Dual Panel1Some time later <0310> King <04428> Ahasuerus <0325> promoted <01431> Haman <02001> the son <01121> of Hammedatha <04099>, the Agagite <091>, exalting <05375> him and setting <07760> his position <03678> above <05921> that of all <03605> the officials <08269> who <0834> were with <0854> him.
2As a result, all <03605> the king’s <04428> servants <05650> who <0834> were at the king’s <04428> gate <08179> were bowing <03766> and paying homage <07812> to Haman <02001>, for <03588> the king <04428> had so <03651> commanded <06680>. However, Mordecai <04782> did not <03808> bow <03766>, nor <03808> did he pay <07812> him homage <07812>.
3Then the servants <05650> of the king <04428> who <0834> were at the king’s <04428> gate <08179> asked <0559> Mordecai <04782>, “Why <04069> are you <0859> violating <05674> the king’s <04428> commandment <04687>?”
4And after they had spoken <0559> to <0413> him day after day <03117> <03117> without <03808> his paying <08085> any attention <08085> to <0413> them, they informed <05046> Haman <02001> to see <07200> whether this attitude <01697> on Mordecai’s <04782> part would be permitted <05975>. Furthermore <03588>, he had disclosed <05046> to them <01992> that <0834> he <01931> was a Jew <03064>.
5When Haman <02001> saw <07200> that <03588> Mordecai <04782> was not <0369> bowing <03766> or paying homage <07812> to him, he <02001> was filled <04390> with rage <02534>.
6But the thought <05869> <0959> of striking out <03027> <07971> against Mordecai <04782> alone <0905> was repugnant <05869> <0959> to him, for <03588> he had been informed <05046> of the identity of Mordecai’s <04782> people <05971>. So Haman <02001> sought <01245> to destroy <08045> all <03605> the Jews <03064> (that is, the people <05971> of Mordecai <04782>) who <0834> were in all <03605> the kingdom <04438> of Ahasuerus <0325>.
7In the first <07223> month <02320> (that <01931> is, the month <02320> of Nisan <05212>), in the twelfth <06240> <08147> year <08141> of King <04428> Ahasuerus <0325>’ reign, pur <06332> (that <01931> is, the lot <01486>) was cast <05307> before <06440> Haman <02001> in order to determine a day <03117> <03117> and a month <02320> <02320>. It turned out to be the twelfth <06240> <08147> month (that <01931> is, the month <02320> of Adar <0143>).
8Then Haman <02001> said <0559> to King <04428> Ahasuerus <0325>, “There is <03426> a particular <0259> people <05971> that is dispersed <06340> and spread <06504> among <0996> the inhabitants <05971> throughout all <03605> the provinces <04082> of your kingdom <04438> whose laws <01881> differ <08138> from those of all <03605> other peoples <05971>. Furthermore, they do not observe the king’s <04428> laws <01881>. It is not <0369> appropriate <06213> for the king <04428> to provide a haven for them.
9If <0518> the king <04428> is so inclined <02895>, let an edict be issued <03789> to destroy <06> them. I will pay <08254> ten <06235> thousand <0505> talents <03603> of silver <03701> to <05921> be conveyed <0935> to <0413> the king’s <04428> treasuries <01595> for the officials <03027> who carry out <06213> this business <04399>.”
10So the king <04428> removed <05493> his signet ring <02885> from <05921> his hand <03027> and gave <05414> it to Haman <02001> the son <01121> of Hammedatha <04099>, the Agagite <091>, who was hostile <06887> toward the Jews <03064>.
11The king <04428> replied <0559> to Haman <02001>, “Keep <05414> your money <03701>, and do <06213> with those people <05971> whatever you wish <05869> <02896>.”
12So the royal <04428> scribes <05608> were summoned <07121> in the first <07223> month <02320>, on the thirteenth <06240> <07969> day <03117> of the month. Everything <03605> Haman <02001> commanded <06680> was written <03789> to <0413> the king’s <04428> satraps <0323> and governors <06346> who <0834> were in <05921> every <04082> province <04082> and to <0413> the officials <08269> of every <05971> people <05971>, province <04082> by province <04082> according to its script <03791> and people <05971> by people <05971> according to its language <03956>. In the name <08034> of King <04428> Ahasuerus <0325> it was written <03789> and sealed <02856> with the king’s <04428> signet ring <02885>.
13Letters <05612> were sent <07971> by <03027> the runners <07323> to <0413> all <03605> the king’s <04428> provinces <04082> stating that they should destroy <08045>, kill <02026>, and annihilate <06> all <03605> the Jews <03064>, from <05704> youth <05288> to elderly <02205>, both <08147> women <0802> and children <02945>, on a <0259> particular day <03117>, namely the thirteenth <06240> <07969> day of the twelfth <06240> month <02320> (that <01931> is, the month <02320> of Adar <0143>), and to loot <07998> and plunder <0962> <07998> their possessions.
14A copy <06572> of this edict <03791> was to be presented <05414> as law <01881> throughout <03605> every <04082> province <04082>; it was to be made known <01540> to all <03605> the inhabitants <05971>, so that they would be <01961> prepared <06264> for this <02088> day <03117>.
15The messengers <07323> scurried <01765> forth <03318> with the king’s <04428> order <01697>. The edict <01881> was issued <05414> in Susa <07800> the citadel <01002>. While the king <04428> and Haman <02001> sat down <03427> to drink <08354>, the city <05892> of Susa <07800> was in an uproar <0943>!