Haman Plots against the Jews
1Afterthese thingsdid kingAhasueruspromoteHamanthe sonof Hammedathathe Agagite,and advancedhim, and sethis seatabove all the princesthat [were] with him.2And all the king'sservants,that [were] in the king'sgate,bowed,and reverencedHaman:for the kinghad so commandedconcerning him. But Mordecaibowednot, nor did [him] reverence.3Then the king'sservants,which [were] in the king'sgate,saidunto Mordecai,Why transgressestthou the king'scommandment?4Now it came to pass, when they spakedailyunto him, and he hearkenednot unto them, that they toldHaman,to seewhether Mordecai'smatterswould stand:for he had toldthem that he [was] a Jew.5And when Hamansawthat Mordecaibowednot, nor did him reverence,then was Hamanfullof wrath.6And he thoughtscornto layhandson Mordecaialone; for they had shewedhim the peopleof Mordecai:wherefore Hamansoughtto destroyall the Jewsthat [were] throughout the whole kingdomof Ahasuerus,[even] the peopleof Mordecai.
7In the firstmonth,that [is], the monthNisan,in the twelfthyearof kingAhasuerus,they castPur,that [is], the lot,beforeHamanfrom dayto day,and from monthto month,[to] the twelfth[month], that [is], the monthAdar.8And Hamansaidunto kingAhasuerus,There isa certainpeoplescattered abroadand dispersedamong the peoplein all the provincesof thy kingdom;and their laws[are] diversefrom all people;neither keepthey the king'slaws:therefore it [is] not for the king'sprofitto sufferthem.9If it pleasethe king,let it be writtenthat they may be destroyed:and I will paytenthousandtalentsof silverto the handsof those that have the chargeof the business,to bring[it] into the king'streasuries.10And the kingtookhis ringfrom his hand,and gaveit unto Hamanthe sonof Hammedathathe Agagite,the Jews'enemy.11And the kingsaidunto Haman,The silver[is] givento thee, the peoplealso, to dowith them as it seemethgoodto thee.
12Then were the king'sscribescalledon the thirteenthdayof the firstmonth,and there was writtenaccording to all that Hamanhad commandedunto the king'slieutenants,and to the governorsthat [were] over every province,and to the rulersof every peopleof every provinceaccording to the writingthereof, and [to] every peopleafter their language;in the nameof kingAhasueruswas it written,and sealedwith the king'sring.13And the letterswere sentbypostsinto all the king'sprovinces,to destroy,to kill,and to cause to perish,all Jews,both youngand old,little childrenand women,in oneday,[even] upon the thirteenth[day] of the twelfthmonth,which is the monthAdar,and [to take] the spoilof them for a prey.14The copyof the writingfor a commandmentto be givenin every provincewas publishedunto all people,that they should be readyagainst that day.15The postswent out,being hastenedby the king'scommandment,and the decreewas givenin Shushanthe palace.And the kingand Hamansat downto drink;but the cityShushanwas perplexed.
