1 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 All the kingâs servants who were in the kingâs gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didnât bow down or pay him homage. 3 Then the kingâs servants who were in the kingâs gate said to Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the kingâs commandment?" 4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didnât listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecaiâs reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that Mordecai didnât bow down nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath. 6 But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecaiâs people. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even Mordecaiâs people.
7 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 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 peopleâs. They donât keep the kingâs laws. Therefore it is not for the kingâs profit to allow them to remain. 9 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 kingâs business, to bring it into the kingâs treasuries."
10 The king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jewsâ enemy. 11 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 Then the kingâs scribes were called in on the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month; and all that Haman commanded was written to the kingâs 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 kingâs ring. 13 Letters were sent by couriers into all the kingâs 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 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 The couriers went out in haste by the kingâs 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.