The Book of Esther

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Kapitel 3 -

Haman's conspiracy against the Jews

After this, king Artaxerxes exalted Haman, the son of Hammedatha, who was of Agag lineage, and he set his throne above all the rulers whom he had.

And all the king’s servants, who passed by the doors of the palace, bent their knees and adored Haman, for so the ruler had instructed them. Only Mordecai did not bend his knee, nor adore him.(a)

The king’s servants, who presided over the doors of the palace, said to him, “Why do you, more than the others, not observe the king’s command?”

And when they were saying this frequently, and he would not listen to them, they reported it to Haman, desiring to know whether he would continue in his resolution, for he had told them that he was a Jew.

Now when Haman had heard this, and had proved by a test that Mordecai did not bend his knee to him, nor adore him, he was very angry.

And he considered it pointless to lay his hands on Mordecai alone, for he had heard that he was part of the Jewish people. And so he wanted more: to destroy the entire nation of the Jews, who were in the kingdom of Artaxerxes.

In the first month, which is called Nisan, in the twelfth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, the lot was cast into an urn, which in Hebrew is called Pur, in the presence of Haman, to determine on what day and in which month the Jewish people should be destroyed. And it turned out to be the twelfth month, which is called Adar.

And Haman said to king Artaxerxes, “There is a people dispersed throughout all the provinces of your kingdom and separated one from another, who make use of unusual laws and ceremonies, and who, in addition, show contempt for the king’s ordinances. And you know very well that it is not expedient for your kingdom that they should become insolent through independence.(b)

If it pleases you, declare that they may be destroyed, and I will weigh out ten thousand talents to the keepers of your treasury.”(c)

And so the king took the ring that he used, from his own hand, and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of Agag lineage, enemy of the Jews.

And he said to him, “Let the silver, which you promise, be for yourself. As for the people, do with them as it pleases you.”

And the scribes of the king were summoned, in the first month Nisan, on the thirteenth day of the same month. And it was written, as Haman had commanded, to all the king’s governors, and to the judges of the provinces, and to various peoples, so that each people could read and hear according to their various languages, in the name of king Artaxerxes. And the letters were sealed with his ring.

These were sent by the king’s messengers to all the provinces, so as to kill and destroy all the Jews, from children all the way to the elderly, even little children and women, on one day, that is, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, and to plunder their goods, even their necessities.(d)

And the effect of the letters was this: that all provinces would know and prepare for the prescribed day.

The couriers, who had been sent, hurried to complete the king’s command, but the edict was hung up in Susa immediately. And the king and Haman celebrated a feast, while all the Jews in the city were weeping.

Fußnoten

(a)5:2 It is not clear from the wording of the text whether this “imperator” is the king or Haman. Imperator can mean emperor or it can mean a ruler or general. Perhaps the text is making fun of Haman, who is only a ruler, but who acts as if he were an emperor.(Conte)

(b)5:8 Novis can mean new, or it can mean strange or unusual. In this context, the laws of the Jews are seen as strange or unusual to the Persians, not as merely new.(Conte)

(c)5:9 Appendam means to weigh, but it also means to hang (as to hang on a balance or scale when weighing). Haman wants to condemn the Jews to death by hanging ten thousand talents on monetary scales. Yet he himself is killed by being hung on the scales of justice and hanged on the gallows.(Conte)

(d)5:13 The Latin vulgate places those verses found in the Greek version of Esther at the end of the book, after those verses found in the Hebrew. This places some of the text out of narrative order: “... et diriperent bona, vel substantias eorum.” This last part of verse 5:13 is a correction, based on the Latin Vulgate, which has both “... et bona eorum diriperent.” (3:13 Vulgate numbering) and a separate verse “Et diripuerunt bona, vel substantias eorum.” (12:6b Vulgate numbering). This separate verse does not fit into the narrative in its place in the Vulgate arrangement. Its only reasonable fit into the narrative is in this place in the text, as an emendation indicating that the Jews enemies planned to plunder not only their wealth, but also their most basic possessions. The verse does not fit into verses 12:11 or 14:10 (new numbering), because the king’s just order would not ask the Jews to take even the necessities of their enemies (which might go to surviving relatives in need) and also because the Jews decided not to avail themselves of the option of taking the spoils at all.(Conte)

Haman's conspiracy against the Jews

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.

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.

Then the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “ Why do you disobey the king’s commandment?”

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.

When Haman saw that Mordecai didn’t bow down nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath.

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.

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.

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 from 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.

If it pleases the king, let it be written that they be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents

(a)

of silver into the hands of those who are in charge of the king’s business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”

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

The king said to Haman, “ The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”

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 local governors, 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.

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.

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.

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 Susa was perplexed.

Fußnoten

(a)3:9 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces