people.

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, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, and chose the twelfth month, which 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.

Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different than other people’s. They don’t keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not for the king’s profit to allow them to 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 pleases the king, let it be written that they be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who are in charge of the king’s business, to bring it 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.

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

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 given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”

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 called in on the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month; and all that Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps, and to the governors who were over every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the king’s 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 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 on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to plunder their possessions.

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 letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that they should be ready against that 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 in haste by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given out in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was perplexed.