And when he learned of Mordecai’s ethnic identity, Haman decided not to do away with[a] Mordecai alone. He planned to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews,(A) throughout Ahasuerus’s kingdom.(B)

In the first month, the month of Nisan,[b] in King Ahasuerus’s twelfth year,[c](C) Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman for each day in each month, and it fell on the twelfth month,(D) the month Adar.[d](E) Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, “There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom,(F) yet living in isolation. Their laws are different from everyone else’s and they do not obey the king’s laws.(G) It is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Esther 3:6 Lit to stretch out a hand against
  2. Esther 3:7 = March–April; called Abib in the pre-exilic period; Ex 13:4; Dt 16:1
  3. Esther 3:7 474 b.c.
  4. Esther 3:7 = February–March

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