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.
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.
3 Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?
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.
5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed 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.
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.
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.
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.
10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

1After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman, the sonne of Amedatha the Agagite, and aduanced him, and set his seate aboue all the princes that were with him.

2And all the kings seruants, that were in the kings gate, bowed, and reuerenced Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him: but Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reuerence.

3Then the kings seruants, which were in the kings gate, sayd vnto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the kings commandement?

4Now it came to passe, when they spake daily vnto him, and he hearkened not vnto them; that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai his matters would stand, for he had told them that he was a Iewe.

5And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reuerence, then was Haman full of wrath.

6And hee thought scorne to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Iewes, that were throughout the whole kingdome of Ahasuerus, euen the people of Mordecai.

7 In the first moneth (that is, the moneth Nisan) in the twelfth yeere of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman, from day to day, and from moneth to moneth, to the twelfth moneth, that is the moneth Adar.

8 And Haman saide vnto king Ahasuerus: There is a certaine people scattered abroad, and dispersed among the people, in all the prouinces of thy kingdome, and their lawes are diuerse from all people, neither keepe they the kings lawes; therefore it is not for the kings profit to suffer them.

9If it please the king, let it be written, that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of siluer to the handes of those that haue the charge of the businesse, to bring it into the kings treasuries.

10And the king tooke his ring from his hand, and gaue it vnto Haman the sonne of Ammedatha the Agagite, the Iewes enemie.

11And the king saide vnto Haman, The siluer is giuen to thee, the people also, to doe with them, as it seemeth good to thee.

12Then were the kings scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first moneth, and there was written, according to all that Haman had commanded, vnto the kings Lieutenants, and to the gouernours, that were ouer euery prouince, and to the rulers of euery people of euery prouince, according to the writing thereof, and to euery people, after their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the kings ring.

13And the letters were sent by posts into all the kings prouinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all Iewes, both yong and olde, litle children and women, in one day, euen vpon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth (which is the moneth Adar) and to take the spoile of them for a pray.

14The copie of the writing for a commandement to bee giuen in euery prouince, was published vnto all people, that they should bee ready against that day.

15The postes went out, being hastened by the kings commandement, and the decree was giuen in Shushan the palace: and the king and Haman sate downe to drinke, but the citie Shushan was perplexed.

I == Num 24:7 ; 1st Sam 15:8

 

II == Esth 2:19 ; 3:5 ; Ps 15:4

 

 

 

III == Esth 3:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

V == Esth 3:2 ; 5:9 ; Dan 3:19

 

 

VI == Ps 83:4

 

 

 

 

 

VII == Esth 9:24

 

 

 

VIII == Ezra 4:13 ; Acts 16:20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X == Gen 41:42 ; Esth 7:6 ; 8:2 , 8

 

 

 

 

XII == 1st Kings 21:8 ; Esth 1:22 ; 8:8-10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIII == Esth 8:10-17

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIV == Esth 8:13-14

 

 

XV == Esth 8:15 ; Prov 29:2

1 After these events King Ahasuerus raised Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, to high rank, seating him above all his fellow officials.

2 All the king's servants who were at the royal gate would kneel and bow down to Haman, for that is what the king had ordered in his regard. Mordecai, however, would not kneel and bow down.

3 The king's servants who were at the royal gate said to Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's order?"

4 When they had reminded him day after day and he would not listen to them, they informed Haman, to see whether Mordecai's explanation was acceptable, since he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 When Haman observed that Mordecai would not kneel and bow down to him, he was filled with anger.

6 Moreover, he thought it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Since they had told Haman of Mordecai's nationality, he sought to destroy all the Jews, Mordecai's people, throughout the realm of King Ahasuerus.

7 In the first month, Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, the pur, or lot, was cast in Haman's presence to determine the day and the month for the destruction of Mordecai's people on a single day, and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar.

8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus: "Dispersed among the nations throughout the provinces of your kingdom, there is a certain people living apart, with laws differing from those of every other people. They do not obey the laws of the king, and so it is not proper for the king to tolerate them.

9 If it please the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them; and I will deliver to the procurators ten thousand silver talents for deposit in the royal treasury."

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

11 "The silver you may keep," the king said to Haman, "but as for this people, do with them whatever you please."

12 So the royal scribes were summoned; and on the thirteenth day of the first month they wrote, at the dictation of Haman, an order to the royal satraps, the governors of every province, and the officials of every people, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring.

13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the royal provinces, that all the Jews, young and old, including women and children, should be killed, destroyed, wiped out in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, and that their goods should be seized as spoil.

v 1. Esther is believed to have been queen over four years when this took place. Josephus thought Haman was a captured prince from the family of Amalek, Gen. 36:12; Ex. 17:14-16, “war with Amalek from generation to generation; Num. 24:7; 1 Sam. 15:2,3,8,9, where Saul declined to kill Agag so he was killed by Samuel. (He was possibly from Agag, a province of the Persian empire.) 

v 2-4. After Haman’s promotion, other king’s servants were to bow before him just as they did before the king, to show respect, not as a matter of worship as in Daniel.  Mordecai may have refused to bow, thinking it denoted worship, and used the fact he was a Jew for his refusal, although he had told Esther not to reveal their nationality. If  Haman was indeed an Amalekite, hated by Jews, and promoted, though Mordecai had not even been rewarded for preventing the assassination, it may have been his Jewish pride. His fellow servants urged him daily to obey the command, but finally reported it to see if being a Jew excused him.

v 5,6. When Haman learned of Mordecai’s excuse, he wanted to kill all Jews, a type of anti-Semitism that exists in the world yet today. Saul, the son of Kish, a Benjamite had spared Agag, an Amalekite, but Haman, possibly an Amalekite had no mercy for Mordecai, son of a later Kish and Benjamite. 

v 7. Superstitious Haman cast lots, or Pur, from which the feast of Purim comes, to see what date the Jews should be destroyed. God caused the lot to fall nearly a year away, giving the Jews plenty of time for preparation.

v 8,9. Haman falsely accused that all Jews everywhere disobeyed the laws and should be destroyed. He would personally pay 750,000 pounds of silver to do this, amounting to 2 million dollars today, more or less. Compare with 7:9 and see that while Haman would pay the king with spoils from the Jews, he couldn’t begin to compensate for the lost revenue, business and talent which the kingdom would lose.

v 10,11. By giving Haman his ring, the king was giving him authority to stamp all papers in the king’s name. The king’s statement meant that Haman could keep the money and do whatever he wanted to with the people. Haman planned on getting his money back from the spoils anyway.

v- 12-13. Scribes were called in (March 474) to write the letters authorizing the slaughter of all Jewish men, women and even small children, and the confiscation of all there possessions. The king was noted for quick temper and impetuous decisions, so he and ruthless Haman just sat down to drink. Perhaps Haman thought to keep him in such a mood that he would not evaluate the horror of this decree or the loss of revenue that would follow. The people of Shushan, and probably not just the Jews, were astounded at such a bloodthirsty order from even a cruel king.